Maria Theresa

Maria Theresa's father, Emperor Charles VI, issued the Pragmatic Sanction to ensure Habsburg lands would pass intact to his daughter. This document became the legal basis for her succession and triggered the War of the Austrian Succession.

Upon Maria Theresa's accession, Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, sparking a European war. Despite losing Silesia in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), she retained the Habsburg throne and secured her dynasty's survival.

Maria Theresa initiated comprehensive administrative, fiscal, and military reforms in Austria. She centralized government, created a standing army, and improved tax collection, strengthening the Habsburg state after the losses of the war.

Maria Theresa orchestrated the reversal of traditional alliances, allying Austria with France and Russia against Prussia. This diplomatic shift led to the Seven Years' War, though Austria failed to recover Silesia.

Maria Theresa introduced compulsory primary education for all children in the Habsburg monarchy. The General School Ordinance established state-run schools, increasing literacy and reducing Church control over education.