The home of art and culture where Mozart and Klimt were born, the small neutral country that loves peace, and the unspoiled nature and pure Edelweiss of the Alps. These are images that come to mind when I hear the name of Austria. Austria, however, was once one of the two home states of the Habsburg royal family, which accounted for half of Europe, and its ruling territory was twice that of modern Germany and was at the center of Europe's complex political vortex.
Austria's First Queen Maria Theregia (Blue Thought), written by modern Western history expert Kim Jang-soo, an honorary professor of history education at Catholic Kwandong University, deals with the life and politics of the queen, who played an important role in forming Europe's political landscape throughout her 40-year reign. In Korea, where modern Western history studies are biased toward Britain, France, and Germany, academic books dealing with Austria in earnest are rare.
Maria Theregia was born on May 13, 1717 as the first daughter of Karl VI, who served as the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Austria. The birth of Maria Theregia was not a blessing because it was a imperial family who desperately hoped for a son to inherit the throne. Just before that year, his son Leopold Johan died seven months after his birth.
As a result, King Buhwang Karl VI only had three daughters, but did not give up hope of seeing his son, so he did not teach Maria Theregia about national administration, legal, military system, or politics. Maria Theregia, like her grandfather Leopold I and father Karl VI, who are well versed in art, showed talent for music, dance, and acting from an early age. However, his health condition was not so good, often suffering from dizziness, causing parents to worry.
Marriage of Maria Theregia, who may become the heir to the throne of the Austrian Kingdom in the future, was of all European interest. This is because the marriage of the royal family leads to the merger of territories and changes the landscape of European power. Franz Stefan, the Prince of the Great Department of Rotringen (Loren in French), between France and Germany, was chosen as a groom, and Maria Theregia fell in love at once after seeing him.
Franz Stefan had twists and turns, having to give up his sovereignty in Lotringen to get Maria Theregia, but the two became a couple with a spectacular ceremony in 1736. The couple will have as many as 16 children. There were only four sons and six daughters who grew up to adulthood.
Maria Antonia, the youngest daughter, will change her name to the French name Marie Antoinette after marrying Prince Louis, who will become king of France in the future. Maria Theregia, who pushed for a political marriage with the Bourbon royal family, emphasized diplomatic relations with France, urged her daughter Maria Antonia to be modest at the French royal palace, but soon forgot her mother's advice and indulged in a luxurious life. Upon hearing the news, Maria Theregia sent a letter to her daughter asking her to correct her "dumb behavior," but it was useless, and her daughter faced a tragedy in the guillotine during the French Revolution. Fortunately for Maria Theregia, this tragedy took place after his death.
On October 13, 1740, when his father Karl VI, who had a sudden stomachache while hunting, died a week later, 23-year-old Maria Theregia ascended the throne of the Austrian kingdom with 730,000 영토를 of territory. Concerned about the health of his daughter, who was three months pregnant at the time, Karl VI ordered her not to attend his funeral.
The throne of Maria Theregia immediately led to political conflicts with neighboring countries. At that time, in Europe, the sovereignty of the state was regarded as private property of the royal family, so when a king of a country died, claims of inheritance by neighboring countries, which were complicated by confusion, often led to political disputes or wars.
Bayern's first vice president Karl Albrecht challenged Maria Theregia's succession to the throne, while France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Sardinia-Piermonte, and Cologne's first kingdoms agreed. Above all, it was Friedrich II of Prussia, who was later called the "King Friedrich the Enlightenment monarch" that threatened Maria Theregia and Austria. The two monarchs, who would be called "lifetime rivals," fought for supremacy in Germany and even Europe almost throughout their reign.
The military conflict that began over the succession of the Austrian throne gradually expanded, leading to a "seven-year war" in 1756, which is an international war involving almost all European countries. Both Austria and Prussia end the war by signing a peace treaty in Hubertusberg, with their national power exhausted to the point where they can no longer afford to continue.
In a series of wars, Austria lost considerable territory, including Nieder and Overschledgene, and Count Glitz, and its international status also fell. There was also a long way to pay back the enormous war expenses. In contrast, Prussia has emerged as a military power with a standing army of 200,000 people, strengthening its finances under Friedrich II's Enlightenment policy.
In the midst of repeated wars, Maria Theregia carried out a series of reforms to transform Austria into a modern state. As a prime minister, Haukwitz was appointed to reduce the privileges of nobles and strengthen the royal authority, such as restricting the nobles' right to consent to taxes, strengthening the central government's administrative power, and abolishing the duty-free privileges of nobles and priests. In addition, the Supreme Court was established and the laws of each region were compiled into the "Teregia Code" to unify the laws.
The military system was reformed by taking lessons from the defeat of the war of succession to the throne. Austria chose a way for aristocrats and British monarchs to recruit mercenaries or form troops to fight against foreign invasions. Therefore, it was difficult for different Yeongju-affiliated forces to operate organized operations because of their different weapon systems and command methods. This is why he established a standing army system early and lost helplessly to the Prussian army, which had been trained in high intensity. Maria Theregia had Count Daun, a military leader, push for military reform, including the creation of a nationwide standing army, preparation of service regulations and training rules, and the creation of a military school where ordinary people can enter. He also participated in military camping training every year and took the lead in building a strong army.
Education reform was also promoted using Sviten, a doctor and enlightenment. By enacting a school law, elementary and intermediate schools were established throughout the Austrian kingdom, and the church deprived the church of its monopoly on education, making the university a state agency. A medical department was established at an empty university, and competent doctors were invited from each country, while laying the foundation for the medical qualification test.
As these reforms paid off, the national finances became sound and the overall stability of the state administration was restored. Based on this financial confidence, it was completed in 1749 after massive renovation and expansion of the Sönburun Palace, which was promoted by previous kings but failed to produce results. With 1,441 rooms, 390 halls, and 149 kitchens, the elegant and simple Baroque-style Sönburun Palace was a royal palace suitable for the people and their families who symbolize the state.
Maria Theregia, 48, who was deeply hurt when her beloved husband died immediately after collapsing in the court in August 1765, said, "I'm about to say goodbye to my happy days," and cut her long hair and handed out all the colorful clothes and jewelry to her daughters and court ladies. After that, until his death, he lived wearing only a black hat tied up to his chin and only a black widow.
In early November 1780, Theregia, who was hit by strong rain while traveling around the Sönburg Palace in an open carriage, felt chills and lay down and could not recover throughout. On November 28, he died after leaving a will to Josef II, his son and co-governor, saying, "Please pay special attention to the welfare of the people and support for the poor."
Both the empty citizens of the Austrian kingdom who loved and praised his full sense of justice and warm heart sincerely lamented the death of the Queen, who was mother and ruler. Friedrich II, who ascended to the throne in the same year and confronted him all his life, also said, "The queen left great honor to the Austrian kingdom and Habsburg," adding, "I fought a long war with the queen, but I never regarded her as an enemy."
Regarding the reign of Queen Maria Theregia, the author said, "We have established the foundation of an enlightening absolute monarchy in the Austrian Kingdom and this has been strengthened by his sons in the future," adding, "We have ruled for 40 years as a monarch who considers fulfillment of duty, integrity, and morality an important virtue."
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