Episode 251: Maria Theresa of Austria, Part One

by | Jul 24, 2024 | Episode, Podcasts

Destined from her cradle for a seat on the throne, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria had to fight both the prejudices of her age and some of the greatest warriors of the time to secure her empire. Her life was so large, it’s going to require two episodes! In this one, we begin with a little background on her family, you may have heard of them? The Habsburgs? They of a 700-year dynasty? There were a lot of wars, fluid country lines, alliances, and lands that extended across modern-day Europe that helped shape the world that Maria Theresa was born into, and we give you an outline of that history.

Maria Theresa Walburga Amelia Christina was born on May 13, 1717, at her family home, Hofburg Palace, in Vienna, Austria. Her father was Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, and her mother was Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel. Maria Theresa was the oldest of two surviving children, both daughters, which sent the lives of her parents, her mother especially, into turmoil.

A teenage Maria Theresa, painting by Andreas Moeller, via wikicommons

An heir! They need an heir! And, oooof, they tried and the cockamamie methods to get that male child were extreme. Also extreme was her father’s methods to extend the line of succession to his daughters on the chance that a son never survived. When it looked like that son wasn’t going to come, he made sure that his eldest daughter was as prepared as possible to lead the family and control their lands. This meant an education (not exactly that of a lad, but pretty close) and lining up a strategic betrothal in the form of Duke Francis Steven of Lorraine.

Dashing Francis/Franz Steven, Martin van Meytens circa 1745

Maria Theresa was only 23 when Papa Karl (that’s what we call him, there are a lot of people with the same name in this story) passed away. At that point, not only was she married to a man who understood his place, but she was ready for the responsibilities ahead of her. She, not her husband as some believed would happen, stepped into the ruling role which was pretty unusual for both the family and the times. But, as prepared as she was, she was in for some pretty rough times at the beginning.

The large, happy, healthy family, you too can have one… (inside joke.) circa 1764

Maria Theresa’s natural intelligence helped her learn skills of diplomacy, military strategy, and how to juggle the many varied challenges of her enormous territory and responsibilities…all while being pregnant and giving birth to 16 children, 10 of which survived to adulthood. She streamlined and centralized her government, wheeled and dealed with allies, and built a standing army to protect her borders (usually from a nearby ruler who history remembers as Frederick the Great, King of Prussia.) Heck, she even got the vampire scare under control. Yes, vampires.

Frederick, King of Prussia a ruthless man with a horrific upbringing. Johann Georg Ziesenis Circa 1763

We cover her life up through the first 20 years of her rule but there’s so much more ahead in Part Two.

TIME TRAVEL WITH THE HISTORY CHICKS

Media recommendations will be on the shownotes for Part Two, but to tide you over we talked a bit about two contemporaries of Maria Theresa: Madam de Pompadour (from 2011 when we were just baby podcasters) and Catherine the Great, Part One and Two. Maybe go give their episodes a listen to learn their incredible stories!

Also, we have a Pinterest board for every episode, here is Maria Theresa’s!

Episode 152: Catherine the Great *An entirely true story

by | May 25, 2020 | Episode, Podcasts

 

 

The real Catherine and Peter

Have you watched Hulu’s The Great yet? It’s a new series based on the life of Catherine the Great. It’s funny, bawdy, beautifully costumed and shot in some very lovely locations (mostly in the UK) but how true is it? The graphics tell us, right upfront, that it’s “an occasionally true story” so we’re warned. BUT there is just enough truth to make even us pause and Google, so we thought that a revisit was in order. This episode was originally posted in 2016, and we’ve remastered the audio as best as possible.  (more…)

Episode 87: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Part Two

by | Apr 17, 2017 | Biography Episode, Episode, Podcasts

Part one followed Eleanor’s life from her birth through to the big cliffhanger: after divorcing King Louis and heading back to Aquitaine she popped up only a few weeks later married again to 18 year-old, King in Training, Henry FitzEmpress of Anjou.

The newlyweds took the “it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission” strategy and didn’t ask their king (Louis) if they could marry but, really? Would he have given it? No, he would not. Henry’s star was rising and his parents were powerful and connected. His mother, Empress Matilda, needs her own episode, she was that powerful and after a lifetime of civil war over the crown of England (Matilda was beat to it by her cousin, Stephen) Henry’s military training was substantial and he was very good at it. But the biggie? When Eleanor’s lands combined with Henry’s they controlled more than half of modern day France.

Eleanor's fancy new seal and one of the few illustrations of her

Eleanor’s fancy new seal and one of the few illustrations of her

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