In Europe in the mid-to-late 18th century, the Austrian Empire rose to great power, and Empress Theresia and her son Joseph became important figures in this period. Empress Theresia was a wise and determined ruler, her reign was called the "Enlightenment Despotism", focusing on reform and progress, while Joseph inherited his mother's ideas and promoted a series of reforms during his reign, and was honored as Empress Theresia.
When Empress Theresa succeeded to the throne, Austria was facing a series of challenges, after the death of her husband, former Emperor Franz I, Theresia became the ruler of Austria, and many countries doubted her ability and legitimacy and tried to invade Austria.
Aware that reform was essential to make Austria a strong country, she actively promoted educational reform, encouraged universal education, and provided better educational opportunities for the Austrian people, she also established agricultural schools to improve the skills and productivity of farmers, and Theresia also attached importance to medical reform, improved medical conditions, and promoted universal vaccination. She had also introduced a series of legal reforms to improve the efficiency and fairness of the judicial system.
We also attach great importance to the development of the economy. She implemented a series of economic reforms, encouraged the development of commerce and industry, promoted foreign trade, and provided policies and measures to support enterprises. She also carried out land reform to improve the status and rights of farmers.
Empress Theresia did not only focus on domestic reforms, she was also actively involved in European political affairs, she established diplomatic relations with other countries, sought allies and protected Austrian interests, her flexibility and intelligence in diplomatic strategy earned her a reputation on the international stage and gained respect and recognition among European countries.
She consolidated the borders of the Austrian Empire and resolved some territorial disputes through diplomatic means, and she also participated in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), a brutal conflict between the great powers of Europe, in which Empress Theresia was widely appreciated for her leadership and diplomatic skills, despite the Austrian Empire suffering some losses.
Although the reign of Empress Theresia was strict, she was very concerned about the well-being of the Austrian people, and she focused on improving the living conditions of the people and raising their social status. She developed a series of social policies that improved the lives of the poor and strengthened the protection of the vulnerable.
One of the most important legacies of Empress Theresia was her son, Joseph II, the eldest son of Queen Theresia and Franz I, who succeeded to the throne after the death of his mother, a forward-looking and progressive-thinking ruler who carried forward the modernization of Austria in the spirit of his mother's reforms, and who introduced a series of political, economic and social reforms, known as "Joseph the Replacer".
He tried to eliminate the surplus of feudalism and promote equality and the universal application of the law, he promulgated the Land Release Law, which allowed peasants to buy and sell land, and abolished serfdom, and he also reorganized administrative divisions, simplified administrative procedures, and improved administrative efficiency. He promoted universal education, encouraged universal acceptance and improved the quality of education, established many schools and universities, and provided scholarships to support students.
Joseph II's determination to reform religion caused some controversy and resistance, and he promulgated the Decree of Religious Tolerance, which guaranteed freedom of religious belief and limited the Church's interference in government affairs, weakened the privileged position of the Catholic Church, and introduced state education and civil marriage. These reforms drew opposition from conservatives and churches, but also supported by some intellectuals and progressive thinkers.
He also introduced a series of economic reforms aimed at promoting the development of industry and commerce and fiscal reforms, he introduced a free trade policy, removed internal trade barriers, promoted the circulation of goods and the development of markets, he also promoted the construction of infrastructure, built roads, canals and bridges, improved the efficiency of transportation, and Joseph II also carried out judicial reforms to promote the popularization of laws and justice. He developed the Universal Civil Code, which unified the legal system and reduced local privileges and unequal treatment.
Joseph II's reforms were also subject to some restrictions and challenges, some reform measures caused social discontent and resistance, especially from the nobility and the church, Joseph II's reforms were too fast, sometimes lacking in-depth investigation and proper planning, resulting in some reform measures were not effective.
Empress Theresia and Joseph II shaped the history of Austria in the mid-to-late 18th century, and under the Enlightenment absolutism of Empress Theresi, Austria underwent a series of reforms, including in the fields of education, health care, economics and diplomacy, and her son Joseph II inherited his mother's reform spirit and carried out more radical and extensive reforms during his reign, especially in the political, economic and social fields. Despite some challenges and constraints to their reforms, their efforts laid a solid foundation for Austria's modernization and had a profound impact on Europe as a whole.
