The emperor Joseph II (1741–90) tried to carry through something like a ‘revolution from above’ in the vast, varied, and mainly backward provinces of the Austrian Monarchy. This volume carries the story down to 1780. It describes the claustrophobic atmosphere, in which Joseph was trained to rule, his tragic marriages, and his attempts after 1765 as co-regent with his formidable mother, empress Maria Theresa, to dictate the domestic and foreign policy of the monarchy. The author shows that previous historians have been deceived by false sources and that the picture they have given of the emperor, his strange character, his tempestuous relationship with his mother, and his political aims, needs drastic revision.
Contents
List of plates; List of maps and figures; Preface; List of abbreviations; Introduction; 1. The Austrian succession; 2. Upbringing and education; 3. Marriages, 1760–1767; 4. Introduction to government, 1760–1765; 5. King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor, 1764–1780; 6. Mother, son and minister: the early years of the co-regency, 1765–1768; 7. The later years of the co-regency, 1768–1780: the royal family and the central administration; 8. Early travels: the Banat and Italy, 1768–1769; 9. Foreign policy during the co-regency: I. The eastern question, 1765–1776; 10. The man; 11. Bohemia: travel and reform, 1769–1777; 12. Further travels: eastern provinces and France, 1773–1777; 13. Foreign policy during the co-regency: II. War and diplomacy, 1776–1780; 14. Joseph and Josephism under Maria Theresa; Conclusion; Bibliography; Bibliographical index; General index.
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