Borrowed Dignity from no One

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6626, 12 August 1931, Page 10

Borrowed Dignity from no One

Who: MARIA THERESA. Where : Austria. When : Eighteenth century. Why famous : Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia. She was married early to her cousin, Eraneis of Lorraine, afterwards Holy Roman Emperor. But Maria Theresa borrowed dignity and authority from no one. Consequently she upheld her Gwm status and prerogative as head of the royal house of Austria. Through 40 agitated years she conducted herself in the main with nobility of purpose. Though sometimes accused of having made unjustifiable use of her sex, beauty and youth to gain her ends, yet she acted for the welfare of Austria. Within her realm she strove to bring about more prosperity for her people, progress in education, trade and in religious and social toleration—just so long as the central government was not infringed. Outside fier realm she fought and schemed to recover her lost provinces. She was a good loser, as witnessed by her acceptation of the outcome of the Seven Sears’ War which did not favour her political ambitions. Boldly she defended her inheritance when it was challenged by Frederick of Prussia, and she had many contentions with the Bavarian Emperor, Charles VII, an enemy close at hand.

In private life Maria Theresa was gracious and affectionate, but she never forgot her royal prestige and her royal responsibility. Neither did she permit her children—of whom the most celebrated was Marie Antoinette —to forget. Her daughters did not marry where and whom they yhose^

but as best suited the future of their country. From the year 1740, when she succeeded her father, Emperor Charles VI, until her own reign ended in 1780, Marie Theresa played a lead ing part in the political fortunes of Europe.