Joseph ii quotes

Reigned to ; b. Vienna, Mar. As the eldest son of Emperor Francis I and maria theresa, he was carefully educated. At an early age he showed keen intelligence but also a changeable, imprudent character, lack of sympathy, and a pronounced tactlessness, especially with inferiors. In he was elected emperor and coregent in Austria with his mother.

In reality, at this time he could play an independent role only in military affairs. He successfully insisted upon the participation of Austria in the first partition of Poland and later obtained the territory of Bucovina, which Turkey ceded voluntarily However, a plan for the acquisition of Bavaria was frustrated by frederick ii of prussia in , , and again in Toward the end of his reign Joseph allowed Russia.

Plans for Church Reform.

Joseph ii of austria accomplishments

Imbued from youth with the ideals of the enlightenment, he submitted to his mother such a radical plan for the transformation of the Catholic monastic orders that it was unacceptable even to Prince Wenzel von kaunitz. Joseph welcomed the dissolution of the Society of Jesus and eagerly collaborated in a scheme for its liquidation in Austria.

He also supported the introduction and execution of Kaunitz's new State-Church system and regretted that his mother was too frightened to carry it out fully. One of his first executive acts as a sole and absolute ruler was to ask for a perusal of all the legislative proposals that Maria Theresa had not acted upon because of religious scruples.

At the same time he informed the qualified expert in ecclesiastical affairs, Councilor Franz Joseph heinke, of a program of innovations he intended to introduce into the Austrian Church.