Franz I, Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor; Grand Duke of Tuscany
"I am the husband of the greatest woman in the world."
Biography
Francis Stephen of Lorraine married Maria Theresa in 1736 and became Holy Roman Emperor in 1745, the title that gave the Habsburg dynasty its imperial prestige. He was a competent if unspectacular administrator and a genuinely successful businessman — his personal investments helped finance the war. He was also, by all accounts, a loving if unfaithful husband. Maria Theresa adored him with a passion she devoted to no one else; his sudden death in 1765 left her in mourning black for the rest of her life.
Did you know?
Francis was a passionate naturalist whose collection of minerals, coins, and natural history specimens formed the core of what became the Natural History Museum Vienna — one of the finest such collections in the world
Life Journey
Timeline
December 8, 1708
🌅 Birth
Born in Nancy, capital of the Duchy of Lorraine
February 12, 1736
📍 Posting
Marries Maria Theresa in Vienna; begins Habsburg co-regency
September 13, 1745
📍 Posting
Elected Holy Roman Emperor after the death of Charles VII
August 18, 1765
✝️ Death
Dies suddenly in Innsbruck during celebrations; Maria Theresa collapses in grief