Empress Maria Theresia (1717-1780) and Emperor Franz I (1708-1765)

[CyrilVladisla]

Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI died on October 20, 1740. His eldest daughter Maria Theresa started her reign upon his demise. However, was not the true heiress Archduchess Maria Josepha, the eldest daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I?

[Kataryn]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI died on October 20, 1740. His eldest daughter Maria Theresa started her reign upon his demise. However, was not the true heiress Archduchess Maria Josepha, the eldest daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I?

Why should she be? When Joseph I. died, there was a male Habsburg left to inherit. When Charles Vi. died, there wasn't. So Charles' eldest daughter inherited, not his niece.

[Marc23]

Does anybody know, is there any list of Empress Elisabeth Christine's (mother of Maria Theresa) ladies in waiting/court ladies?

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Kataryn

Why should she be? When Joseph I. died, there was a male Habsburg left to inherit. When Charles Vi. died, there wasn't. So Charles' eldest daughter inherited, not his niece.

I believe CyrilVladisla is making reference to the fact that under the family pact of 1703 the daughters of Joseph were higher in the line of succession than the daughters of his younger brother Carl.

[CyrilVladisla]

From the Wikipedia article on Marie Therese of France, it declared:
The Empress (Maria Theresa of Austria) wanted all her eldest granddaughters to be named after her.
Do you believe this to be true?

[CyrilVladisla]

Why did Maria Theresa's father Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI bar her from horse riding?

[Sionevar]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

Why did Maria Theresa's father Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI bar her from horse riding?

My best guess - because people at the time believed horse riding could impact a woman's virginity and fertility. Women who rode were often viewed as being lewd and unladylike, especially if they rode astride instead of side saddle.

[SirGyamfi1]

Originally Posted by Sionevar

My best guess - because people at the time believed horse riding could impact a woman's virginity and fertility. Women who rode were often viewed as being lewd and unladylike, especially if they rode astride instead of side saddle.

Also safety, some people died young from horse accidents, falling off a horse even today can be a dangerous situation eg. Queen Mary’s Hungarian Countess ancestress does very young from horse-riding.

[Sionevar]

Originally Posted by SirGyamfi1

Also safety, some people died young from horse accidents, falling off a horse even today can be a dangerous situation eg. Queen Mary’s Hungarian Countess ancestress does very young from horse-riding.

This is also how Marjorie Bruce - the daughter of King Robert I of Scotland - supposedly died. Like Queen Mary of Hungary, she was also pregnant at the time.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Sionevar

This is also how Marjorie Bruce - the daughter of King Robert I of Scotland - supposedly died. Like Queen Mary of Hungary, she was also pregnant at the time.

As did Margaret Duchess of Burgundy,wife of future HRE Maximilian I

[Biri]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

As did Margaret Duchess of Burgundy,wife of future HRE Maximilian I

And Bona Sforza - Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as second wife of King Sigismund I the Old - as a result of a fall from a horse, gave birth prematurely to a son Albert, who died at birth.

She herself survived but couldn't have more children.

As for Maria Theresa - as we know, her father didn't have to worry about her fertility