Alice Audrey

Maria Theresa’s response to her growing infirmities was to push herself even harder. When she was told that these exertions would be her undoing, she redoubled her efforts. These were not the actions of a woman who was denying her mortality; they were the actions of a woman who knew she was dieing and wanted [...] [...]

So many people became embroyled in the stalemate between Marie Antoinette and the King’s mistress, Madame Dubarry – starting with the king’s daughters and ending with, of course, Mom; Maria Theressa of Austria. Marie Antoinette’s continued slighting of Madame Dubarry had finally been pushed to it’s logical, or perhaps I should say illogical conclusion. France [...] [...]

Queen Maria Theresa had no interest in enlightenment, but she did many progressive things for her people where her son considered himself highly enlightened. What did he do? Maria’s positive achievements during this period were remarkable, if mostly unheralded. While serfdom existed to one degree or another throughout the empire, it was not because Maria [...] [...]

King Joseph, co-regent of Austria and brother to Marie Antoinette, needlessly invaded Bohemia in search of fame and glory. It didn’t quite work out for him. Joseph was right to believe that Frederick did not really want to fight. That is to say, Frederick was not totally committed to fight. Which is not the same [...] [...]

Queen Maria Theresa took the death of her husband hard, maybe harder than anyone else. “ No human being is capable of adequately expressing the acute feelings with which the heart of a son is overwhelmed, who loses forever a father, by whom he is convinced he was loved….He was my teacher, my friend. I [...] [...]

After Prince Joseph of Austria’s lovely, lesbian wife died, he was forced to turn to another. But who could match such a nonpareil? Before leaving the subject of Joseph and his marriage to the stunning Isabella of Parma, a post script. Not long after her death, he announced that if he had to re-marry, he [...] [...]

For the last several weeks, Mr. Al has been recounting the political difficulties that beset Maria Theresa of Austria when, starting as a young woman, the task of saving the country fell to her shoulders. To see more, click on the History by Mr. Al tab. It is worth a moment to pause here and [...] [...]

In order to save Austria, Queen Maria Theressa entrusted her diplomat, Kaunitz, with a lot of power, even encouraging his partying. Meanwhile she turned her attention to the shambles of her empire. As late as 1754 all of Europe wanted peace. Kaunitz knew that a war would be required to recover Silesia, but not right [...] [...]