Joseph II: Volume 1, in the Shadow of Maria Theresa, 1741-1780 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780521525886)

The emperor Joseph II (1741-90) tried to carry through something like a 'revolution from above' in the vast, varied, and mainly backward provinces of the Austrian Monarchy. This volume carries the story down to 1780. It describes the claustrophobic atmosphere, in which Joseph was trained to rule, his tragic marriages, and his attempts after 1765 as co-regent with his formidable mother, empress Maria Theresa, to dictate the domestic and foreign policy of the monarchy. The author shows that previous historians have been deceived by false sources and that the picture they have given of the emperor, his strange character, his tempestuous relationship with his mother, and his political aims, needs drastic revision.

Author: Derek Beales
ISBN-10: 0521525888
ISBN-13: 9780521525886
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 05/15/2008
Pages: 568
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.73lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 1.15d