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Joseph II, (born March 13, 1741, Vienna—died Feb. 20, 1790, Vienna), Holy Roman emperor (1765–90). He succeeded his father, Francis I, and initially coruled with his mother, Maria Theresa (1765–80).
May 9, 2018 · JOSEPH II (HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE) (1741 – 1790; ruled 1765 – 1790), the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa (ruled 1740 – 1780) and Francis of Lorraine (ruled 1745 – 1765), succeeded his father on the imperial throne in 1765, after which he acted as co-regent with his mother in ruling the Habsburg domains.
JOSEPH II, HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR. Reigned 1765 to 1790; b. Vienna, Mar. 13, 1741; d. there, Feb. 20, 1790. As the eldest son of Emperor Francis I and maria theresa, he was carefully educated.
Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 18 August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 29 November 1780 until his death.
His social and religious reforms were less concerned with creating a just society than with extracting the greatest amount of taxes and the greatest number of military recruits from his people in the most efficient manner possible. Prosperity in his mind was good only because it meant increased revenue for the state.
Early Reign. In 1765 Joseph's father, who had with his wife's backing been elected Holy Roman emperor in 1742, died. Joseph was duly elected to succeed him in that dignity. His position was now an anomaly.
First visit by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, 1777. Having learned of his sister Marie-Antoinette’s profligate spending and careworn marriage, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II decided to strike out for Versailles.
