Historical Figures Codexery

Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor

Last Holy Roman Emperor, first Emperor of Austria.

His time as emperor was marked by the wars with France, the end of the Holy Roman Empire, and a very conservative approach to governing at home.[1][2]

Quick Facts

Reign
5 July 1792 – 6 August 1806
Coronation
14 July 1792; Frankfurt Cathedral
Predecessor
Leopold II
Successor
Monarchy abolished (Napoleon as Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine)

Facts from the source article.

Life and work

Francis was sent to Vienna in 1784 to be educated for his future role as emperor, under the strict supervision of his uncle Joseph II.[3][4] Joseph described the young archduke as "stunted in growth" and "backward in bodily dexterity and deportment"[4] Francis presided over the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which created the German Confederation and the Concert of Europe.[5] He died in Vienna on 2 March 1835 at age 67 and was interred in the Imperial Crypt.[6]

In response to Napoleon crowning himself Emperor of the French, Francis announced on 11 August 1804 that he would take the title of hereditary Emperor of Austria, a step Napoleon had approved in advance.[7]

What the cited sources add

The 2012 book "Germany and the Holy Roman Empire" by Whaley states that Francis's assumption of the title Emperor of Austria in 1804 was technically illegal under imperial law.[8][7] Gagliardo's 1980 book "Reich and Nation" describes how Austria's defeat at Austerlitz and the subsequent Treaty of Pressburg caused the empire's final collapse.[9][10] Robbins Landon's 1988 book "Haydn" states that the anthem "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" was written in 1797 with music by Joseph Haydn, and that this music was later used for the German national anthem.[11][12]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fraser 2002, p. 492 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wheatcroft 1996, p. 249 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wheatcroft 1996, p. 249; Wheatcroft 1996, p. 249 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; "Wien", Wiener Zeitung, 5 March 1835, p. 1, col. 2; (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Whaley, "Germany and the Holy Roman Empire", Oxford University Press, 2012, p. 632 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Open Library record, ISBN 9780199693078 ("Germany and the Holy Roman Empire"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  9. Open Library record, ISBN 9780253167736 ("Reich and nation"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Whaley 2012, p. 643; Gagliardo, "Reich and Nation. The Holy Roman Empire as Idea and Reality, 1763–1806", Indiana University Press, 1980, p. 279–280 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Open Library record, ISBN 9780500014387 ("Haydn"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  12. Wikipedia, "Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Robbins Landon, "Haydn: His Life and Music", Thames & Hudson, 1988 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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