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About Maria Theresa

The 18th century is a time of absolute monarchies, political intrigue and diplomacy through marriage. Love is a word that is not used frequently and certainly not associated with everyday life, let alone a marriage. At many European courts, life is at least joyful and enjoyable. At Vienna's Hofburg, however, it is cold, boring and uptight, dominated by Jesuit morals. A ruling Empress is not even imaginable. The beautiful blue-eyed blonde Maria Theresa is brought up for the usual fate of getting married for political reasons, being beautiful and giving birth to many children, perferably male ones. Ever since she was six years old, she has had a crush on Francis Stephen, the duke of Lorraine, not much different from a modern girl's feelings for a rock star or a movie star. Even according to today's standards Maria Theresa's and Francis Stephen's marriage is extremely modern: Maria Theresa...