Francis Stefan was the 2nd son of the Lorraine-Joseph of Lorraine and the French princess Elizabeth-Charlotte of Orleans and was born on the 8th of December 1708. He received the throne of his father (in 1729) only because of the sudden death of his elder brother, Leopold-Clemens (in 1723).
In 1732 he was appointed emperor viceroy to Hungary, whose population recognized him and fell in love with him even earlier, during his first inspection trip. At one time it seemed that his penchant for Maria Theresa and her love for him would face obstacles in politics. The unsuccessful war for the Polish inheritance, the hostility of France and Spain, as well as the claims of the Bavarian Wittelsbachs to the Austrian inheritance after the death of Charles VI, made to think that the approval of pragmatic sanctions by the European powers would face enormous difficulties; so in Vienna was drawn up a plan for a double marriage - Maria Theresa, as the heiress of the crowns of Austrian, Czech and Hungarian, with the Bavarian Crown Prince, and her sister - with the Spanish Infanta Don Carlos. In view of the fact that Bartenstein, the chief minister and favorite of Charles VI, and Prince Eugene of Savoy were not particularly fond of the Habsburg-Lorraine marriage, his success was doubtful; nevertheless, after the Viennese peace of 1735, he again came to the fore, but Franсis Stefan was forced, at the very time of his marriage with Maria Theresa, to give France the duchy of Bar, to abandon Lorraine in favor of the father-in-law of the French king, Stanislaus Leszczynski, the former king of Poland, and in exchange for Lorraine to obtain Tuscany, after the death of the latter from the Medici. The appointment of Francis Stefan as governor of the Netherlands and the promise of Marianne's hand, the sister of Maria Theresa, to his brother, was a reward for the sacrifice that the Lorraine house brought, abandoning its home country. In the Turkish war of the late 1730s, Francis Stefan participated without a distinction. When the last Medici died (1737), Francis Stefan and his young wife went to Florence to take possession of Tuscany, but soon returned to Vienna. In 1742, having made sure that he did not have military talent, he resigned from his position as commander-in-chief. In 1745 he was elected to the German emperors; on October 4 he was followed by his coronation in Frankfurt. This raised him to the same level with Maria Theresa in matters of foreign policy. He had little to do with internal affairs; Only in 1763 Maria Theresa placed him at the head of the financial department. He advocated an alliance with the maritime powers, in contrast to the new system - the alliance with France, to which, since 1749, Kaunitz began to decline. In 1745 he was elected to the German emperors; on October 4 he was followed by his coronation in Frankfurt. This raised him to the same level with Maria Theresa in matters of foreign policy. He had little to do with internal affairs; Only in 1763 Maria Theresa placed him at the head of the financial department. He advocated an alliance with the maritime powers, in contrast to the new system - the alliance with France, to which, since 1749, Kaunitz began to tend. Strengthening Kaunits and his huge role in domestic and foreign policy led him to clashes with the emperor. In 1764, Francis Stefan arranged the election of his eldest son, Joseph, to Roman-German kings. He died on August 18, 1765 in Innsbruck.
He was sociable, lively, good-natured and cheerful, a real sanguine. The young duke showed less willingness to engage in sciences than to pleasantly pass the time, to enjoy life, and passionately gave himself up to hunting, like Emperor Charles VI, his future father-in-law.
Was married to Maria Theresa. When Maria Theresa ascended the throne, Francis Stefan became a sovereign's husband, but not a sovereign; his wife loved him with all her heart, but jealously guarded her rights, and he was her co-regent only by name.
11 September 1679 - 27 March 1729
13 September 1676 - 23 December 1744
May 13, 1717 - November 29, 1780
1738-1789
1752-1814
1746-1804
1742-1798
1751-1767
1750-1762
1743-1808
1755-1793
1756-1801
1741-1790
1745-1761
1747-1792
1754-1806
