One great object of Charles's policy was to secure his hereditary dominions to his own daughter Maria Theresa, in preference to the daughters of his elder brother Joseph, both brothers having no malt offspring. For this purpose Charles issued in 1713 the Pragmatic Sanction, an ordinance which established the right of succession in hi own daughter, and he obliged his own nieces to confirm it by renouncing their pretensions on their respective marriage. with the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony. He also obtained from the various states or provincial assemblies of his dominions the acknowledg meat of the Pragmatic Sanction, and he induced most of the German and other European powers, with the exception of the Bourbons, to guarantee this family compact. Charles VI. diod is 1740, and in him the male line of the House of Habsburg and Austrit became extinct. Hie daughter Maria Theresa, who had marries Francis of Lorraine, grand-duke of Tuscany, succeeded, after as arduous struggle, in securing the possession of the Austrian dominions [Frutects 1. of Germany.) When Maria Theresa, who had survived her husband, died in 1780 her eldest son Joseph, who had already succeeded his father a emperor of Germany in 1765, took into his hands the administration of the Austrian dominion,. [Joseeu II. of Germany.] Joseph die( in 1790, without issue, and was succeeded by his younger brothe ? eopold, grand-duke of Tuscany, whose wise reign was but short. He
lied in 1792, leaving' his youthful son Francis to stand the brunt of he political storms which had gathered over Europe in consequence f the French Revolution. A sketch of the long and eventful reign hat followed is given under FRANCIS II. of Germany.
Francis in 1806 resigned the title of emperor of Germany, and .ssumed that of Francis L, emperor of Austria. He died in 1835, caving the crown to his eldest son, Ferdinand II. of Austria, born in 793. Ferdinand was compelled to abdicate, December 2, 1848, and vas succeeded by his nephew Francis-Joseph. [Friesers-Josern.] Leopold II. left a numerous family besides Francis. His second on, the Archduke Charles, born in 1771, became well known in the ears with France as general-in-chief of the Austrian armies. The next, he Archduke Joseph, born in 1776, became palatine and governor ;eneral of Hungary. The Archduke John, born in 1782, became mown as general in the Austrian armies. The Archduke Realer, ;ern in 1783, was made, after the peace, viceroy of the Lombardo ?Tenetian kingdom. Of the sisters of Leopold, the eldest, Marie intoinette, married Louis XVI. of France; the next, Maria Caroline, narried Ferdinand, king of the Two Sicilies; and another married he Duke of Parma. A younger brother of Leopold, the Archduke Ferdinand, married Maria Beatrice, heiress of the house of Este, by vhom he had Francis Joseph, the late, and father of the present Duke of Modena.