FRANCIS I., emperor of Germany, born in 1708, was the son of Leopold duke of Lorraine, who was the son of Charles V. of Lorraine, and of Eleonora Maria, daughter of the emperor Ferdinand III. Francis's mother was the Princess of Orleans, niece of Louis XIV. On the death of his father in 1729, Francis succeeded him as duke of Lorraine and Bar. In consequence of the war of the Polish succession, Lorraine was ceded to Stanislaus Leczinski, father-in-law of Louis to revert after his death to the crown of France, and Francis received Tuscany in exchange, which duchy became vacant by the extinction of the house of Medici. Francis married in 1736 Maria Theresa of Austria, the only daughter and heiress of the emperor Charles VI. In January 1739, be went to reside at Florence with his consort. In 1740 Charles VI. died, and Maria Theresa succeeding him in the hereditary dominions of the house of Austria, she made her husband coregent with herself, hut gave him little share in the administration.
He however commanded her armies in the war which she had to sustain in order to secure her inheritance. [MARIA THERESA.] After the death of the emperor Charles VII. in 1745, Francis was elected his successor on the imperial throne. lu 1748 the peace of Aix-la Chapelle restored peace to Germany and to Europe; but in 1756 a new war broke out between Prussia and Austria, known by the name of the Seven Years' War, which was terminated by the peace of Hubertaburg, in February 1763. The following year Joseph, the eldest son of Francis, was elected king of the Romans, and iu 1765 Francis died at Innsbruck, and Joseph succeeded him as emperor of Germany ; his mother retaining in her hands the sovereignty of the Austrian dominions till her death. As emperor of Germany and grand duke of Tuscany, Francis left behind him the reputation of a good prince, though he was involved in long ware against his inclination.