Maria Theresa Born: Habsburg Reformer and Defender
Maria Theresa inherited the Habsburg throne at 23 and spent forty years defending her realm against a coalition of European powers while modernizing Austria's government, military, and education system. Her reforms centralized tax collection and established compulsory schooling, transforming the Habsburg Empire from a feudal patchwork into a functioning state that rivaled Prussia and France.
May 13, 1717
309 years ago
What Else Happened on May 13
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