Vienna (c. 1780 - 1800)

Joseph II of Austria - "Enlightened Absolutist"

Habsburg-Lorraine Dynasty

    A few titles they hold:  Archduke of Austria,  Holy Roman Emperor, 
                                          King in Germany (up to 1806), Emperor of Austria (from 1806) 



Francis I  (1708 - 1765)  and  Maria-Theresa  ( 1717 - 1780)


    Some of their children:

    Joseph II  (1741 - 1790)  Archduke of Austria & Holy Roman Emperor  (1765 - 1790) 

           An "enlightened absolute monarch"  
           His forward looking domestic policies are called "josephinism" 

    Leopold II  (1747 - 1792)  (Ruled 2 years after Joseph II's death)

    Marie Antoinette  (1755 - 1793)  Queen of France

    Maximilian Francis (1756 - 1801)   Archduke of Austria and Elector of Cologne 1784 - 1794

          "Max Franz" was Beethoven's second employer (At 14, Beethoven became assistant organist
           in the Electorate court, which was headquartered in Bonn).  Max Franz also financed
           Beethoven in Vienna in 1793.  He abandoned the Electorate the following year as the French
           Armies took over the west Rhineland.  Bonn fell on hard times economically as the court had
           employed large numbers of people. 


Leopold's son and successor:

    Francis II  (Franz)  (1768 - 1835)    Anti-Democratic leader of Austria during Beethoven's years in Vienna
                                   Holy Roman Emperor  (1792 - 1806) 
                                   Emperor of Austria  (1804 - 1835)


Vienna  1800 Population: c. 200,000

    1791  -  Mozart, 35, dies on December 5.  

    1792  -  Beethoven arrives in December within a few days of his 22 birthday.
                 He begins taking music lessons from Josef Haydn, who is 60 years old.    

    1793  -  Louis XVI executed in January, Franz cracks down on free speech in Vienna.  Marie Antoinette was executed in October.


    1797  -  French armies devastated Austrian armies in northern Italy and had taken control of the west bank of the Rhine, including the Electorate of Cologne, headquartered in Beethoven's hometown of Bonn.  Bonn falls on hard times economically.  

      Dec. 1798 - Allgemeine Muskalische Zeitung (General Music Magazine)  established.  Contains reviews of concerts and published music, including Beethoven's.  

      Dec, 1799.  Napoleon Bonaparte named First Consul (essentially, dictator) of France. 

      1806 - After 900 years in existence, the Holy Roman Empire is disbanded by Napoleon.