How did Francis Stephen become Holy Roman Emperor Francis I?

Francis Stephen of Lorraine became Holy Roman Emperor Francis I in 1745 following the death of the previous emperor, Charles VII (Charles Albert of Bavaria).12

His path to the imperial throne was closely tied to his marriage to Maria Theresa, the heiress of the Habsburg lands. Because the imperial title was legally restricted to men, Maria Theresa could not hold the position herself. After Charles VII—who had contested Maria Theresa’s inheritance during the War of the Austrian Succession—died in 1745, his son Maximilian III Joseph renounced his father's claims to the Habsburg domains and pledged to support Francis Stephen’s candidacy for the imperial crown.123

With this support, Maria Theresa successfully secured the election of her husband as Holy Roman emperor. Throughout their marriage, Francis served as her coregent, though he remained largely overshadowed by her political influence.21