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Which parts of the Habsburg monarchy did Joseph II govern?
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Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman emperor, detail of a painting by Pompeo Girolamo Batoni, 1769; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
Joseph II served as the sole ruler of the Austrian Habsburg dominions from 1780 to 1790, following a period as co-regent with his mother, Maria Theresa (1765–1780). His governance encompassed various territories within the monarchy, where he sought to implement centralized administrative, legal, and social reforms.1
Key regions and territories under his rule included:
- Austria: The core of the Habsburg lands, where he introduced significant reforms to the judiciary, education, and public health, including the establishment of the General Hospital in Vienna.1
- Hungary: A kingdom where Joseph’s attempts to centralize administration—such as replacing Latin with German as the official language and refusing to undergo a traditional coronation—met with intense resistance from the gentry.123
- Austrian Netherlands: A region that maintained its own laws until Joseph attempted to impose absolutist rule, eventually leading to open revolt and the administration's flight to Luxembourg.2
- Bohemia: A territory where he initially applied his reforms regarding the status of peasants and the abolition of serfdom.4
- Galicia: A territory acquired during the partitions of Poland, which also experienced unrest during his reign.12
- Bukovina: A region annexed by Joseph through a treaty with Turkey.1