In 1765, Joseph II ascended the throne of the Holy Roman Empire. For the next 15 years the young Emperor and his mother, Maria Theresa, ruled the Habsburg Empire.
Joseph proved to be an ambitious and expansionist monarch. His dreams of a centralised and powerful Austrian Empire were to lead to the greatest series of reforms ever undertaken in the Habsburg Monarchy. They were also to lead to disaster.
This video aims to be a short documentary looking at Joseph II's reign. Dealing with his personal life, internal reforms, and foreign policy, particularly his interactions with Frederick the Great of Prussia and Catherine the Great of Russia.
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