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Franz I. Stephan

Francis I
Martin van Meytens 006.jpg
Portrait by Martin van Meytens
Holy Roman Emperor
King in Germany
Reign 13 September 1745 – 18 August 1765
Coronation 4 October 1745, Frankfurt
Predecessor Charles VII
Successor Joseph II
Archduke of Austria
Reign 21 November 1740 – 18 August 1765
Predecessor Maria Theresa
Successor Joseph II
Co-monarch Maria Theresa
Grand Duke of Tuscany
Reign 12 July 1737 – 18 August 1765
Predecessor Gian Gastone
Successor Leopold I
Duke of Lorraine
Reign 27 March 1729 – 9 July 1737
Predecessor Leopold
Successor Stanisław I
Born (1708-12-08)8 December 1708
Ducal Palace of Nancy, Lorraine, HRE
Died 18 August 1765(1765-08-18) (aged 56)
Palace of Innsbruck, Austria
Burial Imperial Crypt, Vienna
Spouse Maria Theresa of Austria
Issue
Full name
Francis Stephen
House Lorraine
Father Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
Mother Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans
Religion Roman Catholicism
Full name
Francis Stephen

Francis I (German: Franz Stefan, French: François Étienne; 8 December 1708 – 18 August 1765) was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real powers of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty. From 1728 until 1737 he was Duke of Lorraine. Francis traded the duchy to the ex-Polish king Stanisław Leszczyński in exchange for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany as one of the terms ending the War of the Polish Succession in November 1738. The duchy and the ducal title to Lorraine and Bar passed to King Louis XV of France upon Leszczynski's death in 1766, though Francis and his successors retained the right to style themselves as dukes of Lorraine and Bar.

Francis was born in Nancy, Lorraine (now in France), the oldest surviving son of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine, and his wife Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans. He was connected with the Habsburgs through his grandmother Eleonor, daughter of Emperor Ferdinand III. He was very close to his brother Charles and sister Anne Charlotte.


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