The Children of Adam and Eve

Francis II (Holy Roman Empire) (1768-1835), last Holy Roman emperor
(1792-1806) and, as Francis I, first emperor of Austria (1804-35). Born in
Florence, Tuscany, Italy, and educated in Vienna, he succeeded his father Leopold
II as Holy Roman emperor. From the start of his reign until 1815 Francis
was involved in the wars of the French Revolution and in the Napoleonic
Wars. After the extension of French control over western Germany and the
reorganization of the German states by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803, Francis
consolidated his power in Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, and northern Italy
and proclaimed himself emperor of Austria in 1804. Two years later he
formally dissolved the old Holy Roman Empire. As emperor of Austria,
Francis gave Prince Klemens von Metternich almost complete control of
foreign affairs after 1809 and devoted himself to the internal
administration of the empire. The marriage of his daughter Marie Louise
(1791-1847) to Napoleon in 1810 earned for Francis three peaceful years in
which to re-create Austrian strength for participation in the campaign
that would bring about (1814-15) Napoleon's Downfall. By the decisions of
the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Francis recovered most of the territory
Austria had lost to Napoleon. The last 20 years of his reign were Marked
by paternalistic measures, reactionary tendencies, and repression of
liberalism.