General Notes

Francis I (Holy Roman Empire), originally Francis Stephen (1708-65), Holy
Roman emperor (1745-65), born in Nancy in the duchy of Lorraine, and educated
in Vienna. The son of Leopold, duke of Lorraine (reigned 1697-1729), Francis
succeeded his father in 1729, but ceded Lorraine in 1737 to Stanislas I
Leszczynski, king of Poland, in exchange for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Francis married Maria Theresa, archduchess of Austria, in 1736 and with her
ruled (1740-45) the Habsburg hereditary dominions. In 1745, through the
influence of his wife, he became Holy Roman emperor. Francis took little
active part, however, in government, leaving that to Maria Theresa. From the
time of their marriage, the Austrian dynasty became known as the house of
Habsburg-Lorraine.