ABSTRACT
Maria Theresa ruled the Habsburg Austrian Empire during a time of grave military and political crisis. Her tenacity enabled the state to defend its territories and to enact important reforms that brought strength in future years. Frederick II, who had himself just come to power in Prussia, rejected the Pragmatic Sanction and invaded the Austrian province of Silesia in the very year of Maria Theresa's ascension. Fear of military threats inspired Maria Theresa to experiment with internal reforms. She oversaw a professionalization of the army and ordered new taxation practices that tapped the country's wealth more efficiently than ever. She also promoted higher productivity in manufacturing and agriculture, and even sought to eliminate the blight of serfdom. The territories acquired by Maria Theresa in Galicia and Bukhovina gave the Austrian Empire an increasingly multinational character that would ultimately trouble domestic politics.
