Joseph II (1741-1790) - Find a Grave Memorial

Austrian Monarch. The oldest son of the Maria Teresa and Franz I. Stefan. He was elected King of the Romans in 1764 and succeeded his father as Holy Roman Emperor in the following year, but co-ruled with his mother until her death. He introduced a lot of revolutionary changes and reforms. He had schools and hospitals built and dissolved 700 monasteries of contemplative orders that did not carry out any charitable activities such as running hospitals or schools. He was deeply in love with his first wife and mourned her throughout his life. He rejected his second wife and avoided her. After being widowed for a second time, he didn't marry again. Instead, he named his brother Leopold as his successor. Shortly before his death from tuberculosis, he decided not to have a separate burial. He was placed in an oak coffin in a field marshal's uniform and buried in the Capuchin crypt. The wooden coffin was later enclosed in a decidedly simple copper coffin, which was placed in front of his parents' magnificent double sarcophagus.

Bio by: Lutetia