Hungarian Heritage Review, 1991 (20. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1991-03-01 / 3. szám
The Ruler of Hungary with "the heart of a woman and the strength of a man": QUEEN MARIA THERESA (1740-1780)-by-Roger B. Goodman After the exile of Ferenc Rákóczi, Prince of Hungary, and his death in 1735 in the Turkish coastal town of Rodosto (now Tekirdeg), the flame of Hungarian independence flickered dangerously low. But the greatest gift the heroic Prince had left was the demonstration that, under inspired leadership flying the banner of a noble cause, the Hungarian nation was able to put aside its differences and its rivalries to become as one in a common struggle. For eight years Rackoczi had been able to hold back the forces of the Empire; he had been able to unify the various peoples of the nation - Magyars, Slovaks, Transylvanians and Ruthenians; Catholics, Protestants; rich, noble and poor into an alliance that was able to withstand the heaviest of blows, and which, indeed, almost brought its enemy to its knees merely through enforcing the expenditure of vast amounts of fortune and blood. It is for this reason that Rakoczi's name stands high in the pantheon of Hungary's and the world's great national heroes. The "Weak Woman" In 1740 an amazing event occurred in the history of the Habsburg Empire, and, coincidentally, ,in that of Hungary. For the first time in the history of the Empire, a woman came to the throne-Empress Maria Theresa. From the very beginning of her reign, Maria Theresa was beset with enormous difficulties. All of the great rivals of the Empire took this moment to march against the Empress, some making claims to the Empire itself, others to seperate parts - Bohemia, Silesia, Toscana and other territories in Italy. Only Hungary remained somehow left out of the grand designs to dismember the Empire. With not many options open to her, and with her little son, Joseph, still an infant suckling at her breast, Maria Theresa decided upon a bold and totally unexpected move. She sought aid from the only nation that did not join the jackalpack against her. An Appeal to the Heart With the offices of the Empire in turmoil in Vienna, Maria Theresa, with her child, made up her mind to appeal directly to the Hungarian Diet. She seemed to sense that despite the years-continued next page MARCH 1991 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW 19
