Maria Theresia

Maria Theresia is a 2017 Austrian-Czech historical miniseries. It was a coproduction of the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Its first two episodes were broadcast in 2017, with two more in 2019 and a fifth and final part premiered on streaming at the end of 2021 before being broadcast in 2022. Plot Parts 1 and 2 narrate about two decades of Austrian history from 1723 to Maria Theresa's coronation as Hungarian queen on June 25, 1741. The focus is on the love story between Maria Theresa and her husband Franz Stephan of Lorraine. Parts 3 and 4 continue the story up to the coronation as the Bohemian Queen in 1743. Part 5 spans the last 20 years of her life with the focus on marriage politics. Part 1 Prague, 1723. Six-year-old Maria Theresa sees her life clearly planned: one day she will marry Franz Stephan of Lorraine and have many children with him. Everyone is waiting for the longed-for male descendant of Maria Theresa's father Charles VI but nine years later he is still not born. Due to the advanced age of Empress Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the doctor has meanwhile given up all hope: one can only pray for a miracle. Professor Gottfried Philipp Spannagel therefore recommends to deepen the upbringing of the firstborn Maria Theresa in order to prepare her for a possible reign. Charles VI asks Eugene of Savoy to begin the wedding negotiations with Franz Stephan of Lorraine. Prince Eugene, however, has other plans: he has designed another husband for Maria Theresa, who should guarantee that there will be no war with Prussia. Eugene begins negotiations with Friedrich Wilhelm von Grumbkow: according to their plans, Maria Theresa is to be married to Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia. He also offers Franz Stephan to marry Maria Theresia's sister Anna, and he initially agrees to the proposal. However, Maria Theresa wants only Franz Stephan as her husband.