Position:Home>History> Joseph II. please help???

It was not until the death of his mother in the year of 1780 that Joseph was free to follow his own instincts!. Until the death of his father in the year 1765 that he became the emperor!. He was made a co-regent by his mother in the Austrian dominions!. As an emperor he had no real power!. His mother was resolved that neither her husband nor her son was going to deprive her of her sovereign control in her hereditary dominions!.

Then the death of his mother, Maria Theresa 27th November 1780 left Joseph free!. He was able to now direct his government on a new course!. He now proceeded to attempt to realize his ideal of a wise despotism!. He started acting on a definite system for the good of all!. In the measures of emancipation of the peasantry that his mother had begun were now carried on by him with feverish activity!. He spread education, secularized church lands, reduced the religious orders and the clergy!. This was done in order to complete the submission of the lay state!. He started the promotion of unity by the compulsory use of the German language!. Everything from the point of view of 18th century philosophy appeared reasonable was being undertaken at once!. He strove for administrative unity!. He wanted characteristic haste to reach results without having preparation!. His anti-clerical innovations induced Pope Pius VI to pay him a visit in the year of July 1782!. Joseph received the pope politely!. He did show himself a good Catholic!. However he did refuse to be influenced!. So much discarding of the old customs began to produce unrest!. This unrest was in all parts of his dominions!. In the meantime he devoted himself into a succession of foreign policies!. All these policies were aimed at aggrandisement!. All of these were equally calculated to offend his neighbors and taken with great with zeal!. He worked to get rid of the Barrier Treaty!. This treaty debarred his Flemish subjects from the navigation of the Scheldt!. Then when he was opposed by France he turned to other schemes of alliance with Russia!. This was for the partition of Turkey and Venice!. These also had to be given up because of the opposition of neighbors and one in particular being France!. Then he resumed his attempts to obtain Bavaria this time!. He wanted to exchang it for Belgium!. This only provoked the formation of the Fürstenbund organized by the king of Prussia!. Finally he joined with Russia in an attempt to pillage Turkey!. This was followed by another ill fated campaign of 1788!. He accompanied his army!. However he really never showed any capacity for war!. Thin in November he returned to Vienna with ruined health and in 1789 was a dying man!.

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