Editing Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (section)

==Marriages and children==
[[File:Martin van Meytens - Einzug der Braut.jpg|thumb|left|''The arrival of Isabella of Parma on the occasion of her wedding to Joseph II, 1760'' (painting by [[Martin van Meytens]])]]

Joseph married [[Princess Isabella of Parma]] in October 1760, [[Arranged marriage|a union fashioned]] to bolster the [[Treaty of Versailles (1756)|1756 defensive pact]] between France and Austria. (The bride's mother, Princess [[Louise Élisabeth of France|Louise Élisabeth]], was the eldest daughter of [[Louis XV]] of France and his popular wife, Queen [[Marie Leszczyńska|Marie Leczinska]]. Isabella's father was [[Philip, Duke of Parma]].) Joseph loved his bride, Isabella, finding her both stimulating and charming, and she sought with special care to cultivate his favor and affection. Isabella also found a best friend and confidant in her husband's sister, [[Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen]].

The marriage of Joseph and Isabella resulted in the birth of a daughter, [[Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria (1762–1770)|Maria Theresa]].{{sfn|Beales|1987|p=77}} Isabella was fearful of pregnancy and early death, largely a result of the early loss of her mother. Her own pregnancy proved especially difficult as she suffered symptoms of pain, illness and melancholy both during and afterward, though Joseph attended to her and tried to comfort her. She remained bedridden for six weeks after their daughter's birth.

[[File:Johann Georg Weikert 003.jpg|thumb|right|''Fête organized to celebrate the marriage of Emperor Joseph II to Princess Maria Josepha of Bavaria''. The central figures are the three youngest siblings of Joseph, from left to right Archduke [[Ferdinand, Duke of Breisgau|Ferdinand]] as the groom, Archduke [[Maximilian Franz]] as Cupid and Archduchess [[Marie-Antoinette|Marie Antoinette]] as the bride]]

Almost immediately on the back of their newfound parenthood, the couple then endured two consecutive miscarriages—an ordeal particularly hard on Isabella—followed quickly by another pregnancy. Pregnancy was again provoking melancholy, fears and dread in Isabella. In November 1763, while six months pregnant, Isabella fell ill with [[smallpox]] and went into premature labor, resulting in the birth of their second child, Archduchess Maria Christina (b.d November 22 1763), who died shortly after being born.

Progressively ill with smallpox and strained by sudden childbirth and tragedy, Isabella died the following week. The loss of his beloved wife and their newborn child was devastating for Joseph, after which he felt keenly reluctant to remarry, though he dearly loved his daughter and remained a devoted father to Maria Theresa.

[[File:Martin van Meytens 015.jpg|thumb|Coronation of the Archduke Joseph as [[King of the Romans#Heirs designate|King of the Romans]] in the [[Imperial Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew]] in Frankfurt, 3{{spaces}}April 1764 (painting by [[Martin van Meytens]])]]

For political reasons, and under constant pressure, in 1765, he relented and [[cousin marriage|married his second cousin]], Princess [[Maria Josepha of Bavaria]], the daughter of [[Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor]], and Archduchess [[Maria Amalia, Holy Roman Empress|Maria Amalia of Austria]].<ref name=":0">Hopkins, p. 63{{full citation needed|date=August 2021}}</ref> This marriage proved extremely unhappy, albeit brief, as it lasted only two years.

Though Maria Josepha loved her husband, she felt timid and inferior in his company. Lacking common interests or pleasures, the relationship offered little for Joseph, who confessed he felt no love (nor attraction) for her in return. He adapted by distancing himself from his wife to the point of near total avoidance, seeing her only at meals and upon retiring to bed. Maria Josepha, in turn, suffered considerable misery in finding herself locked in a cold, loveless union.

Four months after the second anniversary of their wedding, Maria Josepha grew ill and died from smallpox. Joseph neither visited her during her illness nor attended her funeral, though he later expressed regret for not having shown her more kindness, respect, or warmth. One thing the union did provide him was the improved possibility of laying claim to a portion of Bavaria, though this would ultimately lead to the [[War of the Bavarian Succession]].

Joseph never remarried. In 1770, Joseph's only surviving child, the seven-year-old Maria Theresa, became ill with [[pleurisy]] and died. The loss of his daughter was deeply traumatic for him and left him grief-stricken and scarred. Lacking children, Joseph II was ultimately succeeded by his younger brother, who became [[Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor|Leopold II]].