Editing Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor (section)

==Reign==
[[File:Kaiserbild Naturhistorisches Museum cropped.jpg|thumb|left|The emperor with his natural science advisors. From left to right: [[Gerard van Swieten]], Johann Ritter von Baillou, Valentin Jamerai Duval (numismatist) and Abbé Johann Marcy]]
In the [[Treaty of Füssen]], Maria Theresa secured his [[1745 imperial election|election as Emperor]], which took place on 13 September 1745, and his [[Coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor|coronation as emperor]] took place at the [[Imperial Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew]] in [[Frankfurt am Main]] on 4 October 1745.<ref>{{NDB|5|358||Franz I.|[[Heinrich Benedikt]]|118692925}}</ref> Francis succeeded [[Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles VII]], and Maria Theresa made him [[coregency|co-regent]] of her hereditary dominions.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Francis was well content to leave the wielding of power to his able wife. He had a natural fund of good sense and brilliant business capacity and was a useful assistant to Maria Theresa in the laborious task of governing the complicated Austrian dominions, but he was not active in politics or diplomacy.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} However, his wife left him in charge of the financial affairs, which he managed well until his death.<ref>Jean-Paul Bled, ''Maria-Theresa''</ref> Heavily indebted and on the verge of bankruptcy at the end of the [[Seven Years' War]], the [[Habsburg monarchy]] was in a better financial condition than France or [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] in the 1780s.{{fact|date=November 2024}} He also took a great interest in the natural sciences.

Francis was a serial adulterer; many of his affairs well-known and indiscreet, notably one with [[Maria Wilhelmina von Neipperg|Princess Maria Wilhelmina of Auersperg]], who was thirty years his junior. This particular affair was remarked upon in the letters and journals of visitors to the court and in those of his children.<ref>Farquhar, Michael (2001). ''A Treasure of Royal Scandals'', p. 89. Penguin Books, New York. {{ISBN|0-7394-2025-9}}.</ref>

He died suddenly in his carriage while returning from the opera at [[Innsbruck]] on 18 August 1765.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}  He is buried in tomb number 55 in the [[Imperial Crypt]] in Vienna.

Maria Theresa and Francis I had sixteen children, amongst them the last pre-revolutionary queen consort of France, their youngest daughter, [[Marie Antoinette]] (1755–1793). Francis was succeeded as Emperor by his eldest son, [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph II]], and as Grand Duke of Tuscany by his younger son, [[Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor|Peter Leopold (later Emperor Leopold II)]]. Maria Theresa retained the government of her dominions until her own death in 1780.