Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-15
FAMOUS WOMEN OF HISTORY.
MARIA THERESA OF AUSTRIA,
717-178O-PART |.
Copyright. 1912. by Willis ]. AhbotD

hell one wonders, what he would have
said could he have been present al some
OF the orgies that attended the capture
OF town i'm this savage war.
into this war the empress plunged with
a courage far beyond the forces she had
TO support il. That she prosecuted il for
eight years and emerged with credit IS
due to her wonderful Will. Her husband.
the Duke OF Lorraine. for whom she bore
such affe elton as resulted in her bearing
him sixteen children. WAS a brave SOL
der. bat no general She was not ONLY
a general, hut marvellous in her power OF
awakening loyalty among her disanected
subjects In the midst of her darkest
days she went to Presburg. in waverinS
Hungary To be crowned. There they
placed upon her head the iron crown ~
st. stephen. draped over her jeweied
robes his ragged closter gown and grid
ed his battered Sword about her waist.
Thus attired she rode to the cres; or the
ROYAL Mount and defied. with drawn sa-
Der. the four corners of the world.
Wins Loyalty of Hungarians.
Theatrical? OF course. 1t was. As she
, uttered that brave defiance she could
barely defend herself and her Kingdom
against any adversary. But she was
posing before one OF the most emotional
people of Europe. and when. flushed VITA
emotion, her crown removed and her rich
hair falling In masses about her glowing
face, she addressed the Hungarian no
bles they rose rs one man, and with
clanking scabbards and cleaning swords
cried out in chorus: I'VE will consecrate
our lives and arms; We will die for our
King Maria Theresa
Hungary then recognized no queens.
With this triumph In her most dis
affected province the queen speedily had
an army wherewith to fight for her do
ninons. 1t was the beginning OF that
marvellous empire which today. under
the name of Austria Hungary. challenges
the admiration OF the world for the beau-
ty of its two great cities. Vienna and
Budapest, and for the fashion I'm which
once warning nationalities have been
welded into a harmonious whole.
Out of this war Maria Theresa came
with some loss OF territory-the odds
against her compelled that-but with
fame as one of the great warriors OF the
day. When she entered upon il she had
been looked upon as weak young bride
wrapped up in husband and children.
| She herself has said that but for the
| sense of responsibility which the crown
| conferred upon her she would have been
! glad to play the merely domestic part
J with joy, she wrote, had been IN
| significant and had remained simpl,
| Grand Duchess of Tuscany. If I could
| have believed tina: God so willed It. b..
as He had chosen me tn bear the great
| burden of COVE rnment | hold il on princi
| pie and consider it my duty tn apply ali
| my resources 10 the TASK. mar sn'
/ did apply heF resources is shown by
! the station of :, II. ria among tho nations
| of Europe today. She laid the founda
| ton of its present greatness. And Ne.
! men say that women are destitute Of the
| faculty of constructive craftsmanship!
One Blot on Her Fair Name.
Neither did this woman who had fought
| so hard to prevent other nations from
| robbinS her of her own territory hcsi-
| tate for a moment to do a little robbing
| when the opportunity presented itself
| Upon the fair fame of Maria Theresa
| the one dark blot is the part she took I'm
| dividing up the territory of Poland and
! wiping that nationality off the map of
| Europe. This was merely imperial theft
i Poland was surrounded by Austria. Rus
| STA and Prussia, and was itself disorgsn-
4 lied and unable TO resist an act of in
| ternational piracy. At Maria Theresa
| incentive the three surrounding nations
| invaded Poland. obliterated its govern :
ment and divided its territory. Austria s
] share was 5000 square miles and 500
| 600 inhabitants. Now. after the lapse OF
a century and "A half. the partition or
| Poland is still referred to ono OF the
4 IA let