Born 8 December 1708 at Luneville, son of Leopold Joseph, Duke of Lorraine, and Princess Elisabeth Charlotte of Orleans. In his youth he had visited the English court where he made friends and was inducted into Freemasonry by Lord Chesterfield. He then went to Berlin to be present at the engagement of the future Frederick the Great. When he became Duke of Lorraine, to everyone's surprise he brought order to Lorraine's finances.
Emperor Karl VI produced the Pragmatic Sanction, a piece of paper which he hoped would continue the Imperial position in his daughter's husband. Already as a young girl, the lonely Archduchess Maria
Theresia had fallen in love with Franz Stephan when he was brought to Vienna for his education. However, when the Emperor wanted the approval of France for his daughter's betrothal to Duke Franz Stephan of Lorraine, the French were difficult.
France wanted Lorraine and, unless Franz Stephan would renounce his Duchy, they would refuse to recognise the Pragmatic Sanction. However, the French were willing to allow him to inherit Tuscany when the de Medici family would become extinct. This was to happen one year later.

Never intent on conflict, Franz Stephan gave in. His mother was furious and so was Maria Theresia. However, the ultimatum was 'No renunciation, no Archduchess', so he felt he had no choice. Never
during their married life would he reproach Maria Theresia for this sacrifice.

On 12 February 1736 at Vienna he married Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria, who loved him 'deeply and passionately', though she expected little of him. Indeed, she was to discover his
limitations very soon, yet still adored him. Franz Stephan was clever with money but was valueless as a councillor in affairs of state. Even worse, as a military commander he was inept. She also found that he was unfaithful fairly systematically. Nevertheless they still produced sixteen children.

He liked the home life and could not be bothered with appearances except when splendour was required. His passion was hunting and he could lose large amounts of money playing cards. He went to the theatre and ballets to look at pretty women. His extra marital loves came and went, except for Countess Auersperg who remained an affaire for many years.

In 1740 Emperor Karl VI died and the wolves were ready to pounce. Maria Theresia was only twenty-three, beautiful, but not prepared for her position. She became Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, and ruler of Austria. Austria was almost bankrupt and, ignoring the Pragmatic Sanction, her cousin, the Elector of Bavaria, became Emperor Karl VII in 1742.

The first to attack her heritage was Frederick the Great. However, from then onwards Maria Theresia surrounded herself with advisers to assist in matters of state. After his disastrous involvement with the
army, she kept him away from command and instead encouraged his talent in handling of finance, so that he made her a great private fortune.In 1745 Emperor Karl VII died and only now, having allayed fears of Franz Stephan being pro-French, was he accepted as Emperor, thus making Maria Theresia Empress. However, she still remained in charge while he was a kind father to their children and the only man with whom she could relax in private.

When he died in 1765 she was shattered. She cut off her golden hair, went into mourning and was to wear black for the rest of her life. She survived him by fifteen years, a period which was made
difficult by their son, Joseph II, succeeding Franz Stephan as Emperor, being co-ruler with her. Later on, their youngest daughter, Maria Antonia, was to be another source for concern when she became
Marie Antoinette, Dauphine and then Queen of France.
 

Source: Leo van de Pas