Francis I (Holy Roman Empire)

Francis I (Holy Roman Empire), originally Francis Stephen (1708-65), Holy Roman emperor (1745-65), born in Nancy in the duchy of Lorraine, and educated in Vienna. The son of Leopold, duke of Lorraine (reigned 1697-1729), Francis succeeded his father in 1729, but ceded Lorraine in 1737 to Stanisław I Leszczyński, king of Poland, in exchange for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Francis married Maria Theresa, archduchess of Austria, in 1736 and with her ruled (1740-45) the Habsburg hereditary dominions. In 1745, through the influence of his wife, he became Holy Roman emperor. Francis took little active part, however, in government, leaving that to Maria Theresa. From the time of their marriage, the Austrian dynasty became known as the house of Habsburg-Lorraine.