Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire and I of Austria 1768-1835
Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and of Bohemia

Born in Florence, he succeeded his father, Leopold II as Holy Roman Emperor (1792). In Austria's wars against France, she lost the Netherlands and Lombardy in return for Venice, Dalmatia and Istria (1797), and after defeats at Ulm and Austerlitz and the capture of Vienna (1805), Francis renounced the title of Holy Roman Emperor, and retained that of Emperor of Austria (Francis I), which he had assumed in 1804. In 1809 Austria lost Salzburg, Carinthia, Trieste, part of Croatia, Dalmatia and Galicia. After a short alliance with France he allied with the Russians and Prussians, assailed Napoleon I and won the Battle of Leipzig (1813). Through the Treaty of Vienna (1815) he recovered, thanks to Prince Clemens Metternich, Lombardy, Venetia and Galicia. He was the King of Hungary until 1830, and of Bohemia until his death. His policy was conservative and anti-liberal, but personally he was an urbane and popular ruler, introducing railways and steamships on the Danube.

Bibliography: Victor Bibl, Kaiser Franz (1938)