Issued the Robot Patent regulating peasant labor on March 13, 1771.
Maria Theresa, alongside her son Joseph II, issued the Robot Patent on March 13, 1771, which regulated the corvée system, setting limits on the labor demands landlords could place on serfs. This regulation marked a significant reform that sought to alleviate the burdens on peasants within the Habsburg monarchy and promote more equitable agricultural practices. The patent reflected Maria Theresa’s broader strategy to modernize and improve the socio-economic conditions of her empire, mitigating the oppressive feudal obligations that had long hampered peasant welfare and hindered economic progress.