Succeeded as the first female ruler of the Habsburg dominions on October 20, 1740.
On October 20, 1740, Maria Theresa rose to unprecedented power as the sole female ruler of the Habsburg hereditary lands. Her succession was secured through the Pragmatic Sanction, which her father, Charles VI, had tirelessly negotiated to ensure. This political maneuver made Maria Theresa the archduchess of Austria and the queen of Hungary and Bohemia. Her rule marked a groundbreaking moment in European history, as she reinforced her legitimacy and authority amidst skepticism about female governance. Her accession heralded the start of a dynamic reign that would influence European politics and societal norms for decades to come.