Maria Theresa – the Empress, mother and challenger

International Women’s Day (IWD) – a great opportunity to reflect on the inspiring women of the past and present. I’ve previously written about many great female leaders who, against all odds, have shattered the glass ceiling. They all share a few attributes: grit, talent, a dose of common sense and a clear purpose. 

In last year’s article, I reflected on the progress made over the last 100 years and highlighted a few of the trailblazers that shaped this period. It’s a great reminder of how far we have come. This year, however, I would like to delve even further back into history and celebrate a woman who shaped society well before IWD was established. 

Rising to the challenge

1717 was the year in which our heroine was born, Maria Theresa. She was the daughter of Charles VI, the Holy Roman Emperor. Although Charles did not have a son, he was sure that his empire would be passed down to an eventual male heir. For this reason, Maria, his eldest daughter, was brought up to become a supporting queen. She was not taught about finances, governance, military matters, or the challenges of the state. Nearing the end of his life, Charles VI came to terms with the realisation that he would not have a male heir. He, therefore, decided to write into law that Maria Theresa would inherit control of the Habsburg monarchy. A significant decision for that era. When he died in 1740, Maria became the first female ruler of the Habsburg monarchy. What she eventually inherited could only be described as a difficult position!

The state had no finances, no army and Maria herself had not been sufficiently trained for the role. To make matters worse, nearby European leaders sought to capitalise on this weakness and attempted to capture land, wealth, and power from the Holy Roman Empire.

Despite all the odds, Maria Theresa rose to the challenge of the role. In the early years of her reign, she defended the state from several land attacks and built her credibility in Europe. Later, she began developing her style of leadership and set about modernising the state. 

Throughout her 40-year rule, she made several significant improvements. She restructured the governance and tax system, organised the army, unified the legal system, established a ministry of finance, and founded a new council to advise her. Her reforms doubled the state revenues between 1754 and 1764 and set the foundations for a hopeful future. 

Her greatest act

In my opinion, Maria’s greatest achievement was to reform the education system and empower young people. She overhauled the schooling system and mandated that both boys and girls were granted an education. She also built several new schools and universities that promoted quality education in subjects that included theology, medicine, law, and finance; many of the subjects that had been neglected throughout her royal childhood.  

Amazingly, Maria was also the mother of 16 children. 5 boys and 11 girls including Marie Antoinette. Sadly, 3 of her children died at an early age and many of her family, including herself, suffered from smallpox. As part of her reform, she had established the Viennese Medical School to develop forward-thinking public health. It was through this initiative that she championed the use of the smallpox inoculation and supported education campaigns to teach the public of its benefits. She even held parties for children that received the jab, encouraging others to get involved. It serves as an interesting reminder in the current context that we find ourselves in.  

Maria, by many accounts, was a great leader and an inspiration to many. She took her place in a man’s world and flourished. Her 40-year rule has been celebrated by many. What she lacked in formal education, she more than made up for with excellent common sense (Hausverstand). Thank you, Maria – a role model for many. 

An IWD book recommendation

Fast forward to today and one thing has remained the same, the importance of education. It is a true ingredient of equity. 

One of my favourite lockdown books has been ‘Why Men Win at Work’ by Gill Whitty-Collins. I agree with the essence of the book and most of the recommendations that she makes. I would encourage you all to read it and hopefully gain a new perspective. I wanted to share one of her recommendations on this special day:

“Women: Accept the reality that at senior levels, everyone is winging it sometimes and putting on a performance – the men too. It is natural for everyone to feel nerves in a big meeting and to be a bit scared to make a point. But if it is an important point, you must make it. You have a duty to your company or organisations to make it – this is what you are paid for. So, you need to ‘women up’, take a deep breath and perform with confidence.” 

My additional point to add would be to practice improvising. Keep in mind that the self-confident white guys have as many self-doubts as you – they’ve just been taught how to hide it better! 

Finally, for those of you that work in a company, please remember that it is all about people. It is about the company you work with and the greater purpose that it serves. Seek out different opinions from those that you work with. Maria Theresa would be proud! Happy IWD.