Books about Maria Theresia

[rhynoclemmis]

Hi,

I am at the moment finishing Robert K. Massie's "Catherine the Great", which as all of Massie's works is a fantastic read. I have read Christopher Clark's "The Iron Kingdom: the rise and downfall of Prussia" before and now am wondering whether you guys could give me a hint as to Austria's Maria Theresia. I read a ton of biographical books, but Maria Theresia seems to have still escaped me.

I am not looking for "what if"-history or fiction, but rather well written history books that offer a depth of detail and do not just scratch the surface. Anyone who has ever read something by Robert K. Massie will know what I mean.

I would be glad for some hints. Thanks, rhynoclemmis

 

[Jorsalfar]

Maria Theresa by Edwin Dillman if you read German. If you don't read German be prepared to search the libraries. From what I understand most of the good books about her in English is out of print.

 

[rhynoclemmis]

I'm Austrian, so German is my native language. Normally I tend to read books from English authors on these historical subjects, as they tend to write in a much more vivid and less "dry" manner.
Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.

 

[Andrelvis]

Some suggestions:

Freudenberger, Herman (1967). "State Intervention as an Obstacle to Economic Growth in the Habsburg Monarchy", The Journal of Economic History, vol. 27 (4), pp. 493-509.

Good, David F. (1984) The Economic Rise of the Habsburg Empire, 1750-1914, Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. (the chapter on the 18th century would be relevant for you)

Heindl, Waltraud (2006). "Bureaucracy, Officials, and the State in the Austrian Monarchy: Stages of Change since the Eighteenth Century", Austrian History Yearbook, vol. 37, pp. 35-57. (there is a portion of the article about the bureaucracy under Maria Theresa)

Wangermann, Ernst (2006). "An Eighteenth-Century Engine of Reform", Austrian History Yearbook, vol. 37, pp. 58-61.

 

[yezhanquan]

It's threads like this that make me wish I could still access my university library.

 

[eleinvisible]

It's threads like this that make me wish I could still access my university library.

Will they not loan books out to other libraries? check https://www.worldcat.org/

 

[yezhanquan]

I'm not too sure, tbh. The books, as you can imagine, are used as sources in students' papers. I don't know if they are loaned out to other libraries.

 

[rhynoclemmis]

Thanks to you all! I'll check out your suggestions!