Maria Theresia (Part I-ENG SUB)

Maria Theresia is a 2017 Austrian-Czech historical miniseries. It was a co-production of the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. For the second and third season German ZDF and Franco-German Arte joined the production, replacing the Hungarian broadcaster. Audio in German with English subtitles (click on CC for subtitles).

Its first two episodes were broadcast in 2017, with two more in 2019 and a fifth and final part premiered on streaming at the end of 2021 before being broadcast in 2022.

Parts 1 and 2 narrate about two decades of Austrian history from 1723 to Maria Theresa's coronation as Hungarian queen on June 25, 1741. The focus is on the love story between Maria Theresa and her husband Franz Stephan of Lorraine. Parts 3 and 4 continue the story up to the coronation as the Bohemian Queen in 1743. Part 5 spans the last 20 years of her life with the focus on marriage politics.

Part I: Prague, 1723. Six-year-old Maria Theresa sees her life clearly planned: one day she will marry Franz Stephan of Lorraine and have many children with him. Everyone is waiting for the longed-for male descendant of Maria Theresa's father Charles VI but nine years later he is still not born. Due to the advanced age of Empress Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the doctor has meanwhile given up all hope. Professor Gottfried Philipp Spannagel therefore recommends to deepen the upbringing of the firstborn Maria Theresa in order to prepare her for a possible reign.

Charles VI asks Eugene of Savoy to begin the wedding negotiations with Franz Stephan of Lorraine. Prince Eugene, however, has other plans: he has designed another husband for Maria Theresa, who should guarantee that there will be no war with Prussia. Eugene begins negotiations with Friedrich Wilhelm von Grumbkow: according to their plans, Maria Theresa is to be married to Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia.

Maria Theresa suggests that Franz Stephan should give up his Duchy of Lorraine in favor of France, and in return he should get Tuscany. France will therefore recognise the Pragmatic Sanction and Franz Stephan will marry Maria Theresa.

Cast & Characters:
Marie-Luise Stockinger: Maria Theresa
Vojtěch Kotek: Francis of Lorraine
Zuzana Stivínová: Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Fritz Karl: Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Tatiana Pauhofová: Elisa Fritz
Karl Markovics: Prince Eugene of Savoy
Zoltán Rátóti: Friedrich Wilhelm von Grumbkow
Anna Posch: Maria Anna of Austria
Nathalie Köbli: Wilhelmine Colloredo
Jan Budař: Jean Baptiste Bassand
Martin Myšička: Count Schwarz
Ervin Nagy: Paul Esterházy
Julia Stemberger: Marie Karoline von Fuchs-Mollard
Alexander Bárta: Count Kinsky
Zuzana Mauréry: Mademoiselle de Chartres

The cast consists of Austrian, Czech, Slovak and Hungarian actors. The actors all spoke their native language during filming and were then dubbed over depending on the country of broadcast.

Historical inaccuracies
- The Prussian Marshal Grumbkow was not executed, but died of natural causes.

- There is no evidence of the infidelity of Maria Theresa. An affair and the birth of an illegitimate child play an important role in the 4th part, but it does not correspond to the facts. Maria Theresa loved her husband very much despite his affairs. She was also a devout Catholic and would never ever consider an affair, not even as a widow. After Francis Stephen died, she completely withdrew from court life, wore black for the rest of her life, and she even had her rooms painted black.

Part II: https://rumble.com/v6n6i6f-maria-theresia-part-ii-eng-sub.html