Joseph II. Memorial - Hostinné, Czech Republic
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ToRo61
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Joseph II (Joseph Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790.
Waymark Code: WM11WVT
Location: Královéhradecký kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 12/31/2019
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He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I, and was the brother of Marie Antoinette. He was thus the first ruler in the Austrian dominions of the House of Lorraine, styled Habsburg-Lorraine (von Habsburg-Lothringen in German). Joseph was a proponent of enlightened absolutism; however, his commitment to modernizing reforms subsequently engendered significant opposition, which eventually culminated in an ultimate failure to fully implement his programmes. He has been ranked, with Catherine II of Russia and Frederick II of Prussia, as one of the three great Enlightenment monarchs. His policies are now known as Josephinism. He died with no sons and was succeeded by his younger brother, Leopold.
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THE MEMORIaL STATUE OF EMPEROR JOSEF II
The memoriál statue of Emperor Josef II, the most important representative of absolutism, was erected in the park, in front of the high school, in 1906. The idea for the statue originated from the idea of the local notary František Josef Auera supported by the financial resources of the town of Hostinné and donations from the local people. The memorial was carved by an academic carver Jirí Leiska from Vienna. Karar marble was used as the materiál for the statue. The memoriál commemorates merits and the visits of Emperor Josef II in Hostinné. The first visit on July 7, 1766 was connected to an army inspection trip across western Bohemia, Silesia and Lužice to the north and northeast of Bohemia. The second visit on October 13, 1771 was made to the foothills of Krkonoše Mts. during the famine of that time. The third visit of Emperor Josef II to this region, was during the war between Austria and Prussia in 1778. This visit was concerning Bavarian inheritance. Emperor Josef II stayed in Hostinné from August 8 to September 9, 1178. The memoriál stood in this place until 1921 when it was removed. It was a symbol representing the Hapsburg Empire which had since ceased to exist. The statue was transferred to Fort and later returned to Hostinné in 1999.