| As far as Maria Theresa, the role of emperor was not "solely ceremonial" - it had real functions, especially in southern and Western Germany where there wasn't a strong secular prince to dominate over the smaller states. On the other hand, the emperor never had any power *as Emperor* over the lands of the Habsburg Monarchy. He ruled those lands as King of Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, etc., in the same way the Elector of Bavaria or the King of Prussia ruled their hereditary lands. And Maria Theresa never exercised any of the remaining authority of the Emperor. Her husband was Emperor, and she ruled the Habsburg hereditary possessions only. In the Empire (as in Tuscany), she was merely his consort. Even if we say the Empire was wholly ceremonial by the mid-18th century (which it wasn't), then surely the person listed should be the one who actually had the ceremonial role, Francis I. Maria Theresa had neither the power nor the form of the Holy Roman Emperor. |
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