The Enlightened Reforms of Joseph II

Joseph II, 1741-90, Holy Roman Emperor (1765-90), King of Bohemia and Hungary (1780-90). After his father's death in 1765, Joseph acted as emperor and co-regent with his mother but had little real influence. Resenting this fact, he took to traveling until his mother's death in 1780. He then began reforms largely based on his own philosophy and principles, rather than those originating in the Enlightenment. These reforms consisted of nothing less than the abolition of hereditary and ecclesiastic privileges as well as the creation of a civil service based on merit and loyalty rather than birth.