Why is Leopold II considered an enlightened monarch?

Leopold II served as Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1790 to 1792, following a long tenure as Grand Duke of Tuscany. As a moderate proponent of enlightened absolutism, he notably opposed the death penalty and torture, abolishing them in Tuscany in 1786. Historians regard him as a shrewd and sensible ruler despite his brief imperial reign.

What we know

• Leopold II was the penultimate Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1790 to 1792. [1, 2]
• He served as Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790 under the name Leopold I. [1, 2]
• Leopold abolished the death penalty and torture in Tuscany on November 30, 1786. [2]
• He was a son of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I, and brother to Emperor Joseph II. [2]

Where to go next

• compared withHow did Joseph II shape enlightened absolutism?
• what followedWhat was the Feast of Tuscany?
• whoWho were the parents of Leopold II?
• the bigger pictureHow did Maria Theresa reform Habsburg administration?
• whenWhat events marked the reign of Ferdinand I?
• an unexpected connectionHow does Marie Antoinette connect to Leopold II?Leopold II was a brother to the famous French queen Marie Antoinette.

Sources

• [1]Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (Wikidata Q151321) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor · CC BY-SA 4.0