e to the sovereign alone. The diet of 1722
likewise accepted formally the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 by which the
Emperor Charles settled the succession to his hereditary dominions, in
default of male heirs, upon his daughter Maria Theresa and her
heirs;[649] and in measures promulgated during the succeeding year the
Emperor entered into a fresh compact with his Hungarian subjects which
continued the basis of Hapsburg-Hungarian relations until 1848. On the
one hand, Hungary was declared inseparable from the Hapsburg
dominions, so long as there should be a legal heir; on the other, the
crown was sworn to preserve the Hungarian constitution intact, with
all the rights, privileges, laws, and customs of the kingdom. The net
result of all of these measures, none the less, was to impair
perceptibly the original autonomy of the Hungarian state.

[Footnote 648: Charles VI. as emperor.]

[Footnote 649: The Pragmatic Sanction was accepted
at different dates by the various diets of the
Austro-Hungarian lands: in 1713 by Croatia, and
from 1720 to 1724 by the other diets. It was
finally proclaimed a fundamental law in 1724.]

*497. The Later Eighteenth Century.*--Maria Theresa cherished a genuine
interest in Hungarian affairs and was deeply solicitous concerning the
welfare of her Hungarian subjects. It was never her intent, however,
to encourage Hungarian self-government. The constitution of the (p. 450)
kingdom was not subverted; it was simply ignored. The Diet was
summoned but seldom, and after 1764 not at all. Reforms were
introduced, especially in connection with education, but through the
medium of royal decrees alone. Joseph II. continued nominally the
policy of enlightened despotism, but in so tactless a manner that most
of his projects were brought to nought. Approaching the problem of
Hungarian administration with his accustomed idealism, he undertook
deliberately to sweep away not only the constitution of the kingdom
but the whole body of Hungarian institutions and traditions. He
refused even to be crowned king of Hungary or to recognize in any
manner the established status of the country. His purpose was clearly
to build of Austria and Hungary one consolidated and absolute state--a
purpose which, it need hardly be remarked, failed of realization. The
statesmanship of Leopold II. averted the impending rev