Autograph Note Signed 'Francois' (1708-1765, Duke of Lorraine, 1729-1737, husband, 1736, of Maria Theresia of Austria, from 1737 Grand Duke of Tuscany and from 1745 Holy Roman Emperor)

in his somewhat phonetic French, with transcription and translation, to an unnamed minister or secretary, saying "Send me these 2 letters when you have read them. It [sic] contains nothing of much interest beyond the lack of forage", 1 side folio, no place, no date, circa (Transcription) renvoye moy ces: 2: letre quant vous les ave lu elle ne contient rien de fort enteresan que le manque de fourage je suis francois. (Translation) Send me back these 2 letters when you have read them. It [sic] contains nothing of much interest beyond the lack of forage. I am Francis Lorraine, a fief of the German Empire, had currently strong links with Austria. Francis's father had sent him to Vienna in August 1723 as prospective husband for Maria Theresia, then 6 yesrs old, for training and employment in affairs of state. In the letter, 'the lack of forage' suggests a campaign in progress, for example the Duke's attempt to hold on to Lorraine in the War of the Polish Succession (1733-1735, peace treaty 1738). Nominally a civil war, it was largely fought outside Poland. Other powers joined in in their own interests. France seized Lorraine, which she had long coveted, to prevent further Austrian influence on her borders. At the peace it was granted for life to the loser, Stanislas I Leszczynski, father-in-law of Louis XV. In compensation, Francis Stephen was granted Tuscany. France finally got Lorraine in 1766. For his handwriting at this period, see, for example, BL Add MS 32684 f. 10, Vienna, 20th February 1737. Here he has started with 'envoye' (send) but afterwards added an initial 'r' to make 'send back'. His idiosyncratic spelling, such as never writing the 'z' in 'vous avez' (etc), lasted all his life.…