 Emperor Francis died on 18 August 1765 , while he and the court were in Innsbruck celebrating the wedding of his second son , Leopold . Maria Theresa was devastated . Their eldest son , Joseph , became Holy Roman Emperor . Maria Theresa abandoned all ornamentation , had her hair cut short , painted her rooms black and dressed in mourning for the rest of her life . She completely withdrew from court life , public events , and theater . Throughout her widowhood , she spent the whole of August and the eighteenth of each month alone in her chamber , which negatively affected her mental health . She described her state of mind shortly after Francis 's death : " I hardly know myself now , for I have become like an animal with no true life or reasoning power . " 
