Minor reforms he introduced early in his reign so angered the nobility and clergy that his mother decided in 1765 to come out of retirement and force co-regency upon her son. ... Because the prerogatives of the clergy and minor nobility were unchecked, Joseph remained unsatisfied.
By 1790, Joseph faced numerous problems in his empire, including a loss of control in the Austrian Netherlands. In a weakened state after being ill for years, Joseph made the painful decision to undo his reforms in Hungary in order to maintain the empire's power there.
