Francis II (German: Franz II, Erwählter Römischer Kaiser) (12 February 1768 – 2 March 1835) is the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolves the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz.

In 1804, he founds the Austrian Empire and becomes Francis I (Franz I), the first Emperor of Austria (Kaiser von Österreich), ruling from 1804 to 1835, so later he is named the one and only Doppelkaiser (double emperor) in history.

For the two years between 1804 and 1806, Francis uses the title and style by the grace of God elected Roman Emperor, always August, hereditary Emperor of Austria, and he is called the Emperor of both Germany and Austria.

He is also Apostolic King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia as Francis I.

He also serves as the first president of the German Confederation following its establishment in 1815.

Francis I continues his leading role as an opponent of Napoleonic France in the Napoleonic Wars, and suffers several more defeats after Austerlitz.

The proxy marriage of state of his daughter Marie Louise of Austria to Napoleon on 10 March 1810 is assuredly his most severe defeat.

After the abdication of Napoleon following the War of the Sixth Coalition, Austria participates as a leading member of the Holy Alliance at the Congress of Vienna, which is largely dominated by Francis's chancellor Klemens Wenzel, Prince von Metternich culminating in a new European map and the restoration of Francis' ancient dominions (except the Holy Roman Empire, which is dissolved).

Due to the establishment of the Concert of Europe, which largely resists popular nationalist and liberal tendencies, Francis becomes viewed as a reactionary later in his reign.