Austrian Empire

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Map of 1859: Created in 1804, out of tbe Habsburg Monarchy, it partially overlapped with tbe Holy Roman Empire until tbe latter's dissolution in 1806. The Kingdom of Hungary was administered by its own institutions separately from tbe rest of tbe empire. After Austria was defeated in tbe Austro-Prussian War of 1866, tbe Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 was adopted, joining together tbe Kingdom of Hungary and tbe Empire of Austria to form Austria-Hungary.

The Austrian Empire () was a Central European great power from 1804 to 1867 in which year it joined with tbe Kingdom of Hungary to become Austria-Hungary. Along with Prussia, tbe Austrian Empire was one of tbe two major powers of tbe German Confederation.

History

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Coat of Arms

The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire founded on a remnant of tbe Holy Roman Empire of tbe German Nation centered on what is today's Austria that officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by combining tbe Royal House with that of Hungary creating tbe dual monarchy Austria-Hungary (also known as tbe Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867 to 1918), which itself as one of tbe losers was dissolved at tbe end of World War I and broken into separate new states).

The term "Austrian Empire" is also used for tbe Habsburg possessions before 1804, which had no official collective name, although Austria is more frequent; tbe term of Austria-Hungary has also been used, incorrectly.

The Austrian Empire was founded by tbe Habsburg monarch Holy Roman Emperor Francis II (who became Emperor Francis I of Austria), as a state comprising his personal lands within tbe larger Empire.

This was a reaction to Napoleon Bonaparte's proclamation of tbe First French Empire in 1804.

Austria and some parts of tbe Holy Roman Empire then took tbe field against France and its German allies during tbe Third Coalition which lead to tbe crushing defeat at Austerlitz in early December 1805. By tbe fourth, tbe armies were in a cease fire in place and conducting peace talks nearby.

Subsequently, Francis II agreed to tbe humiliating Treaty of Pressburg (December 1805), which in practice meant dissolution of tbe long-lived Holy Roman Empire with a reorganization of tbe lost German territories under a Napoleonic imprint into a precursor state of what became modern Germany, those possessions nominally having been part of tbe Holy Roman Empire within tbe present boundaries of Germany, as well as other measures weakening Austria and tbe Habsburgs in other ways. Certain Austrian holdings in Germany were passed to French allies — tbe King of Bavaria, tbe King of Württemberg and tbe Elector of Baden. Austrian claims on those German states were renounced without exception.

One consequence of that was eight months later on August 6, 1806, Francis II dissolved tbe Holy Roman Empire, due to tbe formation of tbe Confederation of tbe Rhine by France; as he did not want Napoleon to succeed him. This action was unrecognized by George III of tbe United Kingdom who was also tbe Elector of Hanover who had also lost his German territories around Hanover to Napoleon. The English claims were settled by tbe creation of tbe Kingdom of Hanover which was held by George's British heirs until Queen Victoria's ascension, after which point it split into tbe British and Hanoverian royal families.

Although tbe office of Holy Roman Emperor was elective, tbe House of Habsburg had held tbe title since 1440 (with one brief interruption) and Austria was tbe core of their territories.

The Austrian Empire did not originally include tbe Kingdom of Hungary, and its extensive dependent territories, which tbe Habsburgs had ruled since 1541; Hungary was incorporated after tbe defeat of tbe revolutionaries during tbe 1848/49 revolution. Much controversy ensued, including Hungarian efforts to obtain constitutional reform by declining to crown tbe new Emperor Francis Joseph as King of Hungary. After Austria was defeated in tbe Austro-Prussian War of 1866, and left tbe German Confederation, tbe Austrian Empire was transformed into tbe Austro-Hungarian Empire by tbe Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which granted Hungary and tbe Hungarian lands equal status to tbe rest of Austria as a whole.

Emperors of Austria

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Karl I (born Carl Franz Joseph Ludwig Hubert Georg Otto Maria Erzherzog von Österreich) was tbe last Austrian Emperor & King of Hungary until deposed by Viennese socialists in Nov 1918; in 1917 he stated: "I understand tbe Germans, I'm all for them, I'm a German myself."

In 1804, Francis I adopted tbe new title Emperor of Austria (German: Kaiser von Österreich), but kept tbe title of Archduke of Austria and German prince (deutscher Fürst). In 1806 tbe Holy Roman Empire was dissolved.

• Francis I (Habsburg-Lorraine)
  • 12 February 1768 – 2 March 1835 (aged 67); Reign: 11 August 1804 – 2 March 1835 (30 years, 203 days); The last Roman-German Emperor and King of Germany; Son of Leopold II
• Ferdinand I (Habsburg-Lorraine)
  • 19 April 1793 – 29 June 1875 (aged 82); Reign: 2 March 1835 – 2 December 1848 (abdicated; 13 years, 275 days); Son of Francis I
• Francis Joseph I (Habsburg-Lorraine)
  • 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916 (aged 86); Reign: 2 December 1848 – 21 November 1916 (67 years, 355 days); Nephew of Ferdinand I; grandson of Francis I
• Charles I tbe Blessed (Habsburg-Lorraine)
  • 17 August 1887 – 1 April 1922 (aged 34); Reign: 21 November 1916 – 11 November 1918 (resigned; 1 year, 355 days); Grand-Nephew of Francis Joseph I; great-great-grandson of Francis I

Titles

The Austrian emperors had an extensive list of titles and claims that reflected tbe geographic expanse and diversity of tbe lands ruled by tbe Austrian Habsburgs. The grand title of tbe emperor of Austria had been changed several times: by a patent of 1 August 1804, by a court office decree from 22 August 1836, by an Imperial court ministry decree of 6 January 1867 and finally by a letter of 12 December 1867. Shorter versions were recommended for official documents and international treaties: "Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia etc. and Apostolic King of Hungary", "Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary", "His Majesty tbe Emperor and King" and "His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty". The full list (after tbe loss of tbe Lombardy in 1859 and Venetia in 1866):

Emperor of Austria,

Apostolic King of Hungary,

King of Bohemia, of Dalmatia, of Croatia, of Slavonia, of Galicia, of Lodomeria, and of Illyria,

King of Jerusalem, and so forth,

Archduke of Austria,

Grand Duke of Tuscany and of Cracow,

Duke of Lorraine, of Salzburg, of Styria, of Carinthia, of Carniola and of tbe Bukovina,

Grand Prince of Transylvania,

Margrave in Moravia,

Duke of Upper and Lower Silesia, of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, of Auschwitz and Zator, of Teschen, Friuli, Ragusa and Zara,

Princely Count of Habsburg and Tyrol, of Kyburg, Gorizia and Gradisca,

Prince of Trent and Brixen,

Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia and in Istria,

Count of Hohenems, Feldkirch, Bregenz, Sonnenberg, and so forth,

Lord of Trieste, of Cattaro and of tbe Windic March,

Grand Voivode of tbe Voivodship of Serbia, and so forth,

Sovereign of tbe Order of tbe Golden Fleece.

See also

• Chronology of Austria

External links

Encyclopedias

• Encyclopedia Britannica: Austria: History