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09-05-2006, 20:04
The Austrian Empire
Austria-Hungary, also known as the dual monarchy, nation in central Europe ruled by the Habsburg monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was established in 1867 under Francis Joseph I, the emperor of Austria and king of Hungary. Austria-Hungary extended over more than 675,000 sq km (241,491 sq mi) in central Europe, and included what are now Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, as well as parts of present-day Poland, Romania, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro.
Austria and Hungary were united as a result of the compromise (known in German as the Ausgleich) of March 1867. The compromise was an agreement between the Habsburg Emperor Francis Joseph and the Magyar rulers of the kingdom of Hungary. The people of Austria and the non-Magyar peoples of Hungary were not consulted. Besides a common monarch, the compromise established common ministries of foreign affairs, finance, and defense. Each kingdom had a separate parliament and was able to govern its own internal affairs. The compromise of 1867 established a large nation of about 50 million people. Located in the heart of Europe, Austria-Hungary was composed of many different language groups and nationalities. Austria-Hungary was regarded as a great European power along with France, Germany, Russia, and Britain.
II
Background
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The Habsburgs had ruled many parts of Europe, including Austria, as part of the Holy Roman Empire since the 1200s. Austria was formed during the Napoleonic Wars, a series of wars fought from 1799 to 1815 between France, led by Napoleon I, and a number of European nations. Napoleon dissolved the Holy Roman Empire in 1806; in anticipation of this, the Austrian Empire had been created in 1804. At the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, Austria emerged as one of the most powerful states in what was called the German Confederation, and, as such, was one of the stronger nations in Europe. The Austrian Empire included the kingdom of Hungary, although the ruling class of Hungary, the Magyars, persistently pressed for more control in the years leading up to the compromise. For the half century after 1815, the Habsburg monarchy faced many serious internal challenges to its authority. Nationalistic groups demanded more autonomy. Political liberals were dissatisfied with the centralized Habsburg government, which promoted the idea that the emperor had absolute power to rule the Austrian nation without any interference. The Habsburg rulers managed to contain most of these threats by skillfully using the Austrian army and bureaucracy to keep restless subjects in line.
Externally, however, the Austrian Empire lost ground to rival states. Because Austria did not support Russia during the Crimean War (1853-1856), Russia refused in 1859 to support Austria against the French-supported Italian state of Piedmont (Piemonte), which drove Austria out of Lombardy (Lombardia), another state in northern Italy. Under the direction of Prince Otto von Bismarck, the minister-president of the north German state of Prussia, the Prussians began to challenge Austria for supremacy in the German Confederation. In 1866 Bismarck provoked Austria into the Seven Weeks' War. Austria lost and was expelled from the Confederation.
Austrian Military
Army Personnel-
Austria-Hungary, also known as the dual monarchy, nation in central Europe ruled by the Habsburg monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was established in 1867 under Francis Joseph I, the emperor of Austria and king of Hungary. Austria-Hungary extended over more than 675,000 sq km (241,491 sq mi) in central Europe, and included what are now Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, as well as parts of present-day Poland, Romania, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro.
Austria and Hungary were united as a result of the compromise (known in German as the Ausgleich) of March 1867. The compromise was an agreement between the Habsburg Emperor Francis Joseph and the Magyar rulers of the kingdom of Hungary. The people of Austria and the non-Magyar peoples of Hungary were not consulted. Besides a common monarch, the compromise established common ministries of foreign affairs, finance, and defense. Each kingdom had a separate parliament and was able to govern its own internal affairs. The compromise of 1867 established a large nation of about 50 million people. Located in the heart of Europe, Austria-Hungary was composed of many different language groups and nationalities. Austria-Hungary was regarded as a great European power along with France, Germany, Russia, and Britain.
II
Background
Print this section | Edit this section
The Habsburgs had ruled many parts of Europe, including Austria, as part of the Holy Roman Empire since the 1200s. Austria was formed during the Napoleonic Wars, a series of wars fought from 1799 to 1815 between France, led by Napoleon I, and a number of European nations. Napoleon dissolved the Holy Roman Empire in 1806; in anticipation of this, the Austrian Empire had been created in 1804. At the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, Austria emerged as one of the most powerful states in what was called the German Confederation, and, as such, was one of the stronger nations in Europe. The Austrian Empire included the kingdom of Hungary, although the ruling class of Hungary, the Magyars, persistently pressed for more control in the years leading up to the compromise. For the half century after 1815, the Habsburg monarchy faced many serious internal challenges to its authority. Nationalistic groups demanded more autonomy. Political liberals were dissatisfied with the centralized Habsburg government, which promoted the idea that the emperor had absolute power to rule the Austrian nation without any interference. The Habsburg rulers managed to contain most of these threats by skillfully using the Austrian army and bureaucracy to keep restless subjects in line.
Externally, however, the Austrian Empire lost ground to rival states. Because Austria did not support Russia during the Crimean War (1853-1856), Russia refused in 1859 to support Austria against the French-supported Italian state of Piedmont (Piemonte), which drove Austria out of Lombardy (Lombardia), another state in northern Italy. Under the direction of Prince Otto von Bismarck, the minister-president of the north German state of Prussia, the Prussians began to challenge Austria for supremacy in the German Confederation. In 1866 Bismarck provoked Austria into the Seven Weeks' War. Austria lost and was expelled from the Confederation.
Austrian Military
Army Personnel-