IRE214: CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICS IN THE GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES Fall 2019 Session 8: Austrian History Maya Hadar, PhD § Keeping up with the Habsburgs § The Austrian Empire § The Austro-Hungarian Empire § Nationalism § Army § Economy Austrian History2 The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § One of the most important royal houses of Europe § Best known for being the origin of all Holy Roman Emperors (1438-1740) + all rulers of the Austrian Empire, Spanish Empire and several other countries § The Habsburgs controlled many regions in Europe starting from the 10th Century § Owned territories in Alsace, Switzerland up until the early 20th century § The House takes its name from the Habsburg Castle, a fortress built around 1020–1030 in present day Switzerland by Count Radbot of Klettgau § His grandson, Otto II, was the first to take the fortress name as his own, adding "von Habsburg" to his title The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § The origins of the castle's name are uncertain § Assumed to be derived from the German ‘Habichtsburg’ (Hawk Castle) or from the Middle High German "hab/hap”- ford (brod/river crossing), as there is one nearby § The Habsburg Castle was the family seat in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § The House of Habsburg gathered dynastic momentum in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries § In 1276, Count Radbot's seventh generation descendant, Rudolph of Habsburg, moved the family's power base from Habsburg Castle to the Archduchy of Austria. § 1273 => Rudolph became King of Germany/Holy Roman Emperor § 1276=> Rudolph became the sovereign ruler of Austria (ruled by the Habsburgs for the next 600 years) The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § A powerful family, they often made land alliances through marriage § Vast expansion of its domains (Burgundy, Spain, Bohemia, Hungary etc.) § Resulted in much in-breeding => descendants typically shared unique facial features (e.g a protruding lower lip and chin) The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § 1453 => Habsburg descendent, Friedrich III was crowned Holy Roman Emperor § With the title and influence, he began to raise cultural pride in Austria, claiming that Austria was a superior nation § Friedrich III waged war against King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, won the war & conquered Vienna The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § 1477 => Friedrich III arranged the marriage of his son, Maximilian, to Maria of Burgundy in order to acquire additional land for the Habsburg Empire § Friedrich III was influential in establishing the marriage of his other son, Philip, to Joanna, daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, thus ensuring his families interests in the regions held by Spain (but also Italy, the Netherlands + North America) The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § Philip and Joanna had two sons (+4 daughters) => Charles I and Ferdinand I § 1516 => Charles I became ruler of Spain § 1519 => Charles I was crowned Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § As Charles controlled a vast amount of land, he delegated control over Austria, Bohemia, and Hungary to his brother, Ferdinand I § Wars began to occur between the (Christian) Habsburgs and the (Muslim) Ottoman Empire (Turks) § 1532 => Turks wanted to take control of Vienna => Economically viable + strategically located: The Siege of Vienna § Ferdinand I (living in Vienna) defeated the Ottoman Sultal Suleiman => withdrew from the city + end of Turkish expansion into Europe The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § Unity between Charles and Ferdinand I lasted until Charles abdicated his position as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire § Gave control of Spain, Italy + the Netherlands to his son, Philip II § Charles´ brother, Ferdinand I was given reign over Central European territories § Caused a split within the family => Ferdinand I, not Philip II, was designated by Charles to become the new Holy Roman Emperor The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ § During the remaining 1500’s and into the 1600’s => Habsburgs were involved in internal political intrigues, external wars + further hardships (black death in Vienna in the 1680s- Great Plague of Vienna, est. 76k deaths) § 1600’s => The family separated into the senior Habsburg Spain & junior Habsburg Monarchy branches § 1600’s => The Thirty Year’s War between Catholics and Protestants § Fenestration of Prague => Protestant states (Sweden, the Netherlands) sent troops were sent to fight the Catholics The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ The Thirty Years’ War § Religion/politics mix => Catholic and Protestant rulers shifted sides according to politics § Catholic France joined Lutheran Sweden against the Catholic Hapsburgs § Hapsburgs controlled Spain as well as Austria § Murder and torture were followed by famine and disease => depopulation in much of central Europe § 1648 => the Treaty of Westphalia ended the war § France gained land on both the Spanish and German fronts § Early 1700s’ => The Hapsburg empire included Germans, Slavs etc. § Allowed each ethnicity to practice and live as they did before § (16th century => The family separated into two branches + 200 years of wars and internal disputes) § Only in the 1700’s, Charles VI (current) Austrian emperor, tried to unify Habsburg control in order to guarantee the empire's continuance § Charles had no male heirs, arranged for his daughter, Maria Theresa to marry Francis I of Lorraine => Alliance meant to extend the Habsburg lineage into France The Habsburgs aka ‘House of Austria’ Charles VI => Maria Theresa § Until then no women had ever controlled Hapsburg land by herself § Charles convinced many European families to recognize Maria Theresa’s right to the throne § Soem ignored their promise after his death Rise of Prussia § Austria => Strong Catholic State § Prussia => Equally strong Protestant State § Under the leadership of the Hohenzollern family, Prussia: § Built a large, strong army § Set up a system of bureaucracy to reduce the power of local nobles § By 1740 Prussia was strong enough to challenge Austria Austrian Succession § 1740–1748 => A conglomeration of related wars, two of which developed directly from the death of Charles VI, Holy Roman emperor and head of the Austrian branch of the house of Habsburg, on Oct. 20, 1740 § Many European nations challenged Maria Theresa's rule, but she was successful in retaining control over her lands § 1740-1780 => During Maria Theresa's reign, a "Golden Age" in Austria + the Habsburg Empire: Cultural developments encouraged § + New civil policies were instituted => formal system of public education § As Maria Theresa aged, her son, Joseph II, became her successor § Agreed with his mother's policies and tried to issue further reforms (admin, economic, legal etc) with limited success § No religious tolerance The Habsburgs’ Civic Policies Balance of Power § As Austria and Prussia became more powerful, wars broke out across Europe § Largest =>The 7 Years’ War (1756-1763) § Fought on 4 different continents § Prussia, Austria, Russia, France and Britain fought in Europe § Britain + France fought in India, Africa and North America § Treaty of Paris ends the war § 18th century => House of Habsburg became extinct in the male line § 1700 => Spanish branch ended upon the death of Charles II, replaced by the Anjou branch of the House of Bourbon § 1740 => The Austrian branch went extinct in the male line with the death of Charles VI and in the female line in 1780 with the death of his daughter Maria Theresa => Succeeded by the Vaudemont branch of the House of Lorraine § New successor house: House of Habsburg-Lorraine (German: HabsburgLothringen), though was often referred to as House of Habsburg The Habsburgs § Late 18th early 19th centuries => Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in France, the Habsburgs faced a new enemy § 1806 => Franz II, grandson of Maria Theresa, king of Germany and Austria, Holy Roman Emperor, was forced to relinquish his titles to Napoleon § Habsburgs tried to appease Napoleon (via arranged marriage of Franz II´s daughter, Marie Louise) § 1815=> Napoleon was defeated in the battle of Waterloo The Habsburgs The Hapsburg Empire § Beginning of the 1800s’ => The Hapsburg family controlled much of the region for nearly four centuries § Hard times ahead => Revolution winds within the empire 25 § Austrian emperor, Foreign Minister Metternich tried to maintain the power of the monarchy § Accused universities of creating revolutionaries Resistance to Change § Prohibited any reforms that conflicted with absolute monarchy Carlsbad Decrees § Censorship of newspapers § Created secret police to spy on students suspected of revolutionary activities Other Prohibitions The Austrian Empire26 The Austrian Empire Metternich not only created restrictive laws for the empire but also formed alliances with other European powers in order to prevent nationalist revolutions § 1820 => Congress of Troppau § Called by Metternich, leaders of other powers § Aimed at uniting European powers in an attempt to prevent nationalist revolutions § Leaders agreed to provide military intervention to support governments against internal revolutions 27 § Metternich was able to sustain the Austrian Empire for a few years § However, events in Europe eventually caught up: § Revolutions in France and Italy § German states set off revolts in the Austrian Empire; people belonging to different nationalities wanted independence § Clashes between demonstrators and the army in the streets of Vienna § Frightened emperor Ferdinand ordered Metternich to resign § Metternich fled Austria Revolution28 1848 => Ferdinand abdicated the throne, was succeeded by his nephew Franz Josef I Franz/Francis Joseph (1848-1916) § Centralized administration, dominated by German-speaking Austrians § Internal tariffs were abolished § Hungary was divided into military districts § The Catholic Church controlled education 29 Franz Josef I Franz and Sissi § 1853 => Franz Josef survived an assassination attempt § As worries about succession increased, Franz Joseph looked for a wife § Fell for his 16 year old cousin, Elisabeth (Sissi) of Bavaria § Was often away from court (traveled Europe extensively, fashion icon) § Encouraged her husband to support the Hungarian cause § 1898 => Stabbed to death by an anarchist in Geneva 1848 => Hungarian Magyars rebelled against the Austrian rule (almost successful) § Czar Nicholas I of Russia sent troops to help Austria crush revolt § Franz Josef I stopped the liberal reforms of 1848 but could not eradicate nationalism => Ruled over an unstable empire 31 Habsburgs vs. Nationalism Habsburgs vs. Nationalism § Post 1848 => § Germanic centralization of language: was condemned by non-German nationalities, especially the Magyars § Bureaucratic efficiency and modernization § Maintained the abolition of serfdom (from 1848) Serfdom is the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism (the organization of the economy in the Middle Ages). The economy relied mainly on agriculture. 32 § Nationalist movement continued in Europe § 1859 => Austria lost Lombardy to Italy § 1860 => Austrian federation with local diets + a single imperial government (rejected by the Magyars) § 1867 => Agreement between Franz Josef I and Hungarian nationalist movement leaders to form 2 separate countries with a common ruler The Dual Monarchy33 Franz Josef I could not stop the nationalist movement => Change came in the form of the ’Ausgleich’ • Dual monarchy • Austria and Hungary became two separate, equal states under Franz Josef I => emperor of Austria, king of Hungary • Each state had its own constitution and parliament • Monarch’s common government shared responsibility for the army, navy, foreign policy and the customs union Compromise of 1867 The Dual Monarchy34 § All laws, even identical ones, had to pass in both parliaments (Vienna and Budapest) § Linking/co-ordinating the two countries fell on the monarch, wielding great power in theory but limited in practice § The Austro-Hungarian government became a cosmopolitan bureaucracy => multicultural organization of non-elected officials The Dual Monarchy35 § Dual Monarchy lasted until 1918 (about 50 years) § Eased pressure of nationalism had economic advantages: § Rural, agricultural Hungary provided raw materials, food § Industrialized Austria provided industrial products The Dual Monarchy36 § Political difficulties in Austria mounted continuously through the late 1800s and into the 20th century § Franz Joseph remained immensely respected § His patriarchal authority held the Empire together while the politicians squabbled The Dual Monarchy § After Rudolf (son of Franz Joseph and Sissi), heir to the throne, died in 1889, Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Franz Joseph’s nephew) became the monarch § Simmering nationalism among ethnic groups under Austrian domination caused disruption in the Reichsrat and resulted in rule by imperial decree in the late 1890’s § Continued tensions in the Balkans would eventually result in the chaos of World War I 1914 The Dual Monarchy § The "Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867" created semi-independent states linked by personal union § Neither nation-state was democratic § Nationalism was a major challenge the empire faced due to plurality of ethicities within in § Ongoing push for political and cultural equality National & Social Multiculturalism39 40 § Neither Germans not Hungarians constituted a majority German 24% Hungarian 20% Czech 13% Polish 10% Ruthenian 8% Romanian 6% Croat 5% Slovak 4% Serb 4% Slovene 3% Italian 3% National and Social Multiculturalism § Language was one of the most contentious issues in AustroHungarian politics => Both governments faced difficulties in deciding on the languages of government + instruction 41 Foreign Policy § 1873 => Germany (Chancellor Otto von Bismarck) forged the ‘Three Emperors’ League’ with AustriaHungary and Russia § The three empires pledged: § To consult one another on mutual interests in Europe 42 § To remain neutral when a member state take military action against a nonmember state, particularly against France or the Balkan nations Foreign Policy § The Austro-Hungarian government feared attack from Russia § 1879 => Austro-Hungary and Germany agreed to form a Dual Alliance, expended to include Italy in 1882 § Agreed to support each other if attacked by either France or Russia § The Triple Alliance was renewed at five-yearly intervals, also due to the§ 1907 => The Triple Entente between Britain, France, and Russia 43 Alliances Summary44 § During the Empire’s existence, the capitalist mode of production spread and replaced medieval institutions § 1879-1900 => Over 25k km of railways were built § Reduced transportation costs throughout the Empire + § Extended markets for products from AustroHungarian lands Austro-Hungarian Economy45 § 1873 => Old capital Buda and Obuda merged with Pest, creating the metropolis of Budapest § Grew into Austro-Hungary’s administrative, political, economic, trade and cultural hub Austro-Hungarian Economy46 § Budapest became the empire’s center of agriculture and food industry § Large proportion of export to the rest of Europe § Wide disparities of economic development existed within the Empire: § Western areas became more developed than eastern areas § Economic growth centered on Vienna + Budapest, the Austrian lands (areas of modern Austria), the Alpine region and the Bohemian lands § Late 19th century => Rapid economic growth spread to the central Hungarian plain and to the Carpathian lands Austro-Hungarian Economy47 § End of 19th century => Economic differences gradually evened out § Early 20th century => Division of labour between east and west + existing economic and monetary union, led to an even more rapid economic growth throughout Austria-Hungary Austro-Hungarian Economy48 The Imperial Army § The Austro-Hungarian Imperial Army was officially under the control of the Commander-in-Chief, Emperor Franz Josef § By 1914, Josef was 84 years old and the chief of staff, Count Franz Conrad, had more power over the armed forces § Conrad favoured an aggressive foreign policy and advocated the use of military action to solve Austro-Hungary's territorial disputes with Italy and Serbia 49 The Black Hand § A secret military society formed by members of the Serbian army in the Kingdom of Serbia § Founded on September 6, 1901 § Aimed to unit all territories containing significant Serb populations annexed by Austria-Hungary § 1914 => Dragutin Dimitrijević (aka Apis) decided that Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir of Austria, should be assassinated § 3 young Bosnian-Serbs were recruited for this purpose 50 The Black Hand § Those involved probably realized that their plot would invite war between Austria and Serbia § Knew that Russia would side with Serbia § However, it is unlikely that they anticipated a world war § After a first unsuccessful attempt, the Archduke was assassinated § Serbia was largely blamed for the assassination § Tensions involved other European powers and escalated into a world war 51 The major factors that sustained the Empire were: § Loyalty to the Emperor => Very popular and multi-lingual (spoke nearly all languages of the Empire) § The Catholic religion => Shared by 90% Austrians and 60% Hungarians within the empire The Dual Monarchy: recap52 Reflection on Austria’s Past Glory 1800s => The Fall of the Habsburgs § 1859 => Habsburg control no longer existed in Italy, 1866 in Germany § Habsburgs still controlled Austria and Hungary as a Dual Monarchy (Austria-Hungary) § Faced problems of self determination during that time + heir to the Austrian throne, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914 => the Hapsburgs declared war on Serbia that led to World War I § 1918=> The Habsburg Empire was finally dismantled with the defeat of Austria and Hungary in WWI § The Republic of Austria was established after the war § Habsburg descendants were able to retain their traditional titles, but not to rule The Fall of the Habsburgs Next Session...56 § Austria Quiz § 57 Thank You For Your Attention! Questions???