History of the Habsburgs (Austria)

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History of the Habsburgs (Austria)

• Austrian empire began in 1273 with the election
  of Rudolph of Habsburg as Holy Roman Emperor
• By 18th century, empire consisted of more than
  300 states, fifty-one free towns, 1500 free
  nights and their tiny estates
• Population of about 31 million by 18th century
• Hapsburgs held on to title of Holy Roman Emperor,
  but the title depended on help from many other
  German states and principalities

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Austria was part of the larger Holy Roman Empire.
The Holy Roman Emperor was almost always elected
from Austria because it had the ability to
enforce imperial decisions on the empire.
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The Habsburg Empire in the 18th Century

• Following the War of Spanish Succession which saw
  a Bourbon occupy the Spanish throne, Austria
  consolidated Habsburg power
• Empire included Naples, Sardinia, and Milan in
  Italy the Austrian Netherlands (now Belgium)
  Hungary and Transylvania
• Austrian empire lacked unity made up of
  Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Croats, Italians,
  Serbs, Rumanians, and other
• Different languages, customs, and culture
• Not all areas of Austrian Empire were with Holy
  Roman Empire, so different laws existed

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Austria was part of the larger Holy Roman Empire.
The Holy Roman Emperor was almost always elected
from Austria because it had the ability to
enforce imperial decisions on the empire.
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Map 133 THE AUSTRIAN HABSBURG EMPIRE, 15211772
The empire had three main unitsAustria, Bohemia,
and Hungary. Expansion was mainly eastward
eastern Hungary from the Ottomans (17th century)
and Galicia from Poland (1772). Meantime, Silesia
was lost after 1740, but the Habsburgs remained
Holy Roman Emperors.
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Government of Austrias informal empire

• No single constitutional system or administration
  for all parts of realm
• The emperor had different political titles for
  each part of his empire (Duke, Lord, Count, King)
• No central diet (government) for empire only
  local diets
• Local matters such as religion were left alone,
  as long as the monarch received soldiers, taxes,
  and support for war from the provinces
• Maygars, Hungarian nobility, accepted Habsburg
  monarchy but did not pay taxes to Vienna
• Maintained certain local powers untouched by
  emperor

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Music and Vienna

• Music was the most famous and popular art of the
  empire
• Emperor Leopold I, a composer himself, was a
  significant patron to music
• Royal concerts, ballets, and operas were part of
  life in Vienna
• Italians would come to Austria to improve their
  musical productions
• The Slavs, Bohemians (Germans), and Magyars
  (Hungary) excelled in singing and instruments

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Leopold I (r. 16581705)

• First cousin of Louis XIV of France and Charles
  II of Spain
• Loved poetry and music
• A devout Catholic?restricted his Protestant
  subjects
• Employed German and Italian artists to build and
  decorate baroque churches and palaces

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A Foreign Invader

• Ottoman Empire (Turks) invaded Austria and
  attempted a siege of Vienna in 1683
• With the help of King Jan Sobieskis Polish army
  and Germans, Austrians, and Hungarians, Leopolds
  forces drove out the Turks

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The Battle for Vienna
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Respect for Leopold I

• Key figure in the War of Spanish Succession
• Austria efforts against France proved to turn the
  tide against France and ended Louis XIVs bid to
  have a common prince for France and Spain
• Elevated the power of Brandenburg-Prussia during
  the war to create a strong nation to oppose
  France
• Expanded Austrian territory into southeastern
  Europe at the expense of the Turks who they were
  battling with as well

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Charles VI ( r. 17111740)

• Son of Leopold I
• Personally involved in the details in governing
• Did not leave a male heir, but had a daughter,
  Maria Theresa

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Actions for Charles VI

• Pragmatic Sanction (1713) Charles VI legal basis
  for a single line of inheritance within the
  Hapsburg dynasty putting his daughter Maria
  Theresa in charge
• Women rulers were considered to bring instability
  to a government
• Charles went around Europe asking for princes to
  sign the paper to ensure his daughters
  reign?most did, BUT will be challenged later
• Granted Hungarian nobles particular liberties and
  more autonomy from the Austrian crown
• Still part of the empire, but cultural
  differences will lead to eventual split

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Maria Theresa (r. 17481780)

• Was beautiful, courageous, high-minded, pious,
  and capable ruler
• First reform increased Austrian army from 30,000
  to 108,000 through tax reforms paying for it
• Frederick of Prussia invades Hapsburg Empire to
  determine supremacy in German states and puts
  Maria at risk in 1740
• Centralized Austrian govt and power
• Conservative Catholic, BUT believed in political
  realism when it came to her culturally diverse
  population

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Joseph II (R. 17651790)

• Co-regent with mother, Maria Theresa, for last 15
  years of her life
• Sought to be an enlightened despot
• Wanted to govern decisively and forcefully, but
  rationally, with the interests of his subjects in
  mind

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Legacy of Joseph II

• Centralized power
• Create a strong economy, treasury, and military
• Although Catholic, granted religious toleration
  to Protestants and Jews
• Opened more state schools of Austria
• Died at 49 after suffering military defeats at
  the hands of the Ottomans, facing an expanding
  Russian state, and revolts in the
  Austrian-controlled Netherlands

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Map 133 THE AUSTRIAN HABSBURG EMPIRE, 15211772
The empire had three main unitsAustria, Bohemia,
and Hungary. Expansion was mainly eastward
eastern Hungary from the Ottomans (17th century)
and Galicia from Poland (1772). Meantime, Silesia
was lost after 1740, but the Habsburgs remained
Holy Roman Emperors.