The rise of Austria

1. The rise of Austria

3. Thesis After the Thirty Years war, which resulted in the destruction of the Holy Roman Empire and the decimation of the German countryside a series of poor absolute monarchs tried to step up to fill the power vacuum in Central Europe. Unable to grab full control a series of political fighting and wars weakened the state even further. This frustrated the local populous which then demanded a stronger central ruler to consolidate, manipulate, and use all types power. Once this absolutism was accomplished the omnipotent state began to flourish, building empires and starting a Golden Age.

4. Hapsburgs background – you should already know this • Massively successful family in central Europe • Eventually gained control of HRE, gaining all important electoral vote • Charles V pitched a hissy fit, gave up his throne, tuck tailed and run, to a fake monastery • His two sons (Ferdinand and Philip) took it and Spain over…. • HRE broke up in all but name with 30 Years War, but the Hapsburgs had a lot of territory, and they still had Prague, so they remained powerful

5. Ferdinands & Leopold I • Ferdinand I inherited Austria and other lands in central Europe and the HRE (title) • His sons, through a series of errors (mainly the 30 Years War) lost it • But, in 1699 a great grandson named Leopold started to win it back • Begins with Hungary • France counters with an invasion to hold balance of power (and they hate Austria and Germany by now) • Hold them off on one side, splits his army and moves east • Reconquers Slovenia, Croatia, rest of Bohemia, Moravia Transylvania, Liechtenstein, part of Poland, and part of Germany • Marched right to the door of Ottoman Empire in Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina) only to be repelled • Kept power by ruling using only an inner circle of confidants • The Hapsburgs were back baby!!!

6. Maria Theresa • Son of Leopold keeps the empire together then dies • Grandson Charles VI comes to the throne • After years of trying only had a daughter: Maria Theresa • So drafted Pragmatic Sanction—which agreed to recognize Maria Theresa as his rightful heir even though she was a woman • Bribed all of Europe into recognizing it • But when he dies, they all renege and thinking Austria now has a weak woman on the throne, they attack • The French declared war, Czechs revolted, and Prussia attacked, triggering the War of the Austrian Succession

8. War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748) • Short on Allies, Maria Theresa bribed Hungary into staying on her side • Making her empire now Austria-Hungary • Britain wants to keep balance of power (and sees a way to turn an international incident into a banking/colonizing opportunity) • Join in, mainly giving her money and some help • Turn around an colonize the heck out of the rest of the world while everyone else is fighting • Fought her opponents to a stalemate and won back all seized land.

9. Austrian Golden Age • Maria Theresa becomes the grandmother of Europe • Has 16 kids that live to adulthood, marrying all of them off all around Europe; youngest and most famous is Marie Antoinette • Establishes a court in Vienna • Has largest land empire in Europe (outside of Russia) • Created a expansive bureaucracy • Eventually co-ruled with oldest son Joseph II • Reforms the church—made the monarchy far less tied to Catholicism • Removes final trappings of religion and politics left over from HRE • Cleaned house with the nobles—made them intermingle • Forced them to intermarry and move across the empire • Revamped military • Ended Polish-Lithuanian empire and partitioned it • Took down Sarajevo and rest of Balkans • Created a trading network, not with colonies but over European empire • Music flourished

10. Joseph II, Roman Emperor, Apostolic King of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, of Styria, of Carinthia and of Carniola; Grand Prince of Transylvania, Margrave of Moravia, Duke of Brabant, of Limburg, of Luxemburg, of Geldern, of Wurttemberg, of Upper and Lower Silesia, of Milan, of Mantua, of Parma, of Piacenza, of Guastalla, of Auschwitz and Zator; Prince of Swabia, Prince-Count of Habsburg, Flanders, the Tyrol, of Hennegau, of Kyburg, of Gorz and Gradisca, Margrave of the Holy Roman Empire, of Burgau, of Upper and Lower Lusatia, Count of Namur, Lord of Windisch March and of Mechlen; Duke of Lorraine and Bar; Grand Duke of Tuscany, etc., etc.

11. Rise of Prussia Main state other than Austria to emerge from HRE Begins with political maneuvering of Frederick William the Great Elector – leader of Hohenzollerns dynasty Capital is Berlin Followed by so, Frederick William I, 1st Prussian King Studied the history of the destruction of Thirty Years War and vows to always have a strong army Prussia becomes a military state Beginning of German unity, sort of Prussia will slowly take over the rest of the German state

13. Frederick the Great Frederick William’s son becomes King in 1740 Frederick II, also known as Frederick the Great Followed dad’s military policies, strong army Also encouraged religious tolerance and economic growth Considered himself “enlightened,” for example he thought serfdom was wrong, but did nothing about this. Brought Voltaire to court to learn from him but didn’t follow his ideas to their full extent Paternalistic: Believed a leader should be like a father to his people Quintessential “Enlightened Despot” Knew and like the ideas of Enlightenment and freedom but didn’t have the backing of the nobles and/or the guts to follow them

14. Seven Years War (1756-1763) • Mainly started over colonial and Austrian Succession vendettas • Kinda like War of the Austrian Succession II • Austria sided with France (rare) and Russia against England and Prussia • Sides mainly broke down on balance of power domino effect • Series of barely-win/losses and stalemates • 1st war between Europe the Atlantic Ocean • You know it as the French-Indian War • Battled to a stalemated on the continent and then quit fighting • With large armies in Central Europe Austria, Prussia, and Russia allied together to partition Poland • Real winner (do you sense a pattern here??) was again, England, who crushed France and kicked them out of N. America • Austria lost nothing for starting this mess (do you sense another pattern here??) and stayed in power • At the end Eastern and Central Europe start to become players on world stage • 5 main players: Great Britain, France, Prussia, Austria-Hungary, Russia