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History of Austria

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps.. 6 eras, 976 CE to today.

Margraviate of Austria, 976 CE–1156 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Margraviate of Austria was a medieval frontier march, centered along the river Danube. Since 976, it was governed by margraves from the Franconian noble House of Babenberg. The margraviate protected the eastern borders of the Holy Roman Empire, towards neighbouring Hungary. It became an Imperial State in its own right when the Austrian margraves were elevated to Dukes of Austria in 1156.

Seat of power: Melk

Duchy of Austria, 1156–1453 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Duchy of Austria was a medieval principality of the Holy Roman Empire, established in 1156 by the Privilegium Minus. Austria was a feudal possession of the House of Babenberg until 1246. The German king Rudolf I took over the dominion as the first monarch of the Habsburg dynasty in 1276. In 1453, the Habsburg emperor Frederick III officially acknowledged the archducal title of the Austrian rulers.

Seat of power: Vienna

Habsburg monarchy, 1526–1804 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Habsburg monarchy was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. Charles V, who also inherited the Spanish throne, came to rule the Habsburg empire at its greatest territorial extent. The Habsburg monarchy was a union of crowns, and its territories were united only by virtue of a common monarch. The Austrian branch ruled the Holy Roman Empire, Hungary, Bohemia and various other lands.

Seat of power: Vienna

Rulers

Austrian Empire, 1804–1867 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a multinational European great power from 1804 to 1867. The empire was proclaimed by Francis II in 1804 in response to Napoleon's declaration of the First French Empire. It remained part of the Holy Roman Empire until the latter's dissolution in 1806. After Austria was defeated in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 was adopted, joining the Kingdom of Hungary and the Empire of Austria to form Austria-Hungary.

Seat of power: Vienna

Rulers

Austria–Hungary, 1867–1918 Draft, not yet reviewed

Austria-Hungary was a multi-national empire in Central Europe under a constitutional dual monarchy that existed between 1867 and 1918. It consisted of two largely self governing states with a single monarch who was titled both the Emperor of Austria and the Apostolic King of Hungary. The two countries conducted unified diplomatic, defence and monetary policies. Austria-Hungary was one of the Central Powers in World War I, which began with an Austro-Hungarian war declaration on the Kingdom of Serbia on 28 July 1914.

Seat of power: Vienna

Rulers

Austria, 1918 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

The empire's defeat and subsequent collapse led to the proclamation of the Republic of German-Austria in 1918 and the First Austrian Republic in 1919. On 13 March 1938, Austria was annexed by the Third Reich and ceased to exist as an independent country. After its liberation in 1945 and a decade of Allied occupation, the country regained its sovereignty and declared its perpetual neutrality in 1955. The country has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 and of the European Union since 1995.

Seat of power: Vienna

Rulers

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.