Austria-Hungary's Control Over Venice: Who Held The Power?

The Republic of Venice was dissolved in 1797 by Napoleon Bonaparte and the Habsburg Monarchy, marking the end of its approximately 1,100-year existence. The French general entered Venice in 1796 to confront Austria as part of the Italian front of the French Revolutionary Wars. After the capture of Mantua in 1797, the French called for revolution among the territories of Venice. By March, Brescia and Bergamo had broken away, and Napoleon threatened to declare war on Venice unless it democratised. The Venetian Senate acceded to his demands, and on 12 May, Ludovico Manin, the last doge of Venice, formally abolished the Most Serene Republic of Venice.

The French and the Austrians had already secretly agreed to the Treaty of Leoben, which stated that in exchange for providing Venice to Austria, France would receive Austria's holdings in the Netherlands. On 18 January 1798, the Austrians took control of Venice, though the city would change hands several times in the coming decades.

The French and Austrian agreement to exchange Venice

On 17 April 1797, the French and the Austrians secretly agreed to the Treaty of Leoben, which stipulated that in exchange for providing Venice to Austria, France would receive Austria's holdings in the Netherlands.

The French Republic, newly formed in 1792, was at war with the monarchic powers of Europe, allied in the First Coalition. In 1796, the French Republic sent the young general Napoleon Bonaparte to confront Austria on the Italian front of the French Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon chose to go through Venice, which was officially neutral. The Venetians reluctantly allowed the French army to enter their country. However, the French began to support Jacobin revolutionaries within Venice, and the Venetian senate began quiet preparations for war. The Venetian armed forces were depleted and hardly a match for the French or even a local uprising. After the capture of Mantua on 2 February 1797, the French called for revolution among the territories of Venice. By 13 March, there was open revolt, with Brescia and Bergamo breaking away. However, pro-Venetian sentiment remained high, and France was forced to reveal its true goals after it provided military support to the underperforming revolutionaries.

On 25 April, Napoleon openly threatened to declare war on Venice unless it democratized. The Venetian Senate acceded to numerous demands but, facing increasing rebellion and the threat of foreign invasion, it abdicated in favour of a transitional government of Jacobins (and thus, the French). On 12 May, Ludovico Manin, the last doge of Venice, formally abolished the Most Serene Republic of Venice after 1,100 years of existence.

The French proceeded to loot Venice, stealing or sinking the entire Venetian Navy and destroying much of the Venetian Arsenal. On 18 January 1798, the Austrians took control of Venice and ended the plunder. However, Austrian control was short-lived, as Venice returned to French control by 1805. It then returned to Austrian hands in 1815 as the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia until its incorporation into the Kingdom of Italy in 1866.

Napoleon's invasion of Venice

In 1796, the young general Napoleon Bonaparte was sent by the newly formed French Republic to confront Austria, as part of the Italian front of the French Revolutionary Wars. He chose to go through Venice, which was officially neutral. The Venetians reluctantly allowed the French army to enter their country so that it might confront Austria. However, the French began supporting Jacobin revolutionaries within Venice, and the Venetian senate began preparations for war. The Venetian armed forces were depleted and hardly a match for the French or even a local uprising.

After the capture of Mantua on 2 February 1797, the French called for revolution among the territories of Venice. By 13 March, there was open revolt, with Brescia and Bergamo breaking away. However, pro-Venetian sentiment remained high, and France was forced to reveal its true goals after it provided military support to the underperforming revolutionaries.

On 25 April, Napoleon openly threatened to declare war on Venice unless it democratised. The Venetian Senate acceded to numerous demands but, facing increasing rebellion and the threat of foreign invasion, it abdicated in favour of a transitional government of Jacobins (and thus the French). On 12 May, Ludovico Manin, the last doge of Venice, formally abolished the Most Serene Republic of Venice after 1,100 years of existence.

The French and the Austrians had secretly agreed on 17 April in the Treaty of Leoben that in exchange for providing Venice to Austria, France would receive Austria's holdings in the Netherlands. On 28 October, Venice voted to accept the terms. The French proceeded to loot Venice, stealing or sinking the entire Venetian Navy and destroying much of the Venetian Arsenal. On 18 January 1798, the Austrians took control of Venice and ended the plunder.

Austria's control was short-lived, however, as Venice would be back under French control by 1805. It then returned to Austrian hands in 1815 as the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia until its incorporation into the Kingdom of Italy in 1866.

The Venetian Republic's dissolution

The Republic of Venice, also known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice, was dissolved on 12 May 1797 by French General Napoleon Bonaparte and the Habsburg Monarchy. This ended the Republic's existence of approximately 1,100 years.

In 1796, the newly formed French Republic sent the young General Napoleon to confront Austria as part of the Italian front of the French Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon chose to go through Venice, which was officially neutral at the time. The Venetians reluctantly allowed the French army to enter their country. However, the French began to covertly support Jacobin revolutionaries within Venice, and the Venetian Senate quietly prepared for war. The Venetian armed forces were depleted and no match for the French or even a local uprising.

After the capture of Mantua on 2 February 1797, the French called for revolution among the territories of Venice. By 13 March, there was open revolt, with Brescia and Bergamo breaking away. The Venetian Senate acceded to Napoleon's demands but eventually abdicated in favour of a transitional government of Jacobins. On 12 May, Ludovico Manin, the last doge of Venice, formally abolished the Most Serene Republic of Venice.

The French and the Austrians had secretly agreed, in the Treaty of Leoben, to exchange Venice for Austria's holdings in the Netherlands. The population of Venice was given the opportunity to vote on accepting the terms of the treaty, and on 28 October, they voted to accept. On 18 January 1798, the Austrians took control of Venice, ending the plunder by the French.

Austria's control of Venice was short-lived, as the city returned to French control by 1805. In 1815, Venice became part of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, a constituent land of the Austrian Empire, until its incorporation into the Kingdom of Italy in 1866.

Austria's short-lived control of Venice

The Republic of Venice, which had existed for approximately 1,100 years, was dissolved and dismembered by the French general Napoleon Bonaparte and the Habsburg Monarchy on 12 May 1797. This marked the beginning of Austria's short-lived control of Venice.

During the French Italian campaign of 1796, the Signoria of Venice under Doge Ludovico Manin rejected an alliance with France. In response, Napoleon occupied the city on 14 May 1797, leading to the fall of the Republic of Venice and the establishment of the Provisional Municipality of Venice.

In exchange for renouncing all rights to the Austrian Netherlands and recognising the French Cisalpine Republic, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, gained the conquered Venetian territory, including the Dalmatian coast but not the smaller Ionian Islands. This new province of Venice was held as a de jure separate entity in a personal union, with Francis taking the additional title of "Duke of Venice".

However, Austria's control over Venice did not last long. In 1805, after Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz, Francis was forced to cede the Venetian territory to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy as per the Treaty of Pressburg. Thus, Venice returned to French control, and Austria's rule over the city came to an end, lasting only a few years.

In 1815, after Napoleon's defeat, the Congress of Vienna restored the old map of Italy, with some exceptions, including the Republic of Venice. The territories of Lombardy (plus Mantua) and Venetia were combined into the newly formed Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, ruled by a Viceroy of the Habsburgs. This kingdom lasted until 1866 when, after military defeats, Austria ceded Venetia to the Kingdom of Italy.

Venice's incorporation into the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia

The Republic of Venice was dissolved and dismembered by the French general Napoleon Bonaparte and the Habsburg Monarchy on 12 May 1797, bringing an end to its approximately 1,100-year existence. In 1796, Napoleon, who had been sent by the newly formed French Republic to confront Austria, chose to go through Venice, which was officially neutral. The Venetians reluctantly allowed the French army to enter their country. However, the French began supporting Jacobin revolutionaries within Venice, and the Venetian senate began quiet preparations for war.

After the capture of Mantua on 2 February 1797, the French called for revolution among the territories of Venice. By 13 March, there was open revolt, with Brescia and Bergamo breaking away. On 25 April, Napoleon openly threatened to declare war on Venice unless it democratised. The Venetian Senate acceded to numerous demands but eventually abdicated in favour of a transitional government of Jacobins. On 12 May, Ludovico Manin, the last doge of Venice, formally abolished the Most Serene Republic of Venice.

The French and the Austrians had secretly agreed on 17 April in the Treaty of Leoben that in exchange for providing Venice to Austria, France would receive Austria's holdings in the Netherlands. On 18 January 1798, the Austrians took control of Venice.

Austria's control of Venice was short-lived, and the city returned to French control by 1805. However, in 1815, it was again returned to Austria as part of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, a constituent land of the Austrian Empire. The Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was created by the Congress of Vienna in recognition of the Austrian House of Habsburg-Lorraine's rights to the former Duchy of Milan and the former Republic of Venice after the collapse of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. The kingdom was ruled in personal union by the Habsburg Emperor of Austria and consisted of two independent governments, officially declared separate crown lands: Lombardy, governed from Milan, and Venetia, governed from Venice.

The Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was first ruled by Emperor Francis I from 1815 until his death in 1835. His son Ferdinand I ruled from 1835 to 1848. After a popular revolution on 22 March 1848, known as the "Five Days of Milan", the Austrians fled from Milan, and a provisional government was established. The next day, Venice also rose against Austrian rule, forming its own provisional government. However, Austrian forces under Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky defeated the Sardinian troops at the Battle of Custoza and entered Milan and Venice, restoring Austrian rule.

Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria ruled the kingdom for the rest of its existence. After the Second Italian War of Independence and the defeat at the Battle of Solferino in 1859, Austria had to cede Lombardy to France, which immediately passed it to the Kingdom of Sardinia. In 1866, the remaining territory of Venetia, along with Mantua, fell to the Kingdom of Italy after the Third Italian War of Independence. Thus, the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was dissolved, and its territories were incorporated into the recently proclaimed Kingdom of Italy.

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