Austria's Historical Empire: Territories And Nations Owned

Austria has a long and complex history, with its territory having been inhabited since the Paleolithic period. The area was settled by the Celts around 400 BC, before being annexed by the Romans in the 1st century BC. The Romans were followed by the Bavarii, a Germanic people, in the 6th century, and then by the Frankish Empire in the 9th century.

The name Ostarrîchi (Austria) was first used in 996 AD, when it was a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria. In 1156, Austria became an independent duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, and was later made an archduchy in 1453.

From 1273 to 1918, Austria was dominated by the House of Habsburg and House of Habsburg-Lorraine. In 1806, when Emperor Francis II of Austria dissolved the Holy Roman Empire, Austria became the Austrian Empire, and was also part of the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. In 1867, Austria formed a dual monarchy with Hungary: the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Following the end of World War I in 1918, Austria was reduced to its current frontiers, and adopted the name, the Republic of German-Austria. However, union with Germany and the chosen country name were forbidden by the Allies at the Treaty of Versailles. This led to the creation of the First Austrian Republic (1919–1933).

The Roman Empire

• Italy (including Rome itself)
• United Kingdom (Britannia)
• Portugal (Lusitania)
• Belgium and the Netherlands (Gallia Belgica)
• Switzerland (Helvetia)
• Austria (Noricum and Pannonia)
• Greece (Achaea and Macedonia)
• Turkey (Asia Minor, also known as Anatolia)
• Libya (Africa Province)
• Tunisia (Africa Province)
• Algeria (Africa Province)
• Morocco (Mauretania)
• Israel and Palestine (Judea and Roman Syria)
• Jordan (Arabia Petraea)
• Iran (Persia, briefly under Emperor Trajan)

The Duchy of Bavaria

In 976, the Ostmark was elevated to a duchy in its own right by Otto II. The Duchy of Bavaria was one of the extensive feudal possessions of the Babenberg family between 976 and 1246. The dynasty established their first residence in Pöchlarn before moving it to Melk in the scenic Wachau region. In the 12th century, Henry II moved his residence to Vienna which has remained the capital of the country ever since.

The Holy Roman Empire

The Empire was formed in 962 by Otto I, who was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor. The Empire was a continuation of the Frankish Empire and was considered by the Ottonians as a rebirth of the Western Roman Empire. The Empire reached its peak in the 12th and 13th centuries, with the reign of the Hohenstaufens. During this period, the Empire covered present-day Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and parts of modern-day northern Italy, eastern France and western Poland.

The Empire was weakened by the rise of independent states within its domain, such as Switzerland and the Netherlands. It was further weakened by the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), which devastated the Empire and reduced its population by 30%. The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 effectively ended the Empire's status as a great power. The Empire was formally dissolved in 1806 by Emperor Francis II, who instead proclaimed the Austrian Empire.

The Austrian Empire

In 1273, the Austrian Empire was dominated by the House of Habsburg and House of Habsburg-Lorraine until 1918. In 1806, Emperor Francis II of Austria dissolved the Holy Roman Empire, and Austria became the Austrian Empire. It was also part of the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. In 1867, Austria formed a dual monarchy with Hungary: the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire

The Austrian-Hungarian rule of this diverse empire included various groups, including Germans, Hungarians, Croats, Czechs, Poles, Rusyns, Serbs, Slovaks, Slovenes, and Ukrainians, as well as large Italian and Romanian communities. The government of Austria tried its best to be accommodating in some respects: for example, the Reichsgesetzblatt, publishing the laws and ordinances of Cisleithania, was issued in eight languages; and all national groups were entitled to schools in their own language and to the use of their mother tongue at state offices.

The end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire came with its defeat in World War I in 1918. 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.

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