Leslie Massey
The French and Austrian empires have a long history of conflict, with several wars between the two nations. The first French Revolutionary War (1792-1797) was the first attempt by the European monarchies to defeat the French First Republic. The French declared war on the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria in April 1792, with Prussia joining the Austrian side a few weeks later. This was followed by the War of the Second Coalition (1798-1802), the second war on revolutionary France by the European monarchies, led by Britain, Austria, and Russia. The Napoleonic Wars (1805-1814) were another series of conflicts between the two empires, with Napoleon leading the French army. The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) was caused by the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the Austrian crown, with British and Austrian troops fighting together.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1792-1802 |
| Reason | The French Revolution |
| First Move | France declared war on Austria |
| Outcome | France won all but the last of the five wars fought during this period |
| Other Participants | Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, the Dutch Republic, the Ottoman Empire, Naples, Russia, Germany, Serbia |
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What You'll Learn
The French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802)
The French Revolutionary Wars were the first attempt by the European monarchies to defeat the French First Republic. In April 1792, France declared war on the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria, with the Kingdom of Prussia joining the Austrian side a few weeks later. This was in response to the Declaration of Pillnitz issued by Leopold and King Frederick William II of Prussia in August 1791, which threatened consequences if anything happened to King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. The French government, now acting without the king, interpreted this as a threat to its sovereignty and responded with a declaration of war.
The War of the First Coalition saw France face a coalition of European powers, including Austria, Prussia, Spain, Portugal, and the Dutch Republic. France suffered several defeats, such as the Battle of Neerwinden in March 1793, and internal strife, such as the War in the Vendée. In response, France formed the Committee of Public Safety in April 1793 and drafted all potential soldiers aged 18 to 25 in August 1793. The French counterattacked, repelling the invaders and advancing beyond its borders. They established the Batavian Republic as a sister republic in May 1795 and gained control of the Left Bank of the Rhine by the first Peace of Basel.
The War of the Second Coalition (1798-1802) was the second war on revolutionary France by the European monarchies, led by Britain, Austria, and Russia, and including the Ottoman Empire, Portugal, and Naples. Their goal was to contain the spread of chaos from France. Napoleon Bonaparte played a major role in this conflict, returning from Egypt and using his popularity and army support to mount a coup that made him First Consul of France. He reorganised the French army and launched an assault against the Austrians in Italy during the spring of 1800. Napoleon won a series of battles, including the Battle of Marengo in June 1800, which forced the Austrians to withdraw from the peninsula. Another French victory at Hohenlinden in Bavaria led to the Treaty of Lunéville in 1801, with Austria and Russia withdrawing from the war.
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The Declaration of Pillnitz (1791)
The Declaration of Pillnitz was a statement issued on 27 August 1791 at Pillnitz Castle near Dresden, Saxony. It was signed by Frederick William II of Prussia and Habsburg Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor and the brother of Marie Antoinette. The declaration stated that the monarchs of Europe were concerned about the well-being of Louis XVI and his family and that they viewed the French Revolution as a "subject of common interest for all of Europe's sovereigns". It called on other European powers to intervene and restore the monarchy in France, threatening vague but severe consequences if anything should happen to the royal family. The declaration was intended to serve as a warning to the French revolutionaries and to appease the émigrés, but it was largely seen as a threat to the revolution and led to further radicalization.
The National Assembly of France interpreted the declaration as a threat to its sovereignty, and a series of provocations ensued. The National Assembly voted for the French annexation of the Comtat Venaissin, including Avignon, from the Papal States in September 1791. Austria and Prussia formed a defensive alliance in February 1792. On 20 April 1792, France declared war on Austria, launching the first of several French Revolutionary Wars. This led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, who became emperor of France in 1804.
The Declaration of Pillnitz was issued after the royal family's arrest at Varennes in June 1791. Louis XVI had been reduced to a constitutional monarch during the French Revolution and was unhappy with his loss of power. He attempted to flee Paris with his family, hoping to incite a counter-revolution, but they were apprehended and returned to Paris. This event, known as the Flight to Varennes, caused concern for the safety of the royal family among European leaders, especially Leopold II, who was related to the royal family.
The wording of the declaration was carefully chosen to avoid committing to war. Austria and Prussia vowed to commit troops only if all major European powers intervened, which was considered unlikely. Leopold II issued the declaration to satisfy the French émigrés who had taken refuge in his country and were calling for foreign interference in their homeland. However, it had the opposite effect in France, increasing tensions and radicalizing the revolutionaries.
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France declares war on Austria (1792)
The French Revolutionary Wars, which lasted from 1792 until 1802, were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution. The wars pitted France against Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and several other countries. The first period of the French Revolutionary Wars, the War of the First Coalition, lasted from 1792 to 1797.
In April 1792, France's Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria, despite fears that the Austrians might ally with the powerful Prussian military. This decision to instigate a revolutionary war would shape the course of the new society for years to come. The war was first announced in the National Assembly by then-King Louis XVI of France on April 20, 1792, when the kingdom still existed in name. The vote for war took place on the same day, with the Assembly voting for war after the presentation of a long list of grievances by the newly appointed foreign minister, Charles François Dumouriez.
In the lead-up to the war, Dumouriez prepared an invasion of the Austrian Netherlands, expecting the local population to rise against Austrian rule. However, the revolution had disorganized the French army, leaving it insufficiently prepared for the invasion. Following the declaration of war, French soldiers deserted en masse, and in one case, murdered their general, Théobald Dillon. The revolutionary government frantically raised fresh troops and reorganized its armies, but the condition of the French forces offered substantial hope of success to the allies.
In July 1792, the Duke of Brunswick, commanding a mostly Prussian army, crossed into French territory, easily taking the fortresses of Longwy and Verdun. These events caused panic in Paris, contributing to the journée of August 10 and the massacre of prisoners in early September. On September 20, a French force of over 30,000 men engaged the invaders at Valmy, resulting in a tactical draw that boosted French morale and forced the Prussians to retreat.
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Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia (1914)
On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the presumptive heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian-Serb and member of a Serbian-backed secret paramilitary organisation. This assassination followed several years of tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, which had been exacerbated by Austria's annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 and Serbian ambitions to unify southeast Europe's Slavic people. Serbia's emergence as a larger and more assertive presence in the region after the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 further strained relations.
In response to the assassination, Austria-Hungary, with German encouragement, communicated a list of demands to Serbia, including the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the allowance for Austria-Hungary to conduct its own investigation into the archduke's killing. Serbia, backed by Russia, agreed to comply wholly or in part with most of the demands but rejected the final demand, which would have resulted in a major infringement of its sovereignty. On 25 July 1914, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations with Serbia.
On 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, presenting the declaration of war as a response to Serbian ambitions in the Balkans and a potential military invasion of Serbia. This declaration of war was made with the unconditional support of its powerful ally, Germany, and marked the start of the First World War. The British Foreign Office lobbied for an international convention to moderate the conflict, but Germany advised Austria-Hungary to proceed with its plans.
The war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia quickly escalated, with Russia, Serbia's supporter, ordering mobilisation in the four military districts facing Galicia, the common front with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austrian artillery divisions initiated a bombardment of Belgrade across the Danube River. On 1 August, Germany declared war on Russia, and France, Russia's ally, ordered its own general mobilisation. On 3 August, France and Germany declared war on each other. Germany's planned invasion of neutral Belgium brought Britain and its empire into the war on 4 August. Thus, within a week of Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia, most European nations had entered the conflict, marking the start of the First World War.
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The Napoleonic Wars
In the lead-up to the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon Bonaparte had risen to power in France, establishing himself as First Consul and head of the French government in 1799. He reorganised the French army and launched assaults against Austria in Italy during the spring of 1800. Napoleon's forces won a series of battles, including at Marengo and Hohenlinden, forcing the Austrians to seek peace and leading to the Treaty of Lunéville in 1801.
Despite these victories, tensions remained high, and the Napoleonic Wars broke out in 1803 with the formation of the Third Coalition. Napoleon's major goal was to invade Great Britain, but he also sought to expand his influence in Central Europe and defeat the Austrian and Russian armies. In 1805, he marched his army into Germany, catching the Austrians off guard and leading to a series of victories for the French. Napoleon's forces occupied Vienna twice and, in 1810, he married Marie-Louise, the daughter of the Austrian Emperor Francis I.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Austria played a significant role, providing the largest number of troops to the allied forces. However, they were often inadequately equipped and poorly led. The Austrians sought peace with France in 1809, but the peace was short-lived, and in 1813, Austria formally declared war on France once again. This led to Napoleon's defeat and exile to the island of Elba in 1814. The Napoleonic Wars concluded with the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which established a new balance of power in Europe.
Overall, the Napoleonic Wars were a pivotal period in European history, marked by Napoleon's ambitious military campaigns and the struggle of European powers to contain his expansionist ambitions. The wars had a significant impact on the political and territorial landscape of Europe, leading to the rise and fall of empires and shaping the continent's future trajectory.
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Frequently asked questions
The French government interpreted the Declaration of Pillnitz, a joint statement by Austria and Prussia expressing concern about the French Revolution, as a threat to its sovereignty. This led to a series of provocations that resulted in France declaring war on Austria in April 1792.
The War of the First Coalition was the first attempt by the European monarchies to defeat the French First Republic. Austria ceded the Austrian Netherlands and Lombardy but acquired much of Venice.
The War of the Second Coalition was the second war on revolutionary France by the European monarchies, led by Britain, Austria, and Russia. Their goal was to contain the spread of chaos from France.
Metternich sought an agreement between Russia and Napoleonic France that would restore an independent Habsburg monarchy. However, Napoleon refused to agree to any concessions, leading to Austria declaring war on France in August 1813.
