Lyla Lindsey
In 1859, the Austrian Empire was a multinational European great power, created in 1804 by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. It was the third most populous monarchy in Europe after the Russian Empire and the United Kingdom, and the third-largest empire in Europe after the Russian Empire and the First French Empire. In 1859, Austria was at war with Sardinia, which was aided by France, and this resulted in the loss of Lombardy for Austria.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1859 |
| Political Status | Austrian Empire |
| Monarch | Francis II/Emperor Francis II of Austria |
| Government | Conservative regime |
| Military | At war with Sardinia and France |
| Territory | Included Lombardy–Venetia, Kingdom of Hungary, Croatia, Slavonia, Transylvania, and more |
| Diplomacy | Hostile neutrality towards Russia; supported Anglo-French coalition during Crimean War |
| Economy | N/A |
| Social | Revolution and counterrevolution, emancipation of peasantry |
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What You'll Learn
Austria's role in the Crimean War
In 1859, Austria was a multinational European great power and part of the German Confederation. It had been a powerful empire since 1804, when it was created by Francis II in response to Napoleon's establishment of the First French Empire.
During the Crimean War, Austria maintained a policy of hostile neutrality towards Russia. While it did not go to war, it was supportive of the Anglo-French coalition. This decision to abandon its alliance with Russia left Austria diplomatically isolated following the war. This isolation contributed to Russia's non-intervention in the 1859 Franco-Austrian War, which ended Austrian influence in Italy.
The Crimean War took place from October 1853 to February 1856. It was fought mostly on the Crimean Peninsula and involved Russia against an alliance of Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire, Sardinia, and the Austrian Empire. The war began as Russia pursued an expansionist policy, taking advantage of the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Russia and the Ottoman Empire disputed the rights of the Empire's Orthodox Christian minority in the Holy Land, as negotiated in the Peace Treaty of Kϋϛϋk Kaynarca that ended the Russian-Turkish war of 1768. According to the treaty, Russia was given responsibility for guarding the interests of the Orthodox Christian minority in the Ottoman Empire. However, France, a Roman Catholic country, claimed that responsibility and sovereign authority over the entire Christian population.
In March 1854, Britain and France declared war on Russia. The target for the allies was to destroy the Russian naval base of Sevastopol, Russia's stronghold in the Black Sea. The three major encounters in the Crimean War were the Battle of Balaklava, the Battle of Inkerman, and the Battle of Malakhov. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on March 30, 1856, which allowed for temporary peace in Europe. One of the most difficult terms of the agreement was the proclamation of the neutralization of the Black Sea. Russia and Turkey were not allowed military fleets, forts, or arsenals on the coast of the Black Sea, and the Black Sea straits were closed to military vessels of all nations.
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The Austrian Empire's expansion
The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a multinational European great power from 1804 to 1867. It was created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs, unifying all Habsburg possessions under one central government. During its existence, it was the third most populous monarchy in Europe after the Russian Empire and the United Kingdom. Geographically, it was the third-largest empire in Europe, after the Russian Empire and the First French Empire.
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. The Austrian Empire continued fighting against Napoleon throughout the Napoleonic Wars, except for a period between 1809 and 1813, when Austria was first allied with Napoleon during the invasion of Russia and later neutral during the first few weeks of the Sixth Coalition War.
The expansion of the Austrian Empire can be traced back to the 7th century when the Carantanians migrated westward along the Drava into the Eastern Alps. They established the realm of Carantania (later Carinthia), which covered much of eastern and central Austrian territory and was the first independent Slavic state in Europe. In the following centuries, the Germanic tribe of the Bavarii and the Alemans settled in what is now Bavaria and Vorarlberg, respectively. The Austrian territories were ruled by various dynasties, including the Babenbergs and the Habsburgs, who expanded their possessions through dynastic alliances.
In the 19th century, the Austrian Empire experienced significant growth and prosperity, with the population of Austria rising to 37.5 million by 1843 and the population of Vienna reaching 400,000. During this time, the empire was threatened by revolutionary movements, mainly of a nationalist character, but it maintained its longstanding conservatism. After the fall of Napoleon in 1814-15, Austria once again became the leader of the German states. However, the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 resulted in the expulsion of Austria from the German Confederation and marked the end of Austrian influence in Italy.
In 1867, the Austrian Empire formed a dual monarchy with Hungary, known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire or Austria-Hungary. This compromise between the emperor and Hungary gave the kingdom of Hungary full internal autonomy and its own institutions, while the empire remained a single great state for purposes of war and foreign affairs. The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed after World War I in 1918, and Austria was reduced to its current frontiers, mostly German-speaking areas of the former empire.
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Austria's loss of Lombardy
In 1859, the Austrian Empire was a multinational European great power, the third most populous monarchy in Europe, and the third-largest empire in Europe geographically. It had been created in 1804 by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs and unified all Habsburg possessions under one central government.
The Austrian invasion of Sardinia was stopped by the arrival of French troops in Piedmont, and the Austrians were defeated at the Battle of Magenta on 4 June. They were pushed back to Lombardy, where they were defeated again at the Battle of Solferino on 24 June, resulting in the end of the war and the signing of the Armistice of Villafranca on 12 July.
Following these defeats, Austria was forced to cede Lombardy up to the Mincio River, with the exception of the fortresses of Mantua and Peschiera, to the French Emperor Napoleon III, per the Treaty of Zurich. Napoleon III immediately passed Lombardy to the Kingdom of Sardinia and the embryonic Italian state. This marked the end of Austrian influence in Italy and was a significant loss for Austria, as Lombardy had been a constituent land (crown land) of the Austrian Empire since 1815. The loss of Lombardy was a result of the combined forces of Sardinia and France, as well as the popular revolution in Milan and Venice against Austrian rule.
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Austria's war with Sardinia
In 1859, Austria was at war with the Kingdom of Sardinia, also known as the Second Italian War of Independence or the Austro-Sardinian War. This conflict was part of Sardinia's campaign for Italian unification, which aimed to expel Austria from Italy.
The war began when Austria issued an ultimatum to Sardinia on April 23, 1859, demanding the demobilization of its army. When Sardinia refused, Austria invaded on April 26, starting the war. The Kingdom of Sardinia was supported by France, which sent troops to Piedmont as early as April 25 and officially declared war on Austria on May 3. The French-Sardinian alliance was solidified by a secret treaty signed between Napoleon III and Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, on January 28, 1859. France agreed to support Sardinia's efforts to expel Austria from Italy in exchange for territorial compensation, including the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice.
The Austrian army, led by Field Marshal Ferenc Graf Gyulay, fielded 220,000 soldiers, 824 guns, and 22,000 horsemen. In contrast, the Sardinian Army had approximately 70,000 soldiers, 4,000 horsemen, and 90 guns, led by Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Sardinians were able to hold their ground, thanks in part to the arrival of French troops in Piedmont, who played a crucial role in stopping the Austrian invasion.
The first major clash of the war was the Battle of Montebello on May 20, 1859, between the Austrian IX Corps, led by Karl von Urban, and Forey's division of the French I Corps. The Austrians retreated after nine hours of combat when the Sardinian Cavalry under De Sonnaz arrived, reinforcing the French position. Napoleon III then crossed the Ticino River and entered Lombardy, advancing with part of his force while sending other troops north to flank the Austrians. Despite their superior numbers, the Austrians were defeated at the Battle of Magenta on June 5, forcing Gyulai to retreat east of the River Mincio to the quadrilateral fortresses.
The war concluded with a French-Sardinian victory at the Battle of Solferino on June 24, 1859, resulting in the signing of the Armistice of Villafranca on July 12. Austria ceded Lombardy to France, which then gave it to Sardinia, marking a significant loss for the Austrian Empire and a crucial step towards Italian unification.
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Austria-Hungary
In 1859, the Austrian Empire was a multinational European great power, having been created out of the realms of the Habsburgs by proclamation in 1804. It was the third most populous monarchy in Europe after the Russian Empire and the United Kingdom, and the third-largest empire in Europe after the Russian Empire and the First French Empire.
In the same year, Austria was at war with Sardinia-Piedmont, which was seeking to expel Austria from Italy as part of its unification efforts. Austria was defeated by Sardinia, aided by France, which revealed the weakness of the Austrian government. This defeat resulted in the loss of Lombardy and the resignation of the Bach government.
Following the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, the Austrian Empire adopted the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, joining the Kingdom of Hungary and the Empire of Austria to form Austria-Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy, or the Habsburg Monarchy. This union constituted the last phase in the constitutional evolution of the Habsburg monarchy.
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia was a third component of the union, an autonomous region under the Hungarian crown that negotiated the Croatian-Hungarian Settlement in 1868. While Croatia was granted a large measure of autonomy in 1868, it was still economically and administratively tied to Hungary, which was a source of resentment for the Croatians.
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Frequently asked questions
In 1859, Austria was a multinational European great power. It was officially known as the Empire of Austria and was the third most populous monarchy in Europe.
In 1859, Austria was experiencing a period of revolution and counterrevolution. There were efforts to fully emancipate the peasantry and establish a popularly elected lower house of deputies.
In 1859, Austria was diplomatically isolated following its policy of hostile neutrality towards Russia during the Crimean War. It was also facing opposition from Italian nationalists seeking unification of the Italian Peninsula.
Yes, Austria went to war with Sardinia in 1859, with France supporting Sardinia. Austria was defeated and lost Lombardy as a result.
The defeat in the 1859 war revealed the weakness of the Austrian government and led to the loss of influence in Italy. It also contributed to the end of Austrian rule in Lombardy-Venetia and the eventual formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867.
