Austrian Habsburgs And Rise of Prussia

1. Austrian Habsburgs And Rise of Prussia Hallie Odom Morgan Jackson Micah Matthews

2. The Austrian Habsburgs 1648-1740 • Habsburg Emperor: Leopold • His reign was marked by warfare • Positioned between France and Ottoman Turks, often had to fight both at same time • Leopold was a life long rival of Louis XIV and France, but managed to keep balance of power in Europe • Unlike Louis XIV, Leopold did not have a goal of absolutism (empire too large and population too diverse)

3. Leopold I • 1657 Unexpectedly became H.R.E. and head of Austrian Habsburgs (elder brother had died from smallpox) • Destined for career in Church, not very good monarch in beginning, religious throughout life • Married 3 times, 16 sons and daughters • 5 of whom outlived him • Musician, Bookworm, Reserved • Schönbrunnto rival Versailles

4. Turkish Siege of Vienna • 1683 Turkish army, led by Ottoman chief minister Kara Mustafa, besieged Vienna • Leopold fled and then rallied for support of princes • Untied force defeated Mustafa in 2 months • Mustafa was beheaded Christmas Day because of displeasing the sultan • After Turks were defeated Habsburgs could reconquer Hungary

5. Reconquest of Hungary • Hungarian Diet- Leopold convinced deputies crown should be hereditary not elected and Hungarians denounced right to rebel against rulers who did not follow kingdom laws • Leopold still did not trust Hungarians • Had rebelled against him in past • Dressed distinctly, spoke own language-Magyar • Turkish occupation had devastated Hungarian countryside and agriculture, left unoccupied farmland • Leopold encouraged resettlement in Hungary (promised limited freedom from royal taxes and serfdom) • Bohemian, Serbs, and Germans resettled in Hungary- many religions • In 1526 the Hungarians made up 85% of population, in 1700 made up 40%

6. Treaty of Carlowitz • 1690 Turks tried to retake Hungary but defeated • 1697 Turks defeated again at Zenta • 1699 Treaty of Carlowitz • Treaty between Austrian Habsburgs and Ottoman Turks confirming Habsburgs conquest of Hungary • Ottomans lost Hungary, but remained in Balkans and challenged Russia from northern Black Sea

7. Rebellion in Hungary • During war of Spanish Succession Francis II Rákóczi, a Transylvanian prince, led a rebellion against the Habsburgs, determined for Hungary’s traditional rights • War, plague devastated kingdom during rebellion (almost 500,oo died) • Rákóczisaught protection from sultan, died in exile • Peace of Szatmár- Treaty in 1711, united Hungary to Habsburg lands through a common ruler

8. The Habsburg Monarchy • Land socially polarized • Top=magnates • Powerful nobles in Habsburg lands who owned huge agricultural estates run by serfs • Entire towns under one families exclusive control • Serfdom expanded in 16th and 17th century-need for laborers for grain and timber • Bound to soil to prevent them from moving to more peaceful areas • Worked estates without compensation • Leopold tried to reduce the days of work without compensation 3 days, but didn’t work because landlords had direct control of serfs, not Habsburgs

9. Habsburgs Cont. • Leopold never had direct control over subjects • Habsburg state characterized by religious and ethnic diversity • Leopold died in 1705. 2 sons Joseph I (r. 1705-1711) and Charles VI (r. 1711-1740) • Joseph died during war of Spanish Succession • Europe feared balance would be thrown off because Austrian Habsburg succession in Spain • Treaty of Utrecht ended war of Spanish Succession

10. Weakening of Habsburgs • Charles VI did not reform Habsburg state devoted to: 1. making sure his brother’s daughter didn’t succeed him 2. making sure his daughter Maria Theresa did • Charles VI coaxed magnates into recognizing her succession • 1740 Charles VI died • War of the Austrian Succession • Frederick II of Prussia attacked Maria Theresa during war • New war showed Habsburg weakness

11. Rise of Prussia 1640-1740 Background • North of Habsburg land • Arose from Thirty Years’ War • Poor and lacked resources France and Habsburgs had • Strong ruler • Consolidated territories, strengthened the state administration, raised revenue, and enlarged the army

12. Territorial Consolidation • Frederick William von Hohenzolleron • Great Elector, ruled Brandenburg and territories form Rhineland to Polish border: Cleves, Mark, Brandenburg, Berlin, and duchy of Prussia • Were all weak lands • Devastation from Thirty Year’s War and some under foreign occupation • Population of land had fallen by 50% since 1618 • 1660 F.W.H. master of independent Prussia

13. Taxes to Support Army • To build up army needed more taxes • Diet of Brandenburg: F.W.H. obtained 6 year grant from local political assemblies to tax • Wanted excise tax (on sale items), but vetoed • Country paid land tax • Town excise tax • Prussia didn’t like idea of taxes • Frederick William introduced two tiered system with same result • Political power more consolidated under Frederick William. • Outside source of revenue- Hohenzollerns had large family landholdings- administrated by Dodo zuKnyphausen • Frederick William encouraged economic growth along mercantilist lines

14. King Frederick William I • In 1713 succeeded King Frederick • Violent and crude, but successful ruler • Strict Calvinist (Prussia Lutheran) • Believed in absolutist principle subject to God alone- subjects obey him without question • Spent time with military men smoking and getting drunk- would set people on fire for amusement • Stalked streets of Berlin beat people with cane • Pursued policies of strengthening royal administration and enlarging army

15. King Frederick I Cont. • Expanded excise tax to new commodities, directly taxed nobility of East Prussia • Abolished town councils • General Directory- 1723 created Prussian central administrative agency • Personal absolutist • Government produced a large army- at his death (1740) fourth largest in Europe

16. Frederick II • Succeeded his father in 1740 • Refined, accomplished flute player and composer, lover of philosophical discussion • Treated violently by his father (beaten, solitary confinement, made to witness his friend’s beheading) • Attacked Charles VI’s successor Marie Theresa- starting War of the Austrian Succession