kids encyclopedia robot

Austria-Hungary facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy

Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie  (German)
Osztrák-Magyar Monarchia  (Hungarian)
1867–1918
Flag of Austria–Hungary
Flag of Hungary (1896-1915; angels; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg
National flags
Top: Flag of Imperial Austria
Bottom: Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary
Medium coat of arms(1867–1915) of Austria–Hungary
Medium coat of arms
(1867–1915)
Motto: Indivisibiliter ac inseparabiliter
("Indivisibly and inseparably")
Anthem: Gott erhalte, Gott beschütze
("God [shall] save, God [shall] protect")
Austria-Hungary on the eve of World War I
Austria-Hungary on the eve of World War I
Capital Vienna (Cisleithania)
Budapest (Transleithania)
Official languages

Other spoken languages:
Bosnian, Czech, Romani (Carpathian), Italian, Istro-Romanian, Romanian, Rusyn, Ruthenian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovene, Yiddish
Religion
76.6% Catholic (incl. 64–66% Latin & 10–12% Eastern)
8.9% Protestant (Lutheran, Reformed, Unitarian)
8.7% Orthodox
4.4% Jewish
1.3% Muslim
(1910 census)
Demonym(s) Austro-Hungarian
Government Constitutional dual monarchy
Emperor-King  
• 1867–1916
Franz Joseph I
• 1916–1918
Karl I & IV
Minister-President of Austria  
• 1867 (first)
F. F. von Beust
• 1918 (last)
Heinrich Lammasch
Prime Minister of Hungary  
• 1867–1871 (first)
Gyula Andrássy
• 1918 (last)
János Hadik
Legislature 2 national legislatures
• Imperial Council
Herrenhaus
Abgeordnetenhaus
• Diet of Hungary
House of Magnates
House of Representatives
Historical era New Imperialism • World War I
30 March 1867
• Dual Alliance
7 October 1879
• Bosnian Crisis
6 October 1908
• July Crisis
28 June 1914
• Invasion of Serbia
28 July 1914
• Empire dissolved
31 October 1918
• Austrian Republic
12 November 1918
• Hungarian Republic
16 November 1918
10 September 1919
4 June 1920
Area
1905 621,537.58 km2 (239,977.00 sq mi)
Population
• 1914
52,800,000
Currency
  • Gulden
    (1867–1892)
  • Krone
    (1892–1918)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Austrian Empire
Kingdom of Hungary
Republic of German-Austria
First Hungarian Republic
First Czechoslovak Republic
West Ukrainian People's Republic
Second Polish Republic
Kingdom of Romania
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
Kingdom of Italy
Italian Regency of Carnaro

Austria-Hungary or the Austro-Hungarian Empire was a state in Central Europe from 1867 to 1918. It was the countries of Austria and Hungary ruled by a single monarch. The full name of the empire was "The Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen".

The dual monarchy replaced the Austrian Empire (1804–1867). It started with the compromise between the ruling Habsburg dynasty and the Hungarians. It was an empire made up of many different peoples and great power. It found its political life full of arguments between the eleven main national groups. It had great economic growth through the age of industrialization. It also saw social changes with many liberal and democratic reforms.

The Habsburg dynasty ruled as emperors of Austria over the western and northern half of the country and as kings of Hungary over the Kingdom of Hungary. The Kingdom of Hungary had some ability to govern itself. It also had a say in things that affected both it and the rest of the empire. This was mainly foreign relations and defense.

The empire's capital was Vienna. Austria-Hungary was the second largest country in Europe (after the Russian Empire). It had the third most people (after Russia and the German Empire).

Creation of Austria–Hungary

The Ausgleich or compromise of February 1867 created the Empire's dualist structure. The Austrian Empire (1804–67) had lessened in strength and in power. This was because of the Austro–Sardinian War of 1859 and the Austro–Prussian War of 1866. Also, the Hungarian people were not happy with how Vienna treated them. This had been going on for many years and it led to Hungarian separation. This included the Hungarian liberal revolution of 1848–49.

Emperor Franz Joseph tried to reach an agreement with the Hungarian nobility. He needed their support to keep the empire together. The Hungarian nobility would not accept anything less than equality between themselves and the Austrian elites.

Governmental structure

Hungary and Austria had different parliaments. Each had its own prime minister. The monarch kept the two working together. He had absolute power in theory but very little in reality. The monarch’s central government had charge of the army, navy, foreign policy, and the customs union.

World War I

The deaths of Franz Joseph's brother, Maximilian I of Mexico (1867), and his only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, made the Emperor's nephew, Franz Ferdinand, next in line to the crown. On 28 June, 1914, the heir visited the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo. Bosnian Serb militants of the group Mlada Bosna attacked Franz Ferdinand's motorcade and assassinated him.

Some members of the government, such as Conrad von Hötzendorf had wanted to fight the Serbian nation for many years. The leaders of Austria-Hungary decided to attack Serbia before it could start a revolt. They used the assassination as an excuse. They gave Serbia a list of ten demands called the July Ultimatum. They expected Serbia would not accept. Serbia accepted nine of the ten demands but only partially accepted the other one. Austria-Hungary declared war.

These events brought the Empire into conflict with Serbia. Russia moved its army to help Serbia. This set off troop movements on both sides and started World War I.

End of the Empire

Austria obituary
A humorous "obituary" of the Austrian Empire, published in Kraków in late 1918. Click on the image for a translation.

Near the end of the war, it was understood that the allied powers would win. Part of the empire started declaring independence from the monarch. They formed their own countries.

The following countries were formed from the former Habsburg lands:

Some Austro-Hungarian lands were also given to Romania and Italy.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Imperio austrohúngaro para niños

kids search engine
Austria-Hungary Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.