Austria-Hungary facts for kids

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Austro-Hungarian Monarchy

Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie (German)
Osztrák-Magyar Monarchia (Hungarian)

1867–1918

National flags
Top: Flag of Imperial Austria
Bottom: Flag of the Kingdom of 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

Capital

Vienna (Cisleithania)
Budapest (Transleithania)

Official languages

German
Hungarian
Croatian (Croatia-Slavonia)

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

• 1867 Compromise

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

• Treaty of Saint-Germain

10 September 1919

• Treaty of Trianon

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 was a large country in Central Europe that existed from 1867 to 1918. It was a special kind of monarchy called a "dual monarchy." This meant that Austria and Hungary were united under one ruler, the Emperor-King.

This empire replaced the earlier Austrian Empire. It began with a big agreement in 1867 between the powerful Habsburg family, who were the rulers, and the people of Hungary. Austria-Hungary was a "great power" in Europe. It was made up of many different groups of people. Even with some disagreements between these groups, the empire saw a lot of economic growth. New factories and industries grew, and there were many social changes.

The Habsburg family ruled as emperors over the western part of the country (Austria). They also ruled as kings over the Kingdom of Hungary. Hungary had its own government for many things. But it worked with Austria on important issues like foreign policy and military matters.

The main capital city of the empire was Vienna. Austria-Hungary was the second largest country in Europe by land area. Only the Russian Empire was bigger. It also had the third largest population, after Russia and the German Empire.

How Austria-Hungary Was Formed
How the Government Worked
Austria-Hungary and World War I
The End of the Empire
Images for kids
See also

How Austria-Hungary Was Formed

The country of Austria-Hungary was created by an agreement in February 1867. This agreement is known as the Ausgleich. Before this, the Austrian Empire had become weaker. It had lost wars in 1859 and 1866.

Also, the Hungarian people had been unhappy with Austrian rule for a long time. They had even tried to gain independence in 1848–49.

Emperor Franz Joseph wanted to keep the empire together. He needed the support of the Hungarian nobles. The Hungarians wanted to be seen as equals to the Austrian leaders. So, they reached a compromise.

How the Government Worked

Austria and Hungary each had their own parliament and their own prime minister. The monarch (the Emperor-King) helped keep the two parts working together. In theory, the monarch had a lot of power. But in reality, their power was limited.

The central government, led by the monarch, was in charge of a few key things for the whole empire. These included the army, the navy, foreign policy, and a shared customs union (rules for trade).

Austria-Hungary and World War I

The next in line to the throne was Franz Ferdinand. He was the nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph. On June 28, 1914, Franz Ferdinand visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, he was attacked and killed.

Some leaders in Austria-Hungary had wanted to take action against Serbia for a long time. They used this event as a reason to act. They decided to attack Serbia. They gave Serbia a list of ten demands. This was called the July Ultimatum. They expected Serbia to refuse.

Serbia accepted most of the demands, but not all of them. Because of this, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

These events quickly led to a larger conflict. Russia began to move its army to help Serbia. This started a chain reaction of armies moving across Europe. It was the beginning of World War I.

The End of the Empire

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

As World War I was ending, it became clear that the Allied powers would win. Different parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire began to declare their independence. They formed their own new countries.

The following new countries were created from the lands that used to be part of Austria-Hungary:

Some lands that belonged to Austria-Hungary were also given to Romania and Italy.

Images for kids

Silver coin: 5 corona, 1908, showing Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Traditional clothing in Hungary, late 19th century.
Traditional costumes of Tyrol.
FRIEDBERG Salomon Emanuel – vojenská paráda v Praze (1900).jpg

Military parade in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, 1900.
The Great Synagogue in Pécs, Hungary, built in 1869.
Map showing religions in Austria–Hungary, 1881.
Funeral in Galicia by Teodor Axentowicz, 1882.
Ethnographic map of Austria–Hungary, 1885.
Map showing literacy rates in Austria–Hungary in 1880.
Map showing literacy rates in Hungary by counties in 1910.
Physical map of Austria–Hungary in 1914.
Orthodox Jews from Galicia in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, 1915.
A 20-crown banknote with text in many languages.
Black Friday, 9 May 1873, at the Vienna Stock Exchange.
A person reading the news aloud in Budapest's Telefonhírmondó.
Detailed railway map of Austrian and Hungarian railways from 1911.
Construction of the underground railway in Budapest (1894–1896).
The SS Kaiser Franz Joseph I, a large passenger ship built in Austria.
Dubrovnik, Kingdom of Dalmatia.
A picture often linked to the capture of Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, 1914.
Crowds on the streets after anti-Serb events in Sarajevo, 29 June 1914.
A MÁVAG armoured train in 1914.
Franz Josef I and Wilhelm II with military commanders during World War I.
The Siege of Przemyśl in 1915.
Italian troops in Trento on 3 November 1918, after the Battle of Vittorio Veneto.
War memorial in Păuleni-Ciuc, Romania.
Map showing how the Treaty of Trianon changed Hungary's borders.
Czechoslovak declaration of independence rally in Prague, 28 October 1918.
New borders of Austria–Hungary after the Treaty of Trianon and Saint Germain (1919–1920).
Post-World War I borders on an ethnic map.