The Habsburg dynasty has been known since the 13th century, when its representatives owned Austria. And from the middle of the 15th century until the beginning of the 19th century, they completely retained the title of emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, being the most powerful monarchs of the continent.
History of the Habsburgs
The founder of the family lived in the X century. There is almost no information about him today. It is known that his descendant, Count Rudolph, acquired land in Austria already in the middle of the 13th century. Actually, southern Swabia became their cradle, where the early representatives of the dynasty had a family castle. The name of the castle - Habischtsburg (from German - "hawk castle") and gave the name of the dynasty. In 1273 Rudolph was elected King of the Germans and Holy Roman Emperor. He conquered Austria and Styria from King Premysl Otakar of the Czech Republic, and his sons Rudolf and Albrecht became the first Habsburgs to rule in Austria. In 1298, Albrecht inherits from his father the title of emperor and German king. And later his son was elected to this throne. However, throughoutIn the 14th century, the title of Holy Roman Emperor and King of the Germans was still elective among the German princes, and it did not always go to the representatives of the dynasty. Only in 1438, when Albrecht II becomes emperor, did the Habsburgs finally appropriate this title for themselves. Subsequently, there was only one exception, when the elector of Bavaria achieved the kingship by force in the middle of the 18th century.
Rise of a dynasty
From this period, the Habsburg dynasty is gaining more and more power, reaching brilliant heights. Their successes were laid down by the successful policy of Emperor Maximilian I, who ruled at the end of the 15th - beginning of the 16th century. Actually, his main successes were successful marriages: his own, which brought him the Netherlands, and his son Philip, as a result of which the Habsburg dynasty took possession of Spain. It was said about Maximilian's grandson, Charles V, that the Sun never sets over his possessions - his power was so widespread. He owned Germany, the Netherlands, parts of Spain and Italy, as well as some possessions in the New World. The Habsburg dynasty was at the height of its power.
However, even during the life of this monarch, the gigantic state was divided into parts. And after his death, it completely disintegrated, after which the representatives of the dynasty divided their possessions among themselves. Ferdinand I got Austria and Germany, Philip II - Spain and Italy. In the future, the Habsburgs, whose dynasty was divided into two branches, were no longer a single entity. In some periods, relatives even openlyopposed each other. As it was, for example, during the Thirty Years' War in
Europe. The victory of the reformers in it hit hard on the power of both branches. Thus, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire never again had its former influence, which was associated with the formation of secular states in Europe. And the Spanish Habsburgs completely lost their throne, losing it to the Bourbons.
In the middle of the 18th century, the Austrian rulers Joseph II and Leopold II for some time managed to once again raise the prestige and power of the dynasty. This second heyday, when the Habsburgs again became influential in Europe, lasted for about a century. However, after the revolution of 1848, the dynasty loses its monopoly of power even in its own empire. Austria becomes a dual monarchy - Austria-Hungary. Further - already irreversible - the process of disintegration was delayed only thanks to the charisma and wisdom of the reign of Franz Joseph, who became the last real ruler of the state. The Habsburg dynasty (photo of Franz Joseph on the right) after the defeat in the First World War was completely expelled from the country, and a number of national independent states arose on the ruins of the empire in 1919.
