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Kingdom of Austria

Austrian Empire
Kaisertum Österreich  (German)
State1 of the Holy Roman Empire
(1804–1806)
State1 of the German Confederation
(1815–1866)
1804–1867
Flag Imperial Coat of arms
Anthem
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser
"God Save Emperor Francis"
The Austrian Empire in 1815.
Capital Vienna
Languages German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Ruthenian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Romanian, Italian, Ukrainian
Religion Roman Catholic
Government Absolute monarchy
Emperor
 •  1804–1835 Francis I
 •  1835–1848 Ferdinand I
 •  1848–1867 Franz Joseph I
Minister-President
 •  1821–1848 Metternich (first)
 •  1867 Beust (last)
Legislature Imperial Council
 •  Upper house Herrenhaus
 •  Lower house Abgeordnetenhaus
Historical era Modern era
 •  Proclamation 11 August 1804
 •  Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire 6 August 1806
 •  Congress of Vienna 8 June 1815
 •  Constitution adopted 20 October 1860
 •  Austro-Prussian War 14 June 1866
 •  Peace of Prague 23 August 1866
 •  Compromise of 1867 30 March 1867
Area
 •  1804 698,700 km² (269,770 sq mi)
 •  1918 681,727 km² (263,216 sq mi)
Population
 •  1804 est. 21,200,000 
     Density 30.3 /km²  (78.6 /sq mi)
 •  1918 est. 52,000,000 
     Density 76.3 /km²  (197.6 /sq mi)
Currency Thaler,
(1804–1857)
Vereinsthaler
(1857–1867)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Holy Roman Empire
Habsburg Monarchy
Austria-Hungary
Today part of
1Territories of Austria and Bohemia only.

The Austrian Empire (Austrian German: Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling Kaisertum Österreich) was an empire in Central Europe created out of the realms of the Habsburgs by proclamation in 1804. It was a multinational empire and one of Europe's great powers. Geographically it was the second largest country in Europe after the Russian Empire (621,538 square kilometres [239,977 sq mi]). It was also the third most populous after Russia and France, as well as the largest and strongest country in the German Confederation. Proclaimed in response to the First French Empire, it overlapped with the Holy Roman Empire until the latter's dissolution in 1806. The Ausgleich of 1867 elevated Hungary's status. It became a separate entity from the Empire entirely, joining with it in the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary.

Changes shaping the nature of the Holy Roman Empire took place during conferences in Rastatt (1797–1799) and Regensburg (1801–1803). On 24 March 1803, the Imperial Recess (German: Reichsdeputationshauptschluss) was declared, which reduced the number of ecclesiastical states from 81 to only 3 and the free imperial cities from 51 to 6. This measure was aimed at replacing the old constitution of the Holy Roman Empire, but the actual consequence of the Imperial Recess was the end of the empire. Taking this significant change into consideration, the German Emperor Francis II created the title Emperor of Austria, for himself and his successors.


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