Austria-Hungary & Russia in the 19th Century

Big Idea

1. Explain how nationalism influenced the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia.

Austria-Hungary: A Dual Monarchy Nationalism couldn’t take hold because of too

many ethnic minorities (unsuccessfully revolted against the Hapsburg rulers)

– powerful nobility resisted any changes – Prussian defeat of Austria in 1866 gave new life to the Hungarian independence movement– 1867 Compromise: Hungarians given a separate parliament & constitution

• Franz Josef =Emperor of Austria & King of Hungary• Austro-Hungarian Empire

Austria = industryHungary = agriculture

– Slavic minorities (Poles, Ruthenians, Romanians, Serbo-Croatians, etc.) unhappy because had no voice in government

• serious threat to the unity of the Empire Balkans

– at its peak (1500s) the Ottoman Empire controlled most of N. Africa, Arabia, & the Balkans

• surge of nationalism throughout the Balkans led to loss of Serbia, Greece, Moldavia, & Walachia• Turkey characterized by financial mismanagement, administrative incompetence, & lack of reform = “sick man of Europe”

• European powers took advantage of this:– Austria wanted to expand into the area– France wanted to protect Catholics there– Great Britain gained Egypt & wanted to protect its Mediterranean trade routes– all wanted to prevent Russian expansion

– Powder Keg in the Balkans• some states under Ottoman rule, others practically independent, & others part of Austria-Hungary• instability in the region inevitably led to future problems for Europe

Russia: The Persistence of Conservatism Efforts by Peter the Great (late 1600s) & Catherine the Great (late 1700s) to

Westernize Russia fell short 19th C Tsars vacillated between liberal reform & conservatism

– Alexander I (the Pseudo-Liberal): • at first, he relaxed censorship, promoted education, tolerated

religious differences, & abolished serfdom in Baltic states• the Napoleonic Wars woke him up to the dangers of liberalism

-Nicholas I (Autocrat) Army officers backed Constantine, Alex I’s brother, for

Tsar (open to Liberalism) Nicholas took the throne, though, & ruthlessly suppressed these officers

(Decembrist Revolt) most extreme reactionary autocrat in Europe

lower classes kept out of universities primary schools focused on ideals of Russian nationalism, orthodoxy, &

autocracy willing to send troops to suppress liberal & nationalistic movements anywhere repressed Polish, Jewish, & Moslem minorities, forcing Jewish children to be

baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church secret police had unlimited authority

Crimean War (1854-1856) Russia invaded Danubian provinces of the

Ottoman Empire (because Turkey = weak)

Crimean War (1854-1856) England & France came to aid the Ottomans to

protect their interests in the region Results:

Russia embarrassed by defeatproved that Metternich’s Concert of Europe

couldn’t deal with national boundary issues (new era of instability ushered in)

-Alexander II (Moderate Liberal) Reign began with the defeat in the Crimea made a few concessions to liberals:

eased censorship fully freed the serfs in 1861, after long process of compensating

masters & making it possible for peasants to purchase landrequired some reforms in local government & in the judicial

system1st time Western judicial ideas (ex. Trial by jury) instituted

reforms did NOT satisfy many liberals, especially students 1870s: violence & terrorism broke out assassinated Alex II on March 1, 1881 with a “carriage bomb”

-Alexander III (Reactionary) Strengthened the central bureaucracy gave more power to the secret police increased censorship policy of “russification” to unite the

provinces: persecuted non-Russians Jews forced to live in the Pale (eastern Poland/southwest

Russia)--blamed for Alex II’s assassination pogroms were prevalent in the Pale

liberal reformers stewed over his policies

-Nicholas II (His “Father’s Son”) Continued his father’s policies of protecting the autocracy

not as strong as his father (pushed around by his wife Alexandra, who was influenced by mystic healer named Rasputin)

Outlawed the Russian Social Democratic Party (Marxists), so it operated underground or in exile Vladimir Lenin exiled to Siberia & then went to Switzerland where he

conducted revolutionary activities until 1917 believed capitalism had to be overthrown with violent revolution by

highly organized workers, led by an elite group of intellectuals & full-time revolutionaries

1903: Lenin’s won a slim majority in the party and formed the “Bolshevik” party (meaning majority)

1905: Russian loss in the Russo-Japanese War increased criticism of the Tsar, raised food prices, & saw many strikes by angry workers

Revolution of 1905: Lenin indirectly involvedlarge, peaceful demonstration of workers marching toward the Winter

Palace in St. Petersburg to present a petition for better working conditions

Tsar’s troops fired on them, killing 100 or so (“Bloody Sunday”) news of massacre spread through Russia, & workers struck,

mutinied, & engaged in violence for the next 10 monthsOctober Manifesto (constitution): promised full civil rights to the people,

establishment of Duma (Parliament) = constitutional monarchy with an uncooperative despot