The end of the Habsburgs : the decline and fall of the Austrian monarchy

In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist when Francis II became Emperor of Austria. 112 years later, the Habsburg empire collapsed after the First World War after surviving many tribulations. During the year of revolutions in 1848 the much-loved but incompetent Emperor Ferdinand had abdicated in favour of his young nephew Francis Joseph. His long reign was marked by defeat in several wars, family tragedies and scandals including the execution of his brother Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, the suicide of his son Crown Prince Rudolf, and the assassinations of his wife Empress Elizabeth, and nephew Francis Ferdinand. He was succeeded in 1916 by the succession of his great-nephew Charles, who abdicated in 1918 and died after two unsuccessful attempts to regain the throne of Hungary, but his eldest son Otto remained head of the family and Member of the European Parliament for twenty years. This book looks at the final chapter of the Habsburgs, from the Napoleonic era to the age of the dictators and post-war Europe. "A fully detailed look at the Austrian Habsburg dynasty from the Napoleonic era to the 21st century. In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist as Francis II proclaimed himself Emperor of Austria. The Habsburg empire came to an end 112 years later after defeat in the First World War. The Austrian monarchy, later the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, had survived several tribulations. During the year of revolutions in 1848, the much-loved but incompetent Emperor Ferdinand - a victim of chronic inbreeding - abdicated in favour of his young nephew Francis Joseph. His reign of almost 68 years was marked by defeat in wars with France, Italy and Prussia, family tragedies and scandals, including the appointment of his brother Maximilian as Emperor of Mexico and subsequent execution, the suicide of his son Crown Prince Rudolf, and the assassinations of his wife Empress Elizabeth and nephew Francis Ferdinand. His death in 1916 was followed by the succession of his great-nephew Charles who was forced to abdicate in 1918 and died after two unsuccessful attempts to regain the throne of Hungary; however, his eldest son Otto retained a major presence as head of the family and Member of the European Parliament for twenty years. Beautifully illustrated, The End of the Habsburgs: The Decline and Fall of the Austrian Monarchy looks at the last century of the Habsburgs, from the Napoleonic era and the nineteenth century to the fall of the European empires, the age of the dictators and post-war Europe"--Publisher's description Imperial Austria weathered the year of revolutions in 1848 when Ferdinand abdicated in favour of Francis Joseph, whose reign saw family tragedy and scandal. His successor Charles abdicated in 1918, though his son Otto was a Member of the European Parliament. This examines the final Habsburg chapter, from the Napoleonic era to post-war Europe.