kaiserlich und königlich... by Archduke Charles of Austria

[SirCliveWolfe]

kaiserlich und königlich



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I. Forward - 1912

It is my hope that one day these modest writings may give an account of the history of my Empire. My name is Charles Konrad Salvator, Archduke of Austria-Tuscany son of the late Franz Salvator and Marie Valerie, the history of this country has always fascinated me, I feel that we now approach a time of great strife and struggle. War looms on the horizon and I have just graduated from the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener-Neustadt, I have been put under the tutelage of Franz Graf Conrad von Hötzendorf. I hope that I can help lead my country to greater things, and seek to write some of my experiences here also. I am a young man of only twenty years, but I shall quickly grow-up on the battlefield.I shall begin with a brief history from the beginnings of 'Österreich' (Austria) in the 9th century to 1278, when my family took the crown.

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Hello again gentlemen,

This is my new AAR and it shal be an Austro-Hungarian Empire one through WWI and maybe WWII. The 1914 MOD is not quite out yet, but that just gives me time to fill in the 'back story' which is just a little look back at the history of Austria.

It will be a mixture of Histroy book, narative and 'diray' writings by mostly from the protagonist, the Archduke. It shall be 'alt-history', for I want to win! but nothing will be changed in 'gme terms' and the only change to history is that when Elisabeth Salvator is born she has a twin, the aforementioned Archduke.

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Dedicated to all those who died in the Great War, lest we not forget...

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[Pacer]

so is this with doomsday or just HOI 2 regular. But anyways yeah a Austria hungary

 

[Mettermrck]

I always enjoy a good AH AAR, alternate history and Austro-Hungarian. Will be interesting to see how your version passes through the Great War.

 

[unmerged(47162)]

very nice! so after the part with WW1 is over, are you going to mod the regular HOI2 to continue your efforts?

 

[unmerged(45769)]

How can such a great writer find his AAR on page 2? :wacko:

Great start!

 

[Lord E]

Great start SirClive, now I am really looking forward to you starting the game, but of course while we wait you should be able to make a very nice back story. I am looking forward to it

 

[stabsoffizier]

Well well, bring our nation back to glory and respectability!

No, seriously, great start, looking forward to it!

 

[unmerged(52351)]

this will be intresting; lead the Teutons to victory!

 

[stnylan]

Looking forward to it.

 

[unmerged(35685)]

I always like a good Habsburg story. Recently I just finished reading a book on the Habsburg's history. Quite a family. Will be following your journey all the way.

 

[Allenby]

Here you go, SirC - you weren't going to get too far without this link, I reckon.

http://www.europa-universalis.com/forum/showthread.php?t=243383

Best of luck with this AAR.

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

Pacer: Thank you sir, the 1914 MOD is only on HOI2 at the moment.

Mettermrck: Thank you sir, there shall be many a twist I'm sure.

lifeless: I may do, depending upon how this AAR goes.

kenneththegreat: Thank you kenny!

Lord E: Thank you good sir

stabsoffizier: Well somebody has too thank you

laminustacitus: Yes indeed the Teutons will, I hope, be lead to victory

stnylan: thanks

prussiablue: Yes it's a great 'family firm'

Allenby: A scholar and a gentleman as ever sir! than you for the linky and support.

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

Chapter One – 'Blood and Iron; the making of a nation'



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Blut und Eisen

The real basis of any nation is, in my opinion made up by its history and its people. The 'ethnic make-up' of a nation can, with other factors, shape the national 'psyche' and determine the character of the nations people. Österreich-Ungarn is a nation of many different 'threads' of ethnicity that combine to forge a truly unique nation, not one of just 'Germanic' or 'Latin' factors but a truly pan-ethnic nation. The history of the region has also shaped our nation, especially military history, hence the chapters title of 'blut und eisen', will show what are, I believe the defining pillars of our national character before my families rise to power.

Völkerwanderung

We are a nation of many ethnicities scattered through the realm, the crucial reason for this was primarily the period of 'Völkerwanderung'* during the 6th to 10th centuries. The Slavic peoples of our nation migrated towards the Alps, into the Pannonian Plain, in the wake of the expansion of their Avar 'overlords' during the 7th century and created the realm of Karantania, which covered much of modern Österreich. While the late Teutonic Bavarii tribe migrated to the area we call Bavaria slightly earlier. Karantania came under pressure from Avar tribes in the east and relinquished it's realms to the semi feudal Frankish Empire under the great Charlemagne in 745 and became a margrave of Bavaria, which lead to further settlement of the Danube region which has still today a mainly German speaking population. And leaving them as a Duchy of the Holy Roman Empire.

Otto the Great, king of the Germans​

The Magyar were another migratory people who moved from the steppes of Central Asia towards the Mediterranean, like both the Slav's and Bavarii before them in the 9th and 10th centuries. Their great leader Árpád lead his people through the Carpathian Mountains and into the basin in 896. Their dominance pushed them deeper into 'Germanic' territory until the incursions were steamed after the Battle of Lechfeld where Otto the Great, king of the Germans, with a mix of force including Bavarians crushed harka** Belcsú and the chieftains Lél and Súr. After the battle new Marches were established in what is today Austria. The one known as the marchia orientalis was to become the core territory of Austria and was given to Leopold of Babenberg in 976. Meanwhile the Magyar settled down after being approved by the Pope crowning Stephen I the Saint, when the leaders accepted Christianity in 1001 and forming the Kingdom of Hungary.

Prince Árpád is crossing the Carpathians​

The following centuries were characterized first by the settlement of the country, when forests were cleared and towns and monasteries were founded. In 1156 the Privilegium Minus*** elevated Österreich to the status of a duchy. In 1192, the Babenberg's also acquired the Duchy of Styria through the Georgenberg Pact. At that time, the Babenberg Dukes came to be one of the most influential ruling families in the region, peaking in the reign of Leopold VI from 1198 to 1230.However, with the death of his son Frederick II in 1246, the line went extinct, which resulted in the interregnum,**** a period of several decades during which the status of the country was disputed. Otakar II of Bohemia effectively controlled the duchies of Austria, Styria and Carinthia. His reign came to an end with his defeat at Dürnkrut at the hand of my ancestor Rudolf of Habsburg in 1278, when our family rose to the throne.

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* The migration of peoples
** Military leader
*** an edict from Frederick I
**** A period between monarchs

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[unmerged(47162)]

very nice update giving us some background info!

 

[Lord E]

Very nice start with the background information, now I guess we are going into the time when the Habsburgs rule the Empire. Good work sir

 

[stnylan]

Good background.

 

[Rensslaer]

Looks good, SirClive!

I'll keep an eye on this.

I've always had a soft spot for the Austrians (well, not in my other AAR, but... but that's BUSINESS!!!), and the 1914 setting should make for interesting writing!

Rensslaer

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

lifeless: Thank you sir, now the last of the background... and on with the story!

Lord E: Indeed I hope you enjoy it

stnylan: Your support, as ever, is appriciated

Rensslaer: Yes I made the glorious mistake of trying to read your AAR, atm your about to beat up on both the British and Austrians... THAT WILL NOT DO!! Thank you for your kind words...

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

Chapter Two – The Reign of the Habsburg Dynasty



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Introduction

It is not my intention to go into a detailed and laborious attempt at the history of the Habsburg dynasty, its accomplishments and failings, but rather just give a rough outline so the history from this point on can be regarded with this background. There are many great works out there about my family during this period and an attempt to fully explain and recount it would just create an unwieldy volume.

Familie Erbschaft

The rise of the great nation that is my home can largely be seen as a spectacular example of the use of hereditary ties to consolidate ones possessions. The Habsburg family's inheritances in the period between 1278 and 1714 are truly staggering. By 1363 the kings of Austria controlled what have become known as the Erbliche Länder, Hereditary Lands including the small Duchy of Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola and Tyrol. These would be the heart of the Empire, while other lands were won and lost.

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Kaiser Maximilian I​

The 15th century was, arguably, the height of the dynasty as in 1477 Archduke Maximilian married the heiress of Burgundy and inherited much of the 'Low Countries'. His son Philip the Fair married the heiress of Castile and Aragon, and thus acquired Spain and its Italian, African, and New World appendages for the dynasty. The Habsburgs' hereditary territories, however, were soon separated from this enormous empire when, in 1520, Emperor Charles V left them to the rule of his brother, Ferdinand. The marriage of Maria of Austria to Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia in 1522 had done much to cement ties between the Habsburgs' and Magyar nation. When, in 1526, Louis was killed after being thrown from his horse just as he left the site of the Battle of Mohács, it was no great surprise that the thrones were offered to their main ally Ferdinand. This brought Bohemia and all of unoccupied Hungary under Habsburg control.

Erster Koalition-Kriege

As the 16th century unfolded the 'localised' wars of traditional struggle, like those between France and England, were either subsumed into or eclipsed by the apparent Habsburg bid for European mastery. The first of several Koalition-Kriege, 'coalition wars', would radically shape Europe, and the world from this point on. Although there were always specific reasons that any of the states were drawn into this larger context, two more general reasons were generally responsible. The first was the Reformation which caused a schism in Christianity and brought a more brutal side to the normal dynastic wars, the second was the seemingly unstoppable nature of Habsburg advance which meant that many tried to stem its flow.

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The battle of Vienna, where the Turk's were finally stopped​

We can thus see the struggles of Austria against the Turk's which went on relentlessly for decades, the 'Eighty Years War' (1560's to 1648) and Habsburg Spain's attempt to crush the Dutch rebellion, and the 'Thirty Years War' (1618 to 1648) a great multidimensional conflict between both the Spanish and Austrian Habsburg's against an ever changing coalition of opponent states, as being part of a European struggle to create or destroy a homogeneous Europe.

The first coalition war, ended finally at the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, destroyed for ever the Habsburg's bid for European dominance. The Monarchy would continue to play a major part in European affairs and would do unto others what had been done unto them. The main reason for the Austro-Spanish failure seems not to have been the lack of a great leader or brave troops but a financial one, this gives me some concern for the future.

Zweiter Koalition-Krieg

The second war was a similar bid by the 'Sun King' of France and, ironically, his 'true successor' Napoleon to subjugate Europe to the French will. The period can be drawn largely into two periods with the first spanning 1660-1763, when Louis XIV sought to create a European bloc and drive the British and Dutch from their colonies. The first phase of the war ended disastrously with Prussia turning back both French and Austrian ambitions in northern Germany and Britain largely excluding France from both North America and India. It seemed once again that a large and powerful nation had been dashed upon the rocks of financial mismanagement, this surely must be a lesson for the future.

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Archduke Charles, a great Napoleonic leader​

The second phase saw the enigmatic Napoleon rise with France from the ashes of revolution and strike across mainland Europe. While the Habsburg's wavered evenly between pro and anti-French policies Britain arranged coalition after coalition against the revolutionaries. The military brilliance of Napoleon, that saw so many others fall before him, could not combat the financial muscle of Great Britain which was glad to subsidise the rest of Europe to fight for them, while being safe behind the 'wooden wall' of Nelson's ships.

The Congress of Vienna

The congress hosted by the masterful Prince Klemens von Metternich, was a imaginative and much needed piece of conservative peace building. It laid the ground work for almost a century with no European 'general war' by creating 'buffer zones' between the great powers that helped to stem the aggressiveness of the powers. The four major wars that did come in this period were very much localised again, as they had been in the period before 1500.

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Deligates at the Congress og Vienna​

Russian aggression against the Ottoman Turk's on the pretext of protection Orthodox Christians, was turned back by a Anglo-French alliance along with the Turk's themselves. The resultant Treaty of Paris in 1856, was a lesson in humiliation for the Russian Empire, the neutralisation of the Black Sea was an unprecedented move. The refusal of Austria to side with the Russian's would cause rapprochement between the Tsar and France that would leave Austria isolated and week. In 1859 the Empire's forces were humiliated by the Franco-Sardinian forces bent on unifying the Italian peninsular but much worse was to follow.

German Wars of Unification

The devastating hammer blow that would send our proud nation reeling was delivered in 1866. The victory of Prussian forces in Holstein in the 'Danish War' of 1864, was a marked to that of Austria just five years before and when the Habsburg dynasty refused to acknowledge Prussian leadership in Germany disaster befell the monarchy and its people. The war only lasted seven weeks and ended in further humiliation for Austria's brave soldiers, the Treaty of Prague was a master stroke by Bismark. By offering a humiliated Empire a 'generous peace' he left the way free to create a confederation of Germanic states, while excluding Prussia's biggest rival .In July 1870, Bismark managed to goad the French into declaring a fatal war upon the German alliance. The war was brutal, swift and decisive it created the German Empire and destroyed the French one. The Treaty of Versailles would have profound consequences for Europe in the next century with cries of 'for Alsace-Lorraine' echoing from Frenchmen in the autumn of 1914.

Congress of Berlin

In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78 the meeting's aim was to reorganize conditions in the Balkans. Otto von Bismarck, who led the Congress, undertook to balance the distinct interests of Great Britain, Russia and the Empire. As a consequence, however, differences between Russia and Austria-Hungary intensified, as well as the national question in the Balkans. The Treaty of San Stefano was overturned and while ceding to Russian pressure, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro were declared independent principalities Russia had to agree that Bulgaria should be split up into three parts. The southern part remained under Turkish rule. Roumelia became independent and the remainder became the new state of Bulgaria. Russia retained southern Bessarabia and Austria received the right to "occupy and administer" Bosnia and Herzegovina. The status of Bosnian Serbs under Habsburg rule would cause a new round of coalition wars of unprecedented savagery.

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Deligates at the Congress of Berlin​

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[unmerged(47162)]

very nice update and very informative!