Eastern Europe Late 19th Century

Austria

Austria Tensions btwn Austria & Hungary = great (Hungarian War of Independence of 1848) 1866: Austria lost A-P War excluded from Germany very vulnerable/weak Magyars posed a serious threat Hungarian war of independence – crushed by Austria & Russia. Austria tried to Germanize Hungary by forcing its language & customs on the Magyars 3

Nationalities of the Austrian Empire

The Compromise of 1867 The Dual Monarchy Austria + Hungary = Austro-Hungarian Empire

How It worked Austrian empire divided in half Hungary gained autonomy but joined w/ Austria by One king (Franz Josef I) Finance Ministry Defense Min Foreign affairs Min

Emperor Franz Josef I r. 1848-1916

Troubles Austria Hungary Poles Czechs Slavs Hungary Croatians Romanians Mixed ethnicities  nationalism  divisive & slowly weakened A-H Empire

19th C. Russia

Nicholas I r. 1825 - 1855 Autocracy Orthodoxy Nationalism

Alexander II r. 1855-1881 Attempted to liberalize & modernize Russia Emancipation Manifesto(1861) – abolished serfdom Nobility opposed "It is better to abolish serfdom from above than to wait for the time when it will begin to abolish itself from below.”

Other Reforms Created Zemstvos – local elected counsels that provided: Roads Schools Medical service Elections = wealthy

Other Reforms (cont.) Improved municipal government Universal military training (1874) Encouraged expansion Industry Railway network Still, some were unhappy…

Haters Liberals/Radicals wanted: Peasants Parliamentary democracy Freedom of expression Peasants Disappointed w/ Ag. reforms Paid more for land than worth Not taken care of

Secret Societies Illegal to criticize Tsar Land & Liberty – reform group Demanded land be given to peasants Some members wanted to use violence Assassination attempt

Narodnaya volya People’s Will Faction of Land & Liberty Wanted constitution Favored violence/terrorism Many unsuccessful attempts on Tsar’s life

Okhrana Result: development of a special section of the Russian police force to deal w/ internal security Under cover agents Often joined rev. groups to spy on them

Assassination of Alexander II 1 March 1881 St. Petersburg 2 explosions People’s Will

The Deceased Alexander II

The People’s Will Plotters arrested, tried & executed (actual assassin had died in explosion)

Alexander III Inherited throne from father More later…