Austrian Empire

The Austrian Empire (German: Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling Kaisertum Österreich, pronounced [ˌkaɪzɐtuːm ˈøːstəʁaɪç] (listen)), officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a multinational European great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, it was the third most populous monarchy in Europe after the Russian Empire and the United Kingdom. Along with Prussia, it was one of the two major powers of the German Confederation. Geographically, it was the third-largest empire in Europe after the Russian Empire and the First French Empire.

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Empire of Austria Kaisertum Österreich (German)
1804–1867
Flag Imperial coat of arms
Anthem: Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser "God Save Emperor Francis"
The Austrian Empire in 1815, with the boundaries of the German Confederation in dotted lines
Greatest extent of the Austrian Empire (1846–1859)
Status	State1 of the Holy Roman Empire (1804–1806) State1 of the German Confederation (1815–1866)
Capital	Vienna
Common languages	German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Ruthenian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Romanian, Lombard, Venetian, Friulian, Ladin, Italian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish
Religion	Majority: Roman Catholic (official) Minorities: Lutheranism, Calvinist, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Jewish
Demonym(s)	Austrian
Government	Absolute monarchy (1804–1860) Constitutional monarchy[1] (1860–1867)
Emperor
• 1804–1835	Francis I
• 1835–1848	Ferdinand I
• 1848–1867	Franz Joseph I
Minister-President
• 1821–1848	Klemens von Metternich (first)
• 1867	Friedrich Ferdinand von Beust (last)
Legislature	Imperial Council
• Upper house	House of Lords
• Lower house	House of Deputies
Historical era	19th century
• 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
• Compromise of 1867	30 March 1867
Area
• Total	698,700 km2 (269,800 sq mi)
Currency	Gulden Thaler (1804–1857) Vereinsthaler (1857–1867)
Preceded by Succeeded by Holy Roman Empire Archduchy of Austria Electorate of Salzburg Kingdom of Hungary Republic of Venice Duchy of Milan Bohemian Crown Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Kingdom of Croatia Kingdom of Slavonia Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria Duchy of Bukovina Principality of Transylvania Federation of the Seven Communities Duchy of Warsaw Free City of Cracow North German Confederation Austria-Hungary ∟Cisleithania ∟Transleithania Kingdom of Italy Duchy of Warsaw Free City of Cracow
1: Territories of Austria and Bohemia only.

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The empire was proclaimed by Francis II in 1804 in response to Napoleon's declaration of the First French Empire, unifying all Habsburg possessions under one central government. It remained part of the Holy Roman Empire until the latter's dissolution in 1806. It continued fighting against Napoleon throughout the Napoleonic Wars, except for a period between 1809 and 1813, when Austria was first allied with Napoleon during the invasion of Russia and later neutral during the first few weeks of the Sixth Coalition War. Austria emerged victorious in the war, and became a leading member of the German Confederation along with Prussia after the Congress of Vienna.

The Kingdom of Hungary—as Regnum Independens—was administered by its own institutions separately from the rest of the empire. After Austria was defeated in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 was adopted, joining the Kingdom of Hungary and the Empire of Austria to form Austria-Hungary.