Austria - Balkan, EU, Neutrality

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data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria">Austria</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/Austria">Introduction & Quick Facts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref33387"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria#ref33387">Land</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33388"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria#ref33388">Relief</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33389"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria#ref33389">Drainage</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33390"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate">Climate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33391"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate#ref33391">Plant and animal life</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33394"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate#ref33394">People</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33395"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate#ref33395">Ethnic groups</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274940"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages">Languages</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274941"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref274941">Religion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33393"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref33393">Settlement patterns</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33396"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref33396">Demographic trends</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33397"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref33397">Economy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274936"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Agriculture-and-forestry">Agriculture and forestry</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33398"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Agriculture-and-forestry#ref33398">Resources and power</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33399"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Agriculture-and-forestry#ref33399">Manufacturing</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33401"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance">Finance</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33400"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance#ref33400">Trade</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274937"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance#ref274937">Services</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274938"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance#ref274938">Labour and taxation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33402"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications">Transportation and telecommunications</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33403"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref33403">Government and society</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33404"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref33404">Constitutional framework</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274939"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref274939">Local government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33407"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref33407">Justice</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33406"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Political-process">Political process</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33408"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Political-process#ref33408">Security</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33410"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Political-process#ref33410">Health and welfare</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33409"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education">Education</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33413"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education#ref33413">Cultural life</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33414"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education#ref33414">Cultural milieu</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274933"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education#ref274933">Daily life and social customs</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274934"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-arts">The arts</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33415"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions">Cultural institutions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274935"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref274935">Sports and recreation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33416"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref33416">Media and publishing</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref129458"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref129458">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33330"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref33330">Prehistory and Roman times</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33331"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-Middle-Ages">Early Middle Ages</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33332"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-Middle-Ages#ref33332">Germanic and Slavic settlement</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33333"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-Babenberg-period">Early Babenberg period</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33334"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Later-Babenberg-period">Later Babenberg period</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33335"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Late-Middle-Ages">Late Middle Ages</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33336"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Late-Middle-Ages#ref33336">Contest for the Babenberg heritage</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33337"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Accession-of-the-Habsburgs">Accession of the Habsburgs</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33338"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Division-of-the-Habsburg-lands">Division of the Habsburg lands</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33339"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Burgundian-and-Spanish-marriages">Burgundian and Spanish marriages</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33340"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Burgundian-and-Spanish-marriages#ref33340">Reformation and Counter-Reformation</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33341"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Burgundian-and-Spanish-marriages#ref33341">Acquisition of Bohemia</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33342"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Advance-of-Protestantism">Advance of Protestantism</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33343"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Advance-of-Protestantism#ref33343">Rudolf II and Matthias</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33344"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-Bohemian-rising-and-the-victory-of-the-Counter-Reformation">The Bohemian rising and the victory of the Counter-Reformation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33345"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-Bohemian-rising-and-the-victory-of-the-Counter-Reformation#ref33345">Struggle with Sweden and France</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33346"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Austria-as-a-great-power">Austria as a great power</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33347"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/War-of-the-Spanish-Succession">War of the Spanish Succession</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33348"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/War-of-the-Spanish-Succession#ref33348">Problem of the Austrian succession</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33349"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/New-conflicts-with-the-Turks-and-the-Bourbons">New conflicts with the Turks and the Bourbons</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33350"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Social-economic-and-cultural-trends-in-the-Baroque-period">Social, economic, and cultural trends in the Baroque period</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33351"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/From-the-accession-of-Maria-Theresa-to-the-Congress-of-Vienna">From the accession of Maria Theresa to the Congress of Vienna</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33352"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/From-the-accession-of-Maria-Theresa-to-the-Congress-of-Vienna#ref33352">War of the Austrian Succession, 1740–48</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33353"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/First-reforms-1748-56">First reforms, 1748–56</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33354"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/First-reforms-1748-56#ref33354">Seven Years’ War, 1756–63</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33355"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Reforms-1763-80">Reforms, 1763–80</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33356"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Reforms-1763-80#ref33356">Foreign affairs, 1763–80</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33357"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-reign-of-Joseph-II-1780-85">Early reign of Joseph II, 1780–85</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33358"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Late-reign-of-Joseph-II-1785-90">Late reign of Joseph II, 1785–90</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33359"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Conflicts-with-revolutionary-France-1790-1805">Conflicts with revolutionary France, 1790–1805</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33360"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Conflicts-with-Napoleonic-France">Conflicts with Napoleonic France</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33361"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-Age-of-Metternich-1815-48">The Age of Metternich, 1815–48</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33362"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Revolution-and-counterrevolution-1848-59">Revolution and counterrevolution, 1848–59</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33363"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Neoabsolutist-era-1849-60">Neoabsolutist era, 1849–60</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33364"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Constitutional-experimentation-1860-67">Constitutional experimentation, 1860–67</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/austria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Austria</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Austria/345640" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austria - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Austria/273024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austria - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Österreich, Republic of Austria, Republik Österreich</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Reinhold-F-Wagnleitner/4020" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Reinhold F. Wagnleitner</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Associate Professor of History, University of Salzburg, Austria. Author of <i>Coca-colonization and the Cold War: The Cultural Mission of the United States in Austria After the Second World War.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Reinhold F. Wagnleitner</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Karl-A-Roider/3997" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Karl A. Roider</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of History, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Author of <i>Austria's Eastern Question </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Karl A. Roider</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-23T00:00:00CST" >Nov 23, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/44183/1779d4c962e41d8ef096c253705bbf4f" rel="nofollow">Shiffrin wins World Cup slalom and takes quest for her 100th victory to North America</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 23, 2024, 10:13 AM ET (AP) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/44183/088b14662ba02220369492231c92b5bb" rel="nofollow">Russia's Gazprom stops the flow of natural gas to Austria, OMV utility says</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 16, 2024, 11:20 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/44183/8851d55ac8bb8621a1ee11ae9e476d68" rel="nofollow">Austria says Russia's Gazprom will cut off natural gas supply this weekend</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 15, 2024, 3:42 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="3" id="ref33368"> <span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">After his appointment as foreign minister on November 14, 1871, Andrássy conducted the foreign affairs of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria-Hungary" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Austria-Hungary</a> with the intention of preserving the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="status quo" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/status quo" data-type="EB">status quo</a>. Discarding the anti-Bismarck bias of his predecessor, Beust, he sought the friendship of the <span id="ref409079"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Germany" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">German</a> Empire in order to strengthen his position in a possible confrontation with <span id="ref409080"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Russia" class="md-crosslink ">Russia</a> over problems in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Balkans" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Balkans</a>. The <span id="ref409081"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Dreikaiserbund" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Dreikaiserbund</a> (Three Emperors’ League) of 1873, by which <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Franz-Joseph" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Franz Joseph</a> and the German and Russian emperors agreed to work together for peace, gave expression to that policy and made a change of the status quo in the Balkans dependent on German consent.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The continuing decline of Ottoman power encouraged the Balkan nations in their opposition to Turkish rule, and in 1875 there were revolts and upheavals. Andrássy failed to induce the Ottoman government to adopt a reform program, and by 1876 Russian intervention seemed <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="imminent" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imminent" data-type="MW">imminent</a>. Russia offered to join with Austria-Hungary in partitioning the Balkans between them, but Andrássy believed that Austria-Hungary was a “saturated state” unable to cope with more nationalities and lands, and for a time he resisted the offer. He was aware, however, that Russia could not be restrained altogether; thus, through <span id="ref409082"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Otto-von-Bismarck" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bismarck</a>’s mediation, there were concluded two secret agreements, at Reichstadt (now Zákupy, Czech Republic) in July 1876 and at Budapest in January 1877, whereby Russia gave up its plans for a “great partition” and settled for the territory of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bessarabia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bessarabia</a> and, in return, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="acquiesced" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acquiesced" data-type="MW">acquiesced</a> in Austria-Hungary’s acquiring <span id="ref409083"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a>. Austria-Hungary and Russia agreed to refrain from intervention for the time being, and it was only when great-power mediation proved unable to settle the conflict between <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Serbia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Serbia</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ottoman-Empire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ottoman Empire</a> that Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire in April 1877, after having again secured Austro-Hungarian neutrality (<em>see</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Russo-Turkish-wars" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Russo-Turkish wars</a>).</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In February 1878, with the war won, the Russians did not content themselves with Bessarabia and, in the <span id="ref409084"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of-San-Stefano" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Treaty of San Stefano</a>, violated Austria-Hungary’s Balkan interests by creating a large independent <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bulgaria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bulgaria</a>. Having Great <span id="ref409085"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-United-Kingdom" class="md-crosslink ">Britain</a> as an ally in his opposition to the Russian advance in southeastern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Europe" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Europe</a> and Bismarck as an “honest broker,” Andrássy managed at the <span id="ref409086"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Congress-of-Berlin" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Congress of Berlin</a> in July 1878 to force Russia to retreat from its excessive demands. Bulgaria was broken up again, Serbian independence was guaranteed, Russia retained Bessarabia, and Austria-Hungary was allowed to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina. Military occupation of those two provinces turned out to be more than the expected mere formality. It took 150,000 Habsburg troops and several weeks of fighting before the lands were under Habsburg authority. Since no agreement could be reached on whether the newly acquired lands should <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="aggrandize" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aggrandize" data-type="MW">aggrandize</a> the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hungarian-people" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Hungarian</a> or the Austrian part of the monarchy, they were placed under the jurisdiction of the common Habsburg ministry of finance.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":37,"pagesTotal":51,"pageId":44183,"pageLength":517,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"D","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"COUNTRY_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":37,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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