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The Hapsburgs
The Hapsburgs were the oldest ruling house in Europe. In addition to their homeland of Austria, over the centuries they had acquired the territories of Bohemia and Hungary, as well as parts of Romania, Poland, Ukraine, and northern Italy. -
Ottoman Empire
Various subject peoples staged revolts against the Ottomans, hoping to set up their own independent states. -
Congress of Vienna
Clemens von Metternich said that a United Germany would require them to dismantle the governments of the states. The congress decided to make the German Confederation lead by Austria. -
Obstacles to Unity of Italy
Nationalists revolts started calling for a unified nation. -
Government Crushes the Hapsburgs
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Leadership of the Risorgimento
After 1848, leadership of the Risorgimento, or Italian nationalist movement, passed to the kingdom of Sardinia, which included Piedmont, Nice, and Savoy as well as the island of Sardinia. Its constitutional monarch, Victor Emmanuel II, hoped to join other states to his own, thereby increasing his power. -
Opposing Austrian Rule
In March 1848, nationalists in Venice took over the city's arsenal and declared the establishment of the Republic of Venice. Their success was short lived, however, as the republic was soon disbanded and Venice fell again under the rule of Austria in 1849. -
Uniting North Italy
King Victor Emmanuel II appointed Count Camillo Cavour his Prime Minister. -
A Secret Alliance
King Victor Emmanuel II made a secret alliance with France. -
A War with Austria
Emmanuel provoked a war with Austria. With France's help, they defeated Austria and annexed Lombardy within weeks. -
A King of Italy
Victor Emmanuel II was crowned king of Italy. -
Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck was the most responsible for the unification of Germany. In 1862, King William I of Prussia made Bismarck Prime Minister. -
War 1
In 1864, Germany invaded Denmark and took and split Schleswig and Holstein, which only took a few weeks. -
Alliances/War
In 1864 Otto von Bismarck formed an alliance with Austria. Then he started 3 wars. -
War 2
In 1866 Bismarck then attacked Austria. This war only lasted 7 weeks, Prussia won and took Holstein and annexes parts of North Austria. -
Ferenc Deak
Ferenc Deak, a moderate Hungarian leader, helped work out a compromise that created a new political power known as the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. -
War 3 Franco-Prussian War
Bismarck provoked war with France. This war lasted a few weeks and France suffered a massive defeat which proved France was not the dominate power in Europe, Germany was. -
Birth of the 2nd Reich
On January 1871, Germany was officially united as the "2nd Reich." Reich simply meant empire. The 1st reich was the Holy Roman Empire, which crumbled in 1812. -
Kulturkampf
Bismarck launched Kulturkampf or "battle for civilization." His goal was to make Catholics put loyalty to the state above allegiance to the Church. -
A New Chancellor in Germany
Kaiser William I appointed Bismarck as his Chancellor. -
Kulturkampf
The Catholic people still stood by the church strongly so Bismark was forced to drop the laws and make peace with the Pope. -
Kaiser William I
In 1888 Kaiser Willam I died. -
Kaiser William II
William I's grandson was next in line to become Kaiser. He became Kaiser William II in 1888. Like his grandfather and Bismarck he believed in Militarism. He spent millions on strengthening Germany's already powerful army. Unlike his grandfather and Bismarck, he built a navy that could rival Britian's. -
No More Otto von Bismarck
Kaiser William II did not want to be in Bismarck's shadow. He asked him to "resign" in 1890.