The Austro-Prussian War (also called the Seven Weeks War or the German Civil War) was a war fought between Austria and Prussia
in 1866 that resulted in Prussian dominance in Germany. In Germany and Austria it is called "Deutscher Krieg" or "Bruderkrieg"
(war of brothers).
Causes of the war
For centuries, the Holy Roman Emperors in Austria had nominally ruled all of Germany, but the powerful nobles maintained de facto
independence with the assistance of outside powers, particularly France. Prussia had become the most powerful of these states, and
by the nineteenth century was considered one of the great powers of Europe. After the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815, French
influence in Germany was weak and nationalist ideals spread across Europe. Many observers saw that conditions were developing for
the unification of Germany, and two different ideas of unification developed. One was a Grossdeutschland (large Germany) that would
include the multi-national empire of Austria, and the other (preferred by Prussia) was a Kleindeutschland (small Germany)
that would exclude Austria and be dominated by Prussia.
Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck became chancellor of Prussia in 1862, and immediately
began a policy focused on uniting Germany as a Kleindeutschland under Prussian rule. Having raised German national consciousness
by convincing Austria to join him in the Second war of Schleswig, he then provoked a conflict over the administration of the conquered
provinces of Schleswig-Holstein. Austria declared war and called for the armies of the minor German states to join them.
Alliances - Northern Germany against Southern Germany
Most of the German states sided with Austria against Prussia, perceived as the aggressor. These included
Saxony, Bavaria,
Baden, Württemberg, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau.
Some of the northern German states joined Prussia, in particular Oldenburg, Mecklenburg, and Braunschweig. Also, Italy joined with
Prussia, because Austria still occupied the territory of Venetia which Italian irredentists wanted in order to complete Italian
unification.
Notably, the other foreign powers abstained from this war. French Emperor Napoleon III, who expected an Austria victory, chose
to remain out of the war to strengthen his negotiating position for territory along the Rhine, while Russia still bore a grudge
against Austria from the Crimean War.
Course of the War - Battle of Königgrätz
The main campaign of the war occurred in Bohemia. Prussian Chief of the General Staff
Helmuth von Moltke had planned meticulously for the war, and chose to mostly ignore the
minor states in favor of a concentration against Austria. He rapidly mobilized the Prussian army and advanced across the border
into Saxony and Bohemia, where the Austrian army was concentrating for an invasion of Silesia.
There, the Prussian armies led
personally by King Wilhelm converged, and the two sides met at the Battle of Königgrätz (Sadowa) on 3. July. Superior Prussian
organization and elan decided the battle against Austrian numerical superiority, and the victory was near total, with Austrian
battle deaths nearly seven times the Prussian figure. It is worth noting that Prussia was equipped with von Dreyse's needle-gun,
which was vastly superior to anything Austria could employ. Austria rapidly sought peace after this battle.
Except for Saxony, the other German states allied to Austria played little role in the main campaign. Hanover's army defeated
Prussia at Langensalza on 27. June, but within a few days they were forced to surrender by superior numbers. Prussian armies
fought against Bavaria on the Main River, reaching Nuremberg and Frankfurt.
The Austrians were more successful in their war with Italy, defeating the Italians on land at the Second Battle of Custoza
(24. June) and on sea at the Battle of Lissa (20. July). Garibaldi's "Hunters of the Alps" defeated the Austrians at battle
of Bezzecca, on 21. July, conquered the lower part of Trentino, and moved towards Trento. Prussian peace with Austia-Hungary
forced Italian government to seek an armistice with Austrians, on 12. August. According to Treaty of Vienna, signed on 12. October,
Austria-Hungary ceded Venetia to France, which in its turn gave it to Italy.
Aftermath - the dominance of Prussia
In order to forestall intervention by France or Russia, Bismarck pushed the king to make peace with the Austrians rapidly,
rather than continue the war in hopes of further gains. The Austrians accepted mediation from France's Napoleon III. The
Treaty of Prague on 23. August 1866 resulted in the dissolution of the German Confederation, Prussian annexation of
Schleswig-Holstein, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, Nassau, and Frankfurt, and the exclusion of Austria from German affairs.
Prussia was free to form the North German Confederation the next year. Prussia chose not to seek Austrian territory for
itself, and this made it possible for Prussia and Austria to ally in the future, since Austria was threatened more by Italian
and Pan-Slavic irredentism than by Prussia.
The war left Prussia dominant in Germany, and German nationalism would compel the remaining independent states to ally with
Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870/71, and then to accede
to the crowning of King Wilhelm as German Emperor. United Germany would become by far the strongest power in Europe.
Please have a look at some sample banknotes from the imperial period .
|
