Rental Cars Austria - History of Austria
Initially Austria was occupied by different tribes, namely the Celts, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Huns, Avars, and Slavs. However, since the 13th century, Austrian history has been intricately tied to the Habsburg Family. Charlemagne conquered Austria and it remained part of the Roman Empire until the 15th century, when the Habsburg dynasty took a firm grip on the country ruling up until WWI. The Habsburgs managed to extend their territory through arranged marriages and real estate purchases, resulting in the dynasty being split between Spanish and Austrian rule. In 1571, religious freedom was granted with many Austrians turning protestant. Later attempts by Rudolf II to convert back to Catholicism led to the thirty-year war, devastating much of Europe. Peace was finally achieved in 1648 with the treaty of Westphalia.
The Holy Roman Empire was abolished in the early 18th century, and Francis II assumed title of Emperor of Austria. During this time, Austria became a centre of the cultural renaissance with incredible musical achievements associated with the term “baroque”.
In 1740, Maria Theresa was brought to the throne, ruling for the next 30 years and developing Austria into a modern state. Napoleon’s defeat of Austria in 1805 at Austerlitz started up new conflicts until the settlement at the Congress of Vienna in 1814. A dual monarchy was established in 1867 between Austria and Hungary under Emperor Franz Josef.
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia with the Russians coming to the Serbians' aid. The Austro-Hungarian Empire came to an end in after WWI and Austria was declared a republic. After the war, Austria was forced to recognize the independence of Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Yugoslavia – all countries previously under the control of the Habsburgs. In 1938, it was incorporated into the Third Reich as Austria embraced fascism. Austria suffered terrible attacks in WWII, but by 1946 it was a republic again, protected by the victorious Allied powers. It was occupied at this time by American, British, French, and Russian troops, but by 1955 full independence was restored.
After the war, Austria established free trade with the European Union in 1972 and tried hard to stabilize. Austria came under international attention when former German army officer Kurt Waldheim was made president. The controversy was due to Waldheim’s role in WWII and his alleged involvement in deportations and executions. He later stood down in 1992 following these allegations. Many immigrants from Eastern European followed resulting in the rise of the Freedom Party in the 1980s. Austria then entered the EU in 1995.
In Austria’s most recent elections, the Social Democrats won, forming a coalition with the People's Party. The Austrian Freedom party, under Joerg Haider, initially a major electoral force, was excluded.
