Introduction to Modern German History 6. Refashioning Old Orders: Tobias Winnerling

Transcription

1 Introduction to Modern German History 6. Refashioning Old Orders: Tobias Winnerling

2 Charles VI of Habsburg, Holy Roman Emperor, dies in 1740; interregnum follows His daughter Maria Theresia succeeds him as archduchess of Austria Charles Albert of Wittelsbach, Elector of Bavaria, elected Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII in 1742; dies in 1745 Francis Stephan of Lorraine, husband of Maria Theresia, elected Holy Roman Emperor Francis I in 1745 Charles VI Maria Theresia Charles VII Francis I

3 Frederick II of Prussia makes use of imperial interregnum and Austrian rulership transition to invade Silesia Aim: Establish Prussia as Austria s equal The War of the Austrian Succession,

4 Europe after the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748

5 The Seven Years War,

6 Crisis of the Estate-based society becomes problematic: Rich commoners demand access to noble privileges Poor nobles defend privileges but can t uphold an aristocratic lifestyle Royal prerogatives become challenged Rent-based economy becomes problematic: Agricultural returns lag behind trade and manufacture Simply collecting rents from one s domains does not suffice to maintain a raised standard of living Traditional values become problematic: Enlightenment Critique of traditional beliefs Critique of political structures

7 Crisis of the French France s debts are mounting; national bankruptcy declared in 1788 Severe harvest failures in 1788/89 Louis XVI of France convenes the States General in 1789 to raise taxes Commoners within the States General take over the assembly Royal letter convening the French States General, 1789

8 Transformations of France Absolute monarchy until 1789 Constitutional monarchy in 1789 Republic in 1792 De facto military dictatorship in 1799 Napoleonic Empire in 1804 Decree of the National Assembly of September 20 th, 1792, abolishing the French monarchy

9 6.2 Wars of the Prussian Seccession From 1792 the French Republic gains the upper hand in the wars against it French troops occupy all German lands west of the Rhine French revolutionary conquests until 1797

10 Different reactions to the revolution in Germany: Some (commoners mostly) are enthusiastic Some (nobles mostly) disapprove strongly Some are indifferent Johanna von Wallenrodt: What Do German Duty and Interest Call For?, s.l. 1794, title page Seal of the Jacobin s club of the Republic of Mainz, 1793

11 Opposition to France and the revolution can serve as a foil to construct a German identity: The happiness of His creatures which is so completely endangered now is God s concern; precluding the peril threatening our German fatherland and helping to stand up against it is a matter of honour and duty. Johanna von Wallenrodt: What Do German Duty and Interest Call For?, s.l. 1794, p. 14.

12 in 1789

13 The Principal Decree of the Imperial Deputation ( Reichsdeputationshauptschluss ) repartitions the territories within the All ecclesiastical territories are dissolved, along with many small and tiny temporal principalities in 1803

14 Napoleon Bonaparte crowns himself Emperor of the French in 1804 Holy Roman Emperor Francis II crowns himself Emperor of Austria in 1804 Francis II abdicates as Holy Roman Emperor in 1806 German lands in 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor of the French Francis I/II as Emperor Francis I of Austria

15 Napoleonic Europe,

16 The Restitution, or Each to his Own French caricature on the Congress of Vienna, 1814

17 Succession No clear break Transition from Early to High Modernity in the German lands Some traditional structures persist But: Developments of the revolutionary period ( ) cannot be undone Still no clear German identity Still no single German state

18 Succession Further Reading: Whaley, Joachim: Germany and the, Vol. 2: From the Peace of Westphalia to the dissolution of the Reich , Oxford 2012 ULB: 02 his n 234 w 552(2) Williamson, David G.: Germany since 1789: A Nation forged and renewed, 2 nd ed. London 2016 ULB: 02 his n 044 w 729