Reign of the Emperor Francis Joseph, 1848-1916

First published in 1930, this is the English translation of the 1928 German language biography of Franz Joseph I, or Francis Joseph I, of Austria (1830-1916), written by Austrian journalist and author Karl Tschuppik.The book covers the period of his reign as Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia and King of Bohemia from 1848 until his death in 1916. From 1850-1866 he was also President of the German Confederation.He was the longest-reigning Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, as well as the third longest-reigning monarch of any country in European history, after Louis XIV of France and Johann II of Liechtenstein.Franz Joseph was troubled by nationalism during his entire reign. He concluded the Ausgleich of 1867, which granted greater autonomy to Hungary, hence transforming the Austrian Empire into the Austro-Hungarian Empire under his dual monarchy. His domains were then ruled peacefully for the next 45 years, although Franz Joseph personally suffered the tragedies of the execution of his brother, Maximilian in 1867, the suicide of his only son and heir, Crown Prince Rudolf in 1889, and the assassination of his wife, Empress Elisabeth in 1898.After the Austro-Prussian War, Austria-Hungary turned its attention to the Balkans, which was a hotspot of international tension due to conflicting interests with the Russian Empire. The Bosnian crisis was a result of Franz Joseph's annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908, which had been occupied by his troops since the Congress of Berlin (1878). On 28 June 1914, the assassination of his nephew Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo resulted in Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against the Kingdom of Serbia, which was Russia's ally. This activated a system of alliances which resulted in World War I.

First published in 1930, this is the English translation of the 1928 German language biography of Franz Joseph I, or Francis Joseph I, of Austria (1830-1916), written by Austrian journalist and author Karl Tschuppik.The book covers the period of his reign as Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia and King of Bohemia from 1848 until his death in 1916. From 1850-1866 he was also President of the German Confederation.He was the longest-reigning Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, as well as the third longest-reigning monarch of any country in European history, after Louis XIV of France and Johann II of Liechtenstein.Franz Joseph was troubled by nationalism during his entire reign. He concluded the Ausgleich of 1867, which granted greater autonomy to Hungary, hence transforming the Austrian Empire into the Austro-Hungarian Empire under his dual monarchy. His domains were then ruled peacefully for the next 45 years, although Franz Joseph personally suffered the tragedies of the execution of his brother, Maximilian in 1867, the suicide of his only son and heir, Crown Prince Rudolf in 1889, and the assassination of his wife, Empress Elisabeth in 1898.After the Austro-Prussian War, Austria-Hungary turned its attention to the Balkans, which was a hotspot of international tension due to conflicting interests with the Russian Empire. The Bosnian crisis was a result of Franz Joseph's annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908, which had been occupied by his troops since the Congress of Berlin (1878). On 28 June 1914, the assassination of his nephew Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo resulted in Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against the Kingdom of Serbia, which was Russia's ally. This activated a system of alliances which resulted in World War I.