From 976 until 1246, the Margraviate of Austria and its successor, the

Duchy of Austria The Duchy of Austria (; ) was a medieval principality of the Holy Roman Empire, established in 1156 by the '' Privilegium Minus'', when the Margraviate of Austria ('' Ostarrîchi'') was detached from Bavaria and elevated to a duchy in its own ri ...

, was ruled by the House of Babenberg. At that time, those states were part of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

. From 1246 until 1918, the duchy and its successor, the

Archduchy of Austria The Archduchy of Austria (; ) was a major Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the nucleus of the Habsburg monarchy. With its capital at Vienna, the archduchy was centered at the Empire's southeastern periph ...

, was ruled by the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...

. Following the defeat of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the titles were abolished or fell into abeyance with the erection of the modern

Republic of Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

Margraves and Dukes of Austria under the House of Babenberg

The March of Austria, also known as ''Marcha Orientalis'', was first formed in 976 out of the lands that had once been the

March of Pannonia March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 21 ...

in Carolingian times. The oldest attestation dates back to 996, where the written name "ostarrichi" occurs in a document transferring land in present-day Austria to a Bavarian

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

. In 1156, the Privilegium Minus elevated the march to a

duchy A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a country, territory, fiefdom, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or Queen regnant, queen in Western European tradition. There once existed an important differe ...

, independent of the

Duchy of Bavaria The Duchy of Bavaria () was a frontier region in the southeastern part of the Merovingian kingdom from the sixth through the eighth century. It was settled by Bavarians, Bavarian tribes and ruled by List of rulers of Bavaria, dukes (''duces'') ...

Dukes and Archdukes of Austria under the House of Habsburg

Count Rudolf of Habsburg, elected as king of Germany (1273), was able during 1276–1278 to decisively defeat his main rival, the Bohemian king Ottokar II, and to regain his Austrian domains back for the Empire. By his imperial authority, Rudolf later (1282) invested his sons Albrecht and Rudolf with the duchies of Austria and Styria, thereby securing them for the

. Austria remained under Habsburg rule for more than 600 years, forming the core of the

Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...

and the present-day country of

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

. The most important Austrian rulers until the Victory at Vienna in 1683 are described in the book Symmetria iuridico Austriaca.

Possessions (and partitions) of Austria under Habsburg domain

Table of rulers

In 1806 the

was dissolved.

Emperors of Austria (1804–1918)

House of Habsburg-Lorraine

Following the dissolution of the

, Francis created his own Empire of Austria. Following the defeat in

, the Empire was dissolved in 1918.

References

Works cited

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Monarchs of Austria * Austria history-related lists

it:Sovrani d'Austria