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) The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia ( German: Preußen or Preussen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... 1866 is a common year starting on Monday. ...

1866 is a common year starting on Monday. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... The battle of Königgrätz, by Georg Bleibtreu The battles of the Austro-Prussian War (1866) were: 24 June, Battle of Custoza: Austrian army defeats a combined Italo-Prussian army; 27 June, Battle of Trautenau: Austrians check Prussian advance but with heavy losses 27 June, Battle of Langensalza: Hanover... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia ( German: Preußen or Preussen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Kia Categories: Automobile stubs | Kia | Hyundai | Automobile manufacturers | South Korea | South Korean companies ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Kia Categories: Automobile stubs | Kia | Hyundai | Automobile manufacturers | South Korea | South Korean companies ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Causes

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 that would include the multi-national empire of Austria, and the other (preferred by Prussia) was a Kleindeutschland that would exclude Austria and be dominated by Prussia. The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1804 until 1815. ... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... Grossdeutschland (literally Greater Germany) is a term that has been used in two separate contexts over history. ... For the German Neighbourhood Kleindeutschland in New York see Little Germany, New York Kleindeutschland (literally Small Germany) was a 19th century political idea postulating the idea of a unified Germany led by Hohenzollern Prussia, with Berlin as capital, and excluding the Austrian Empire. ...

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. Alternative meanings: See Bismarck (disambiguation). ... Chancellor ( Latin: cancellarius), an official title used by most of the peoples whose civilization has arisen directly or indirectly out of the Roman empire. ... Events January-March January 10 - End of term for John Gately Downey, 7th Governor of California. ... Second war of Schleswig also known as Danish war or Danish-Prussian war in 1864 was fought between Denmark and Prussia. ... Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the 16 Bundesländer in Germany. ...

Alliances

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. With an area of 18,400 sq. ... With an area of 70,553 km² and 12. ... For other uses, see Baden (disambiguation). ... Württemberg (often spelled Wurttemberg in English) refers to an area and a former state in Swabia, a region in south-western Germany. ... Alternate meanings: Hanover (district), Hanover (region), Hanover (state), other uses Map of Germany showing Hanover Hanover (in German: Hannover [haˈnoːfɐ]), on the Leine river, is the capital of the state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) in Germany. ... Hesse-Kassel (Hessen-Kassel) was a German principality that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1568 upon the death of Landgrave Philip of Hesse and his eldest son Wilhelm IV inherited the northern portion and established his capital in Kassel. ... Nassau is the capital city of the Bahamas. ...

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. This page is about Oldenburg in the German state of Lower Saxony. ... Mecklenburg, located in Northern Germany, was a duchy within the Holy Roman Empire, then divided, and after 1815 two Grand Duchies, then a state, and now part of the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. ... Braunschweig may also refer to the administrative region of Germany. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Venetia is a name used mostly in a historical context for the area of north-eastern Italy formerly under the control of the Republic of Venice and corresponding approximately to the present-day Italian administrative regions of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. ... Irredentism is claiming a right to territories belonging to another state on the grounds of common ethnicity and/or prior historical possession, actual or alleged. ... Italian unification, also known as Risorgimento (resurrection), was a historical process by which the Kingdom of Sardinia (ruled by the Savoy dynasty with Turin as its capital) gradually conquered the Italian peninsula, including the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Duchy of Modena, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy...

Notably, the other foreign powers abstained from this war. French Emperor Napoleon III, who expected an Austrian 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. The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... The Rhine canyon (Ruinaulta) in Graubünden in Switzerland Length 1. ... The Russian Federation (Russian: Росси́йская Федера́ция, transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija), or Russia (Russian: Росси́я, transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of eastern Europe and northern Asia. ... The Crimean War lasted from 28 March 1854 to 1856. ...

Course of the War

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 July 3. Superior Prussian organization and élan 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. Bohemia is also a place in the State of United States of America: see Bohemia, New York. ... Graf Moltke Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (October 26, 1800 - April 24, 1891), who became Helmuth Graf von Moltke in 1870, was a famous Prussian general. ... Please be advised that the factual accuracy of Wikipedia articles dealing with topics related to the Oder-Neisse Line is often disputed. ... Wilhelm I of Germany Wilhelm I, (March 22, 1797 - March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871-1888 and king of Prussia, ruled 1861-1888. ... Battle of Königgrätz Conflict Austro-Prussian War Date 20 July 1866 Place Sadová, Bohemia Result Decisive Prussian victory In the Battle of Königgrätz or Battle of Sadowa of July 3, 1866, the Austro-Prussian War was decided in favor of Prussia. ... July 3 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Johann Nicholas von Dreyse (1787 - 1867) is most famous for producing in 1836 the Needle Gun thought of by some to be the first bolt-action rifle. ... The Dreyse needle-gun (German das Zündnadelgewehr or figuratively firing-pin rifle) was a military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the Prussians in 1866 and of the Germans in 1870 and 1871. ...

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 June 27, 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. Langensalza is a town located in Thuringia, Germany, with a 1960 population of 16,000. ... June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... For other uses, see Main (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in Germany. ... Frankfurt am Main [ˈfraŋkfʊrt] is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth largest city of Germany. ...

The Austrians were more successful in their war with Italy, defeating the Italians on land at the battle of Custoza (June 24) and on sea at the battle of Lissa (July 20). 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 the Italian government to seek an armistice with Austria, on 12 August. According to Treaty of Vienna, signed on October 12, Austria-Hungary ceded Venetia to France, which in turn ceded it to Italy. Battle of Custoza Conflict Austro-Prussian War Date 24 June 1866 Place Italy Result Inconclusive The Battle of Custoza (1866) was fought (22 June 1866) during the Italian campaign of the Austro-Prussian War (also known as Third Independence war in Italian unification process). ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... The Battle of Lissa was a naval battle between Austrian and Italian forces, in the Adriatic Sea, near the island of Lissa (now Vis) on 20 July 1866. ... Giuseppe Garibaldi (July 4, 1807 - June 2, 1885) was a brilliant guerrilla fighter and Italys most famous soldier of the Risorgimento. ... The Hunters of the Alps (Cacciatori delle alpi) was a special corp created by Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1859 to help the regular army to free the northern part of Italy. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... Trentino-Alto Adige or Trentino-South Tyrol (in German: Trentino-Südtirol, in Italian: Trentino-Alto Adige) is an autonomous region in northern Italy. ... A view of Trento from Castello del Buonconsiglio. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... Venetia is a name used mostly in a historical context for the area of north-eastern Italy formerly under the control of the Republic of Venice and corresponding approximately to the present-day Italian administrative regions of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. ...

Aftermath

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 August 23, 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. This left Prussia 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 French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... 1866 is a common year starting on Monday. ... The German Confederation (German Deutscher Bund) was a loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the 16 Bundesländer in Germany. ... Hanover (German Hannover) is a historical territory in todays Germany. ... Hesse-Kassel (Hessen-Kassel) was a German principality that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1568 upon the death of Landgrave Philip of Hesse and his eldest son Wilhelm IV inherited the northern portion and established his capital in Kassel. ... Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire. ... Frankfurt am Main [ˈfraŋkfʊrt] is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth largest city of Germany. ... The North German Confederation (German Norddeutscher Bund), a transitional grouping which existed (1867 - 1871) between the dissolution of the German Confederation and the founding of the German Empire, cemented Prussian control over the 22 states of Northern Germany and emanated that same control (via the Zollverein) into southern Germany. ... National flag of all Slavs approved on the Pan-Slav convention in Prague in 1848 The 19th century movement Pan-Slavism was a movement in the mid 19th century aimed at unity of all the Slavic peoples. ...

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, and then to accede to the crowning of King Wilhelm as German Emperor. United Germany would become by far the strongest power in Europe. Battle of Gravelotte Main article: Battle of Gravelotte Battle of Sedan Main article: Battle of Sedan The French were soundly defeated in several battles owing to the military superiority of the Prussian forces and their commanders. ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The term German Empire (Deutsches Reich) commonly refers to Germany, from its consolidation as a unified nation-state on January 18, 1871, until the abdication of Kaiser ( Emperor) Wilhelm II on November 9, 1918. ...