From the Ottoman conquest of Hungary in 1526, the Balkan peninsula was fought over by Habsburgs, Turks and Venetians. At the end of the seventeenth and beginning of the eighteenth century, the Ottomans were gradually driven back, and the Habsburg Empire reached the height of its territorial expansion in 1908 with the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Balkans have always been a politically complex region marked by ethnic and religious diversity.
The Habsburg dynasty: Here you can read potted biographies, examine portraits from seven centuries and dip into the historical contexts of past epochs.
Select a period in Habsburg history, from the beginnings of Habsburg rule in the Middle Ages to the collapse of the Monarchy during the First World War.
The map shows the territorial development of the Habsburg Monarchy as it evolved into a sprawling, geographically fragmented empire.
Monarchical rule was legitimized by descent. The classic form of representing these relationships is the genealogical table or family tree.
Collected themes - browse stories and anecdotes from the history of the Habsburg Monarchy.
Most viewed stories
Choose from various themes to access and explore the history of the Habsburg Monarchy, for example 'work', 'love' or 'death'.
Journey through the different epochs of Habsburg history from the Middle Ages to the First World War.
All the members of the Habsburg dynasty. Read biographical notes and explore the historical context.
