From Empire to Oblivion: Situating the Transformation of the Habsburg Empire in a Eurasian Context from the Eighteenth Century to the First World War

In this essay, I situate the Habsburg Monarchy in Eurasian imperial context by bringing together a variety of recent secondary literature dealing with Habsburgs and examples empires world history. doing so, show how paralleled diverged from other polities that have been more consistently identified as empires. also offer schema for thinking about terms both uniformly they are organized internally (i.e., unitary are) extent to which can enforce will center (how much like state are). This draws inspiration number works, chiefly Karen Barkey’s Empire Difference Valerie Kivelson’s Ronald Suny’s Russia’s Empires. By applying schema, argue certainly embodied some characteristics empire, even its agents sought transform it into something similar but still distinct emerging nation states elsewhere. underwent dramatic consolidation eighteenth nineteenth centuries many transformations challenges experienced period were broadly those or faced. begin defining “empire” showing fit definition century. then discuss attempts reform unitary, less structurally polity, though keep mind ways retained characteristics. Specifically, examine role nationalism supporting challenging rule. Finally, destabilizing faced, particular elite consensus international legitimacy (or lack thereof).