As a history lover I have often heard the name Habsburg, but beyond the fact that they were monarchs, I didn't pay too much attention to them. Until recently that is. I mean we're talking about a family who has at one time or another ruled most of Europe and beyond. Check out this list of their domains:
- Austria (Core hereditary lands)
- Hungary
- Czech Republic (Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia)
- Slovakia
- Slovenia (Carinthia, Carniola, Styria)
- Croatia (Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, Dalmatia)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Poland (Southeastern parts / Galicia-Lodomeria)
- Ukraine (Southwestern parts)
- Romania (Transylvania and northern regions)
- Serbia (Vojvodina)
And:
- Spain (Spanish Empire)
- Portugal (Ruled in a dynastic union from 1580 to 1640)
- The Netherlands (Austrian/Spanish Netherlands, including modern Belgium and Luxembourg)
- Italy (Parts including Milan, the Mezzogiorno/Kingdom of Naples, Sicily, Tuscany, Lombardy-Venetia, and Trieste)
- Germany (The Holy Roman Empire)
With:
- Mexico (Briefly ruled by Emperor Maximilian I of the Habsburg-Lorraine line from 1864 to 1867)
- Colonial territories across the Americas, Asia, and Africa tied to the Spanish and Austrian empires.
Sure they were also at times stark raving mad, horribly inbred and completely out of control, but I can't simply ignore them anymore. I found a documentary that serves as a good first step to give an overview of this immense family, and although I believe it's AI voiced, it is still a good start. You can't just sit down and absorb this much history in one go. I liked it and I hope you will too.
That's that and all that. Join me again next time and until then, have a great week!
