Habsburg
Habsburg (Hapsburg) Austrian royal dynasty, a leading ruling house in Europe from the 13th to 19th century. It became a major force when Rudolf I was elected king of the Germans (1273). He established the core of the Habsburg dominions in Austria. The Habsburgs ruled the Holy Roman Empire from 1438 to 1806. Under Charles V, their dominions included the Low Countries, Spain and its empire, and parts of Italy. From 1556, the house divided into Austrian and Spanish branches. The Spanish branch ended in 1700, and the male line of the Austrian branch, in 1740. Maria Theresa, though losing Silesia, re-established the house as Habsburg-Lorraine. By 1867, the Habsburg Empire was reduced to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It ended in 1918, when Charles I was deposed.
More From encyclopedia.com
NEARBY TERMS
Habsburg
