East European Studies

The book is neither a grand narrative of European history nor a narrative of specific rulers. It is an attempt to view the Habsburg family as the product of a grounded iconology which the family itself had created for centuries. One can therefore argue that this book is a variation of postmodernist history, a school of thought which synthesizes innovation and hypotheses, common sense and logic. The book is not oriented towards the recreation of important events in the history of the Habsburgs it is oriented towards academic self-efficacy.
 
Summary
In the early 1200s, Count Rudolf I was elected king of Germany. He was entitled to become the Holy Roman emperor. In 1278, Rudolf defeated and killed Ottokar II, the nominal king of Bohemia. Austria and Styria fell under his control. His two sons were granted control over these regions. Over the past centuries, the Habsburgs sought political control over regions in Spain, Italy, and France. In 1453, Friedrich III assumed the throne of the Holy Roman Empire. He firmly believed that Austria was the superior nation among the European family of states. In pursuit of this belief, he declared war against Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary. He captured the city of Vienna. Maximilian, his immediate successor, married Maria of Burgundy, acquiring additional land for the Habsburg family. His other son, Philip was married to Joan, daughter of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. They had two sons Charles I and Ferdinand I. Charles became the king of Spain in 1516 and Ferdinand ruler of the Austrian kingdom. In 1519, Charles was crowned Charles V, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He acquired territories in Italy, France, the Low Countries, and Eastern Europe, and fought the Turks in several campaigns in the Balkans.
   
Charles then abdicated the thrones of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. His son, Philip II, ruled Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Ferdinand I ruled over the German territories. From 1500 to 1700, the Habsburgs were involved in several political intrigues, wars with the Turks, and prevalent religious rebellions. During the War of the Austrian Succession, Maria Theresa, Austrias empress, successfully retained control of Austria and Hungary. At the close of the 18th century, Austrias preeminence was eclipse by Napoleonic France. Napoleon abolished the Holy Roman Empire  the bastion of Habsburg control. Even with the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, the Habsburg power was weakening. In 1918, the Allied Powers defeated the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which led to the dissolution of the monarchy.

Ideas and Themes
From the moment of its inception, the Habsburg family sought control over strategic territories in Europe. According to the author, this was not an unconscious choice. The Habsburg family had the capacity for building an enterprise of nations because of their familial lineage and military prowess. From the start, intermarriage with the ruling families of Europe was necessary for strengthening the familys position in Europe. Maximilian, for example, arranged the marriage of his two daughters to the kings of Naples and Scotland. Maintaining a large military force was also necessary to combat the advancing Turks in the Balkans.
   
According to the author, it is impossible to understand the nature of the Habsburg family without reference to the political and economic conditions of the 15th and 16th century. The immense wealth of Eastern European kingdoms attracted the Habsburg. Indeed, if the family was to acquire these sources of wealth, it must be positioned in a state of power  the Holy Roman Empire. Control of the Holy Roman Empire ensured the familys political future in Europe.
Focus in the Study of Eastern Europe
   
The history of the Habsburg is undoubtedly related to the history of Austria. In 1500, Austria was a nominal province of the Holy Roman Empire. During the rule of Ferdinand, Austria became a country under nominal control of the Holy Roman Empire. Successive Holy Roman emperors were also rulers of the Austrian nation. During the reign of Maria Theresa, Austria was a large empire covering territories in Southern Germany, Poland, and Hungary.
   
Austrian nationalism was the product of Napoleonic imperialism. Napoleons attempt to subdue Austria was met with strong opposition from both traditionalists and liberals. Herein, the contradiction of aims began to manifest itself. Although Austria was an authoritarian state, it aimed to create a pan-Eastern European family of nations governed by diplomacy and political cooperation. Slowly, Austria was becoming a modern nation.

Evaluation
The book is indeed a departure from the traditional historical narrative. It presents the Habsburg family as a product of historical events (not of incidents). As such, it is important for the reader to always analyze historical conditions prior to historical entities. Indeed, this macroscopic, individualistic approach to the study of history is both complete and multidimensional. The book though failed to substantiate the claim which states that the Habsburg family was the founder of the Austrian nation. A positive response would mean a departure of the accepted approach. A negative response would be tantamount to historical exaggeration.