16 CultureShock! Austria
failed in their siege. Although they did not take Vienna, they
maintained control of Hungary and remained a powerful and
ever-present enemy on Austria’s doorstep.
The Thirty Years War waged from 1618 to 1648, pitting
Catholics against Protestants, and left Austria somewhat
weaker for the ordeal. The situation was compounded by
the Plague, which devastated Vienna in 1679. Thus Vienna
seemed easy prey to the Turks, who once again laid siege
to the city in the summer of 1683. Prince Eugene of Savoy,
a clever military commander, proved instrumental in the
struggle against the Turks, who were finally firmly defeated.
As a consequence, the Turks ceded control of Hungary (which
included present-day Romania) and Croatia to Austria.The 18th Century
War of the Spanish Succession
In 1700, the Spanish line of the Habsburgs died out. The War
of the Spanish Succession erupted as the Austrian line of the
Habsburg dynasty attempted to reclaim its former territories.
Ultimately, Austria lost the Spanish possessions, but was able
to regain control of Italy and the Netherlands.The Baroque Period
With the Turks no longer a threat, and with the end of a
second plague in 1713, new life was breathed into Vienna.
As the Habsburgs and the accompanying nobility moved
into the city, it became an imperial melting pot of Czechs,
Poles and Hungarians, among others. During the 18th
century, the population doubled to 200,000. No longer
needing the protection of walls, the city overflowed into
the suburbs. Economically, the region surged forward. The
arts were summarily promoted and there was a frenzy of
creative activity in literature, music and architecture. Austria
enthusiastically entered the Baroque period, which reached
its highest point under Karl VI.Maria Theresa (1740–80)
In 1713, Karl VI, who had no male heir, changed the law to
allow daughters the right of succession, and thereby ensured