Francis I

Emperor of Austria
1768-1835

Despite copping hiding after hiding at the hands of the French, Austria refused to accept the fact its armies could not compete on the field of battle with that of the upstart revolutionaries.

As the most conservative empire in Europe, with its hegemony over a large number of different ethnic nations, Austria was most endangered by the ideals of the French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte.

Despite fielding large armies against Bonaparte, Austria lost prestige and huge territories in the years of war that followed the French Revolution and the rise of Bonaparte.

In 1810, Francis agreed to his daughter, Marie-Louise, marrying the French emperor and that began a three-year peace.

In 1813, however, his nation joined the Sixth Coalition and played a huge part in defeating his son-in-law.