Military in the Province

The result of the analysis of the shares of the estates and the central state in the military administration of Upper Austria from 1801 to 1848 is quite differentiated. Of course, the dynamics of war and peace noticeably changed the course of the military administration and the central state`s possibilities. However, it also became clear that the state was able to fulfil its tasks precisely where well-established administrative apparatuses already existed (for example in the area of recruitment). In the area of the militia and the construction of fortresses, however, the estates could and had to perform an important supplementary function in order to enable the monarchy to realise military projects, especially during the Napoleonic Wars. Only in phases of peace and consolidation did military agendas (especially of an economic nature) return to the area of central state supremacy without any significant resistance from the estates. The results of my study enable two things in particular: Firstly, it provides insights into the constitution of the civil authorities and the military administration in Upper Austria in the first half of the 19th century. Secondly, it allows conclusions to be drawn about the ruling structure of the entire Habsburg Monarchy during this period - especially for the Austro-Bohemian core state - and makes the period from 1792 appear far less "modern" than previously assumed just a few decades ago. The work thus provides a case study of the negotiation process regarding the distribution of administrative tasks and financial burdens and makes a contribution to the discussion about state formation in the Habsburg Monarchy.