For centuries the house of Austria has been very
powerful in Europe, though the Austrian empire can count but sixty
years. Rudolph of Hapsburg, the first member of his line who rose to
great eminence, in the latter part of the thirteenth century, founded
the house of Austria. While holding the imperial throne, he obtained for
his own family Austria, Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola; but it was not
till several generations after his death, and in the fifteenth century,
that the imperial dignity became virtually, though not in terms,
hereditary in the Hapsburg line. For several centuries, down to the
extinction of the office, there was no Emperor of Germany who was not of
that family. Every effort to divert the office from that house ended in
failure. The consequence was, that the house of Austria became the first
of reigning families; and at one time it seemed about to grasp the
sceptre of the world. When the Empire ceased to exist, the Austrian
empire, though of later creation than the French empire of Napoleon I.,
had that appearance of antique grandeur which has so great an effect on
men's minds. It was looked upon as ancient because the imperial family
really was ancient, and could trace itself back through almost twelve
hundred years, to the sixth century, though in places the tracing was of
the most shadowy character.
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