Book contents
- The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars
- The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars
- The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Maps
- Key to maps
- Tables
- Contributors to Volume II
- Introduction to Volume II
- Part I The Nature of Warfare in the Napoleonic Era
- Part II The State of the Armed Forces
- Part III Raising and Supplying the Armies
- 12 Logistics and Supply
- 13 Arms and Weaponry
- 14 Funding War (1): Napoleonic France
- 15 Funding War (2): Britain
- 16 Funding War (3): The Habsburg Empire
- Part IV Napoleon’s Military Campaigns in Europe
- Part V Other Spheres of War
- Bibliographical Essays
- Index
16 - Funding War (3): The Habsburg Empire
from Part III - Raising and Supplying the Armies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 December 2022
- The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars
- The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars
- The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Maps
- Key to maps
- Tables
- Contributors to Volume II
- Introduction to Volume II
- Part I The Nature of Warfare in the Napoleonic Era
- Part II The State of the Armed Forces
- Part III Raising and Supplying the Armies
- 12 Logistics and Supply
- 13 Arms and Weaponry
- 14 Funding War (1): Napoleonic France
- 15 Funding War (2): Britain
- 16 Funding War (3): The Habsburg Empire
- Part IV Napoleon’s Military Campaigns in Europe
- Part V Other Spheres of War
- Bibliographical Essays
- Index
Summary
Waging war has always been a very expensive endeavour, requiring a solid basis for economic power in order to finance it. In the eighteenth century warring sides frequently resorted to financial help from their well-heeled allies. This chapter examines the peculiar challenges that confronted the Habsburg Empire as it sought to raise funds and resources to sustain its wars against France. Despite the economic and financial problems and the military losses of every single war of the Habsburg monarchy it managed to remain in war against France until 1809. The Habsburg monarchy waged these wars with a great number of soldiers, getting its lands occupied by the enemy and its economy attacked by bad money, yet found a way to remain liquid until state bankruptcy in 1811. In spite of these economic, financial and military crises Austria persevered as European player.
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- The Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars , pp. 309 - 324Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023