Why didn't Austria expand overseas?

[Lord Baal]

It was as close as you could get back then, a single court, single army, no semi-independant sub monarch (like the Burgundians in France, or every petty baron in the Holy Roman Empire). In fact the only state more clearly defined in that period was England, and it didn't take much for England to fall apart at the seams in the 30 years just prior to then.

In the modern sense, or even in the "Sun King" sense of a nation Spain wasn't there, but frankly at the time it was as close to a unified nation as you could get back then (excepting China, which is always a special case).

True enough, but your previous post implied that it was a unified nation. That's what I was arguing against.

 

[Bel_chg]

I think i have to stop reading only on this forum.
I am Austrian.

Edit: Oh.. Hello to all

Short Summary:
Centuries:
13./14./15. Rising withing the HRE.
From this on mostly the Austrian King was the HRE emperor.
16 Rising outside the HRE.
17 Religios Conlicts!! Raising Power and Influence in Europe
18 Conflicts with the Ottomans
19 Conflicts with the upraising Nationhood, freedom of press ....
20 Start and Loss of the 1. WW
->Divided into several states.

---
Explanation and opinions:
Austria always had enough to do with itself or its neighbours.
Aditionally the austrian had the worst circumstances for being a seapower or a colonial might.(Sea access,Sourounded by strong empires (Russia;French;Prussia;Ottomans;...)...)

The Habsburg dynasty seperated in a austrian and a spanish line.
For a short wile they were owning both.
Many say Historcal Austria = Habsburg until it gets divided. After this Habsburg = Used for Austrian Part of Habsburg.


This 2 has more information as a most Austrian even know
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_colonial_policy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Austria
and had all Information i have already forgotten.

And note:
The Austrian King just was the King of Hungary, Bohemia too
Allready quite complex to explain in German, now i try it in English :>

 

[Vortilex]

I understand German, so when I here English spoken with German grammar, I don't get so confused. When I lived in Austria, the newest Austrian kids spoke like that for a month or so before adjusting Welcome to CFC! I agree with you entirely on why Austria didn't expand overseas (imagine if Libya were Austrian and not Italian though )

 

[Brian Shanahan]

True enough, but your previous post implied that it was a unified nation. That's what I was arguing against.

It was about as unified as you could get, remember it was the unifiacton of two kingdoms with very similar cultures, with only a few fring cultures on the outskirts. The other main competive culture, the Muslim, one was anhilliated and replaced with the Castillian culture.

By modern standards it wasn't unified, but that was more to do with the way states were run back then, i.e. tiny tax base, privilage meaning private law in substance as well as in meaning, church exempt from all laws of man, government solely for the benefit of the ruler. Culturally Spain was recognised as a single unit lon berfore France, Germany or Italy and only very shortly after England.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

The Habsburgs were very keen on maintaining the fiction that each of the places they ruled was technically a separate, independent country. Even in the more unified Austrian empire, Bohemia, Hungary, Lombardy-Venetia, etc. were referred to as if they were independent.