Francis II formally brings to an end the 1000-year-old Holy Roman Empire, to keep it from the clutches of Napoleon

Napoleon marries the Austrian archduchess Marie Louise, daughter of the emperor Francis I

An uprising in Vienna leads to the resignation, on the following day, of the long-serving chancellor Klemens von Metternich

Another uprising in Vienna causes the emperor Ferdinand I to flee for safety to Innsbruck

Suppression of unrest in Hungary provokes a third violent uprising in Vienna and another flight by Ferdinand I, this time to Olomouc

18-year-old Francis Joseph becomes emperor of Austria when his uncle, Ferdinand I, abdicates at the end of a year of unrest

Nationalist leader Lajos Kossuth announces the independence of Hungary and the deposition of the Habsburg dynasty

The Habsburgs recover power in both Austria and Hungary

A French and Piedmontese army liberates Milan from Austrian rule

French and Piedmontese forces defeat the Austrians decisively at Solferino, in a battle involving appalling casualties

The Prussians achieve the first blitzkrieg in their Seven Weeks' War defeat of the Austrians

The terms of the treaty of Prague, ending the Seven Weeks War, make plain the transfer of German leadership from Austria to Prussia

Austrian rule ends in the Venetian territories, which now join the new kingdom of Italy

Francis Joseph, emperor of Austria, is also crowned king of Hungary – to become ruler of the 'dual monarchy' of Austria-Hungary

A revival of the Prussian Zollverein, or customs union, includes all the German states except Austria

A congress in Berlin agrees that Austria may administer the Turkish province of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Austria annexes Bosnia-Herzegovina, in response to the policy of the Young Turks in Istanbul

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip

Austria-Hungary plans to attack Serbia, in response to the assassination of the archduke, and seeks a guarantee of German support

Germany promises to support Austria-Hungary if a strike against Serbia provokes war with Russia

Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, following this with bombardment of the Serbian capital, Belgrade

The Austrian attack on Serbia causes Russia to mobilize her army

In response to the tsar's mobilization of his troops, Germany declares war on Russia

France declares war on the empire of Austria-Hungary

Britain declares war on the empire of Austria-Hungary