The Russian entered Hungary to support Austria & the revolution was crushed by late summer 1849. Surrender at Világos

50+ Catholics were closer relatives of Queen Anne but could not inherit the throne after the 1701 Act of Settlement.

MT James Thorne Today 1714: George of Hanover, becomes King George I of Britain, through the 1701 Act of Settlement

The 1849 constitution was suspended & Interior Minister, Alexander Bach, established a policy of absolute centralism.

With President Schwarzenberg's guidance, Austria stopped Prussian schemes for a German Federation excluding Austria.

On 18 February 1853, Franz Joseph survived an assassination attempt by Hungarian nationalist János Libényi.

Franz Joseph was taking a stroll when Libényi approached him & struck him from behind with a knife in the neck.

Franz Joseph almost always wore a high-collared uniform that enclosed the neck and eventually saved his life.

Libényi was put on trial and condemned to death for attempted regicide. He was executed on the Simmeringer Heide.

Some argue that Libényi was actually hanged 8 days after the attack on Franz Joseph at Vienna's Spinner on the Cross.

Franz Joseph's brother took up donations for Vienna’s grand Votivkirche, an offering to God for his deliverance.

Choir of Vienna's Votivkirche funded as a 'votive offering' to God by donations collected by Franz Joseph's brother.

Interestingly, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, FJ's brother, was made Emperor of Mexico (sic) by Napoleon III in 1864.

Today 1781: The crew of British slave ship Zong murders 133 Africans by dumping them in the sea to claim insurance.

Underwater sculpture off Grenada commemorating slaves thrown overboard during the Middle Passage to the West Indies.

The 1850s saw failures of Austrian external policy: the Crimean War, break with Russia & defeat in the Second Italian War of Independence.

Austraia was soon also defeated in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, leading to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.

Vienna's administration (deep pink) & Budapest's (green) under the 1867 "Ausgleich". Jointly mabaged BiH in yellow.

Vienna's administration (pink) & Budapest's (green) under the 1867 "Ausgleich" agreement. Co-managed BiH in yellow.

Coronation of Francis Joseph I & Elisabeth Amalie as monarchs of Hungary at Matthias Church, Budapest, 8 June 1867.