La Bataille d' Eggmuhl 1809

Austrians Cannot Control Uprisings

Frederick William, the Black Duke, by Johann Christian August Schwartz

While the Black Duke would become a legend for some, his overall performance should not warrant the historical good press he has received over the years. His death at Quatre Bras in 1815, no doubt, has a large part to play in this occurrence. The final play Emperor Francis had to play was close to home. As one of the conditions of the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805, Austria ceded the region of Tyrol to Bavaria. Tyrol had been ruled by the Hapsburgs for hundreds of years. Tyrol had developed under Austrian rule a certain amount of autonomy. Its citizens had more freedoms and there was less adherence to feudalism than in most of Europe. For example, Tyrol was a much more democratic composition to its local legislature. Andreas Hofer, who was an innkeeper, was an influential member of the Tyrolean Landtag. Tyrol was comfortable in its Hapsburg skin; when Bavaria took over administration of Tyrol, it did so with a heavy hand and irritated its new subjects to no end. Not only, was Bavaria making onerous manpower demands for its army, but it also wanted to institute a regionwide smallpox vaccination program.

Tyrol Rebellion Key Play For Francis

By early 1809, Hofer made a visit to Vienna and petitioned Emperor Francis to intervene on Tyrol’s behalf—a commitment the Hapsburg emperor was glad to make. Furthermore, Francis’ brother, the Archduke John, was a strong advocate for Hofer. With the Tyrolean promise to rise up against Bavaria, Francis was ready to unleash his war against Napoleon and his Bavarian allies.

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