Voor een nieuw Oostenrijk : aartshertog Johan als legerhervormer en generaal 1805-1809

Abstract

A survey into the origins of the army reforms of Archduke John of Austria 1805-1809. The thesis claims that the army reforms were not merely aimed at reforming the army, but through the army the political, social en economical structure of the Empire as well. John was influenced intellectually by his father, the emperor Leopold II, and Johannes von Müller, a Swiss historian of the early romantic school. John of Austria saw that limited warfare was something of the 18th century, and tried to realize a style of warfare that he thought would be more suited to a people's war. The survey ends with a chapter on the war of 1809, looks into Johns experiences in its campaigns and concludes that the Austrian defeat meant the defeat of the reform party in Habsburg politics as well.