Austro-Prussian War
The pretext for the conflict was found in the dispute between Prussia and Austria over the administration of Schleswig-Holstein, which the two of them had conquered from Denmark and agreed to jointly occupy at the end of the Second Schleswig War in 1864. When Austria brought the dispute before the German Diet and also decided to convene the Diet of Holstein, Prussia declared that the Gastein Convention had thereby been nullified and invaded Holstein. When the German Diet responded by voting for a partial mobilization against Prussia, Bismarck claimed that the German Confederation was ended. Crown Prince Frederick "was the only member of the Prussian Crown Council to uphold the rights of the Duke of Augustenburg and oppose the idea of a war with Austria which he described as "fratricide"". Although he supported unification and the restoration of the medieval empire, "Fritz could not accept that war was the right way to unite Germany."
Compendium of postage stamp issuers (Ar–Az)
Before 1913, the individual states had their own issues.
The Austrian Empire was formed in 1804 to anticipate the dissolution in 1806 of the ancient and
maligned Holy Roman Empire by Napoleon. Austria, home of the Habsburg dynasty, had been the
central part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the aftermath of Waterloo, Austria was one of the
strongest nations in Europe and its foreign minister Metternich became the architect of the
Concert of Europe which was able to maintain peace in a divided continent for several decades.
Hungary, the land of the Magyars that lies to the east of Austria, was part of the Austrian
Empire at that time but it constantly sought control of its own affairs.
Austria faced a crisis after its defeat by Prussia in the Seven Weeks War of 1866. To
consolidate his power, the Emperor Franz Josef negotiated in March 1867 the Ausgleich
(Compromise) with the Magyar ruling classes. As a result, Hungary gained control of its
internal affairs and the two states of Austria and Hungary were federated into what became
commonly known as the Dual Monarchy. The words Kaiserliche und Königliche on Austrian stamps
refer to the Empire of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary, both titles being held by Franz
Josef. The Dual Monarchy endured until the end of WWI.
Austria and Hungary had separate postal administration from the time of the Ausgleich although
it was not until May 1871 that Hungary could issue its first stamps. In the meantime, a set of
"neutral" stamps were issued that showed a profile of Franz Josef and a value.
The fact of the Dual Monarchy was emphasised in stamps issued abroad by Austro-Hungarian post
offices or military forces. Hence, reference should be made to Austria and Hungary separately
re home issues and to the various Austro-Hungarian entries for overseas issues.