94-506: Roesler is a red Austrian wine grape developed in 1970 by Dr. Gertraud Mayer at Höhere Bundeslehranstalt und das Bundesamt für Wein- und Obstbau in Klosterneuburg , Austria. It is the result of a crossing Zweigelt x (Seyve-Villard 18-402 x Blaufränkisch ). It is named after the former director of Austria's oldest viticultural college, Leonard Roesler (1839–1910), who was a German-Austrian chemist and oenologist . The variety
188-570: A 20% death rate in the new hospital; the city nevertheless became preeminent in the medical field in the next century. Joseph's policy of religious "toleration" was the most aggressive of any state in Europe. Probably the most unpopular of all his reforms was his attempted modernization of the highly traditional Catholic Church , which in medieval times had helped establish the Holy Roman Empire beginning with Charlemagne . Calling himself
282-561: A Lodge himself. Freemasonry attracted many anticlericals and was condemned by the Church. Joseph's feelings towards religion are reflected in a witticism he once spoke in Paris. While being given a tour of the Sorbonne 's library, the archivist took Joseph to a dark room containing religious documents and lamented the lack of light which prevented Joseph from being able to read them. Joseph put
376-562: A best friend and confidant in her husband's sister, Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen . The marriage of Joseph and Isabella resulted in the birth of a daughter, Maria Theresa . Isabella was fearful of pregnancy and early death, largely a result of the early loss of her mother. Her own pregnancy proved especially difficult as she suffered symptoms of pain, illness and melancholy both during and afterward, though Joseph attended to her and tried to comfort her. She remained bedridden for six weeks after their daughter's birth. Almost immediately on
470-577: A definite system for the good of all. He undertook the spread of education, the secularization of church lands, the reduction of the religious orders and the clergy, in general, to complete submission to the lay state, the issue of the Patent of Toleration (1781) providing limited guarantee of freedom of worship , and the promotion of unity by the compulsory use of the German language (replacing Latin or in some instances local languages)—everything which from
564-495: A hierarchy under himself as a supreme autocrat. The personnel of government was expected to be imbued with the same dedicated spirit of service to the state that he himself had. It was recruited without favor for a class or ethnic origins, and promotion was solely by merit. To further uniformity, the emperor made German the compulsory language of official business throughout the Habsburg Monarchy, which affected especially
658-417: A literate citizenry, elementary education was made compulsory for all boys and girls, and higher education on practical lines was offered for a select few. Joseph created scholarships for talented poor students and allowed the establishment of schools for Jews and other religious minorities. In 1784 he ordered that the country change its language of instruction from Latin to German, a highly controversial step in
752-499: A local speciality. Blauer Zweigelt and Pinot noir wines are also made here, as well as a little Eiswein. Further downstream, just outside Vienna lies Klosterneuburg . As the biggest private wine estate in the country, the abbey has played a formative role in Austrian wine for the last 900 years. The Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology was the world's first college of viticulture and continues to play an important part in
846-595: A long growing season, resulting in crisp, aromatic and full-bodied wines. The warm humid climate and steep hills make this one of the toughest places in Austria to be a vigneron . Southwest of Graz lie ancient vineyards which mainly produce a cult rosé called Schilcher . Made from the indigenous Blauer Wildbacher grape, genuine Schilcher carries a mark with a white horse, after the Lipizzaners bred in Piber for
940-473: A man of the Enlightenment he ridiculed the contemplative monastic orders, which he considered unproductive. Accordingly, he suppressed a third of the monasteries (over 700 were closed) and reduced the number of monks and nuns from 65,000 to 27,000. The Church's ecclesiastical tribunals were abolished and marriage was defined as a civil contract outside the jurisdiction of the Church. Joseph sharply cut
1034-569: A multilingual empire. By the 18th century, centralization was the trend in medicine because more and better-educated doctors were requesting improved facilities. Cities lacked the budgets to fund local hospitals, and the monarchy wanted to end costly epidemics and quarantines. Joseph attempted to centralize medical care in Vienna through the construction of a single, large hospital, the famous Allgemeines Krankenhaus , which opened in 1784. Centralization worsened sanitation problems, causing epidemics and
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#17328023925351128-633: A parent of the Orémus (Zéta) grape used in Tokaji . There were high hopes for Goldburger , a cross between Welschriesling and Orangetraube bred in Klosterneuburg, but after an initial wave of planting, enthusiasm has dimmed. Zierfandler (Spätrot) and Rotgipfler are local grapes of the Thermenregion, and are often blended together as Spätrot-Rotgipfler . It is worth noting that Pinot gris
1222-424: A single and egalitarian tax on land. The goal was to modernize the relationship of dependence between the landowners and peasantry, relieve some of the tax burden on the peasantry, and increase state revenues. Joseph looked on the tax and land reforms as being interconnected and strove to implement them at the same time. The various commissions he established to formulate and carry out the reforms met resistance among
1316-536: A visit to his sister the queen of France, Marie Antoinette of Austria , traveling under the name of "Count Falkenstein". He was well received and much flattered by the Encyclopedists, but his observations led him to predict the approaching downfall of the French monarchy, and he was not impressed favorably by the French army or navy. In 1778, he commanded the troops collected to oppose Frederick, who supported
1410-743: A visit with the Russian empress Catherine, which started talks that would later lead to the Austro-Russian Alliance (1781) , including an offensive clause to be used against the Ottomans. This was a significant diplomatic development, as it neutralised the previous Russian-Prussian alliance which had threatened the monarchy into peace during the War of the Bavarian Succession. The agreement with Russia would later lead Austria into
1504-572: A wide variation in soils, all kinds of grape varieties are made here, many being made into heurigen wines. Perhaps the most interesting wines are the Spätrot-Rotgipflers, made from a blend of the local varieties Zierfandler (Spätrot) and Rotgipfler, both of which are white grapes despite their names. The east side of the Neusiedler See is also known as Seewinkel, "corner of the lake". The shallow Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl)
1598-690: Is archaeological evidence of grape growing in Traisental 4000 years ago. Grape seeds have been found in urns dating back to 700 BC in Zagersdorf , whilst bronze wine flagons of the Celtic La Tène culture dating to the 5th century BC have been found at Dürrnberg in Salzburg state. Viticulture thrived under the Romans, once Marcus Aurelius Probus ( Roman emperor 276–282) had overturned
1692-541: Is based on the Klosterneuburger Mostwaage (KMW), which measures the sugar content of the grapes at harvest in a way similar to the Öchsle scale , where 1°KMW is ~5°Oe. The " Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus " has three categories, all for dry wines: Districtus Austriae Controllatus, Latin for "Controlled District of Austria", is the new geographical appellation, similar to the French AOC or
1786-505: Is deep in colour and with abundant extract. It is frost resistant and can withstand temperatures as low as -25°C (-13°F). It is also resistant to mildew . This wine grape –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Austrian wine Austrian wines are mostly dry white wines (often made from the Grüner Veltliner grape), though some sweeter white wines (such as dessert wines made around
1880-490: Is generally a part-time job for wine-growers; their produce is sold mainly in the numerous Heurigen . Südsteiermark (South Styria), near the Slovenian border, is mainly Sauvignon blanc country—however, the 1,950 hectares of vineyards also include Welschriesling, Morillon, Muskateller and Traminer. Soil types include sandstone , shale , clay and shelly limestone . The combination of warm days and cool nights gives
1974-551: Is known as Ruländer in Austria, and sometimes as Grauburgunder; Pinot blanc is known as Weißburgunder or Weissburgunder, and Sauvignon blanc is called Muskat Sylvaner. Riesling plays a much smaller role than in Germany, but the relatively small amount grown is used for some of Austria's most appreciated dry white wines. Zweigelt (sometimes called Zweigeltblau, a Blaufränkisch × St. Laurent cross) and Blauburger (Blaufränkisch × BlauerPortugieser) were bred at Klosterneuburg in
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#17328023925352068-460: Is one of the few places on earth where noble rot attacks grapes reliably every year. This means that botrytised dessert wines can be made more easily, and hence sold more cheaply, than in other areas famous for this style of wine. Increasingly, red wine is also being made in this region. The "hill country" to the west of the lake offers a diversity of terrain that is reflected in the number of grape varieties and styles of wine made here. Perhaps
2162-519: Is quite similar to the Wachau. To the north of Krems lies Langenlois , which is the main town of Kamptal, the valley of the river Kamp . The sandstone slopes are so steep that only a thin layer of soil is retained, and exposure to the sun is high. Riesling thrives on these steep slopes; closer to the Danube the valley broadens and more red grapes are grown. To the south of Krems lies Herzogenburg, at
2256-414: The 1756 defensive pact between France and Austria. (The bride's mother, Princess Louise Élisabeth , was the eldest daughter of Louis XV of France and his popular wife, Queen Marie Leczinska . Isabella's father was Philip, Duke of Parma .) Joseph loved his bride, Isabella, finding her both stimulating and charming, and she sought with special care to cultivate his favor and affection. Isabella also found
2350-467: The Kingdom of Hungary . The Diet of Hungary was stripped of its prerogatives, and not even called together. As privy finance minister, Count Karl von Zinzendorf (1739–1813) introduced a uniform system of accounting for state revenues, expenditures, and debts of the territories of the Austrian crown. Austria was more successful than France in meeting regular expenditures and in gaining credit. However,
2444-461: The Neusiedler See ) are also produced. About 30% of the wines are red, made from Blaufränkisch (also known as Lemberger, or as Kékfrankos in neighbouring Hungary ), Pinot noir and locally bred varieties such as Zweigelt . Four thousand years of winemaking history counted for little after the " antifreeze scandal " of 1985, when it was revealed that some wine brokers had been adulterating their wines with diethylene glycol . The scandal destroyed
2538-643: The Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 18 August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 29 November 1780 until his death. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Emperor Francis I , and the brother of Marie Antoinette , Leopold II , Maria Carolina of Austria , and Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma . He
2632-525: The list of wine producing countries by volume (2011). As can be seen from the table, Grüner Veltliner is the dominant white grape in Austria, producing generally dry wines ranging from short-lived Heuriger wines to Spätleses capable of long life. The ancient Welschriesling variety is used in the noble rot dessert wines of the Neusiedlersee; it also makes undistinguished dry wines for drinking young, as does Müller-Thurgau (Rivaner). Neuburger
2726-489: The power of the state when directed by reason . As an absolutist ruler, however, he was also convinced of his right to speak for the state uncontrolled by laws, and of the wisdom of his own rule. He had also inherited from his mother the belief of the House of Austria in its "August" quality and its claim to acquire whatever it found desirable for its power or profit. He was unable to understand that his philosophical plans for
2820-490: The 16th century, but the Thirty Years War and others of the 17th century took their toll, as much due to the heavy taxation of the period as the direct disruption of war. Various drink taxes were unified in 1780, as part of a drive by Maria Theresa and Joseph II to encourage viticulture. An imperial decree of 17 August 1784 gave birth to the distinctive Austrian tradition of inns called Heurigen . Derived from
2914-527: The 1920s and now account for nearly half of Austria's red wine. The former can be made into powerful wines for ageing, the latter is easier to grow and is generally blended; both are also made into a lighter style for drinking young. Blaufränkisch and Blauer Portugieser are the traditional red grapes of the region, being part of the blend of Hungary's Egri Bikavér . The former is the more "serious" variety, Blauer Portugieser produces fresh, fruity red wines for drinking young. Saint Laurent came from France in
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3008-463: The Austrian capital. Vines were grown within the city walls of Vienna in the Middle Ages, although they have now been pushed into the outskirts. Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc are grown on the limestone soils towards Klosterneuburg, whereas red grapes do better on the rich soil to the south of the city. Field blends known as Gemischter Satz are common here, and most wine is drunk young in
3102-403: The Austrian dominions. As emperor, he had little true power, and his mother had resolved that neither her husband nor her son should ever deprive her of sovereign control in her hereditary dominions. Joseph, by threatening to resign his place as co-regent, could induce his mother to abate her dislike for religious toleration. He could and did place a great strain on her patience and temper, as in
3196-626: The Austrians have made real efforts to improve matters. At present there are three systems—the traditional system based on the German scheme, a different classification used only in the Wachau , and a new system of regional appellations called DACs that is being trialled in the Weinviertel. The existing system was based on the German system during World War II , but was modified after 1985. It
3290-454: The Emperor was obvious to Frederick II of Prussia, who, after their first interview in 1769, described him as ambitious, and as capable of setting the world on fire. The French minister Vergennes , who met Joseph when he was traveling incognito in 1777, judged him to be "ambitious and despotic". After the death of his father in 1765, he became emperor and was made co-regent by his mother in
3384-429: The German for "new wine", the decree allowed all winemakers to sell home-grown food with their wine all year round. Fir trees hung above the door alerted customers to the arrival of the new season's wine. The 19th century saw the arrival of all sorts of biological invaders. First there was powdery mildew ( Uncinula necator ) and downy mildew ( Peronospora ). One response to these fungal diseases from North America
3478-475: The Great had seen off the threat from Magyar incursions in 955, Austrian viticulture was nurtured by the Church and encouraged among the populace at large. The first vineyard names recorded are Kremser Sandgrube in 1208, and Steiner Pfaffenberg in 1230. Rudolf IV introduced the first wine tax, Ungeld , in 1359, as Vienna established itself as a centre for wine trading on the Danube. The wine business boomed in
3572-437: The Great of Russia and Frederick the Great of Prussia as one of the three great Enlightenment monarchs. False but influential letters depict him as a somewhat more radical philosophe than he probably was. His policies are now known as Josephinism . He was a supporter of the arts, particularly of composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri . He died with no known surviving legitimate offspring and
3666-616: The Habsburg monarchy the greatest of the European powers. His main goal was to acquire Bavaria, if necessary in exchange for the Austrian Netherlands , but in 1778 and again in 1785 he was thwarted by King Frederick II of Prussia, whom he feared greatly; on the second occasion, a number of other German princes, wary of Joseph's designs on their lands, joined Frederick's side. Joseph's travels through Russia in 1780 included
3760-746: The Italian DOCG . Regional wine committees award the DAC to wines typical of their region. There are now ten DACs: In 2005 Austria had 51,213 hectares of vineyard, almost all of it in the east of the country. Of these 31,425 ha are in the state of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) and 15,386 ha in Burgenland which together make up Weinland Österreich. Steiermark (Styria) accounts for 3,749 ha, Wien (Vienna) 621 ha and there are 32 ha in "the Austrian Mountains" (Bergland Österreich), which covers
3854-535: The South Burgenland, Eisenberg reflects the red, iron-rich soil which imparts a distinct spiciness to the Blaufränkisch grown here. A speciality here is Uhudler wine, made from hybrids with North American species such as Isabella , Concord , Delaware , Noah , Elvira and Ripadella , which was banned for a while after the 1985 scandal. There are 621 ha of vineyards within the city limits of
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3948-530: The addition of a little diethylene glycol , more commonly found in antifreeze , which imparted sweetness and body to the wine. The adulteration was difficult to detect chemically—the 'antifreeze scandal' broke when one of them tried to claim for the cost of the chemical on his tax return. Although the amounts of glycol were less dangerous than the alcohol in the wine, and only a few middlemen were involved, exports collapsed and some countries banned Austrian wine altogether. The antifreeze jokes persist, but in fact
4042-635: The back of their newfound parenthood, the couple then endured two consecutive miscarriages—an ordeal particularly hard on Isabella—followed quickly by another pregnancy. Pregnancy was again provoking melancholy, fears and dread in Isabella. In November 1763, while six months pregnant, Isabella fell ill with smallpox and went into premature labor, resulting in the birth of their second child, Archduchess Maria Christina (b.d November 22 1763), who died shortly after being born. Progressively ill with smallpox and strained by sudden childbirth and tragedy, Isabella died
4136-510: The ban on growing grapes north of the Alps. Both Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling appear to have been grown around the Danube since Roman times. Viticulture suffered with the invasions of Bavarians, Slavs and Avars after the fall of the Roman Empire , but from 788 the rule of Charlemagne saw considerable reconstruction of vineyards and introduction of new grape presses. Once Otto
4230-452: The by now completely estranged French Queen. When Maria Theresa died, Joseph started issuing edicts, over 6,000 in all, plus 11,000 new laws designed to regulate and reorder every aspect of the empire. The spirit of Josephinism was benevolent and paternal. He intended to make his people happy, but strictly in accordance with his own criteria. Joseph set about building a rationalized, centralized, and uniform government for his diverse lands,
4324-713: The case of the First Partition of Poland and the War of the Bavarian Succession of 1778–1779, but in the last resort the empress spoke the final word. Therefore, until the death of his mother in 1780, Joseph was never quite free to follow his own instincts. During these years, Joseph traveled much. He met Frederick the Great privately at Neisse in 1769 (later painted in The Meeting of Frederick II and Joseph II in Neisse in 1769 ), and again at Mährisch-Neustadt in 1770;
4418-528: The centre of Traisental, which was only designated as a wine district in 1995. Mostly Grüner Veltliner is grown here, which is made into a fresh style for drinking young. Between Krems and Vienna lies the Wagram, which covers two very different areas. North of the Danube is the plateau of Wagram , where the Grüner Veltliner is a bit more full-bodied and aromatic, and Roter Veltliner is something of
4512-664: The city's heurigen. Under a 2002 amendment to the wine laws, Steirerland (the modern Austrian state ) replaced Steiermark as the name for Styria on wine. The many extinct volcanoes east of Graz give a rich soil which imparts a spiciness to the variety of grapes grown in Southeast Styria. The climate is a little cooler here, especially at night, giving a long growing season resulting in wines that are crisp, aromatic and full bodied. Thirteen hundred hectares of vineyards are cultivated—all located around Klöch , Sankt Anna am Aigen and Straden and situated primarily on
4606-470: The crown and taxes were levied upon all income derived from land. The landlords, however, found their economic position threatened, and eventually reversed the policy. Indeed, in Hungary and Transylvania, the resistance of the magnates was such that Joseph had to content himself for a while with halfway measures. Of the five million Hungarians, 40,000 were nobles, of whom 4,000 were magnates who owned and ruled
4700-547: The culture of wine production in Austria towards an emphasis on quality, as opposed to the low standards that permitted the scandal to happen in the first place. The Austrian Wine Marketing Board was created in 1986 as a response to the scandal, and Austria's membership of the European Union has prompted further revisions of her wine laws, notably the new DAC system of geographical appellations launched in 2002 (see Classification section below). Today Austria lies 16th in
4794-401: The destruction of the autonomous guilds, already weakened during the age of mercantilism. Joseph II's tax reforms and the institution of Katastralgemeinde (tax districts for the large estates) served this purpose, and new factory privileges ended guild rights while customs laws aimed at economic unity. Physiocratic influence also led to the inclusion of agriculture in these reforms. To produce
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#17328023925354888-488: The development of wine in Austria. The Weinviertel lies in the northeast corner of Austria, between the Danube and the Czech and Slovak borders. The biggest single wine region in Austria is home to half the Grüner Veltliner in the country (subject of the first DAC), and considerable amounts of Welschriesling , but most of Austria's varieties can be found here. Even sparkling wine is made from Riesling and Grüner Veltliner in
4982-484: The event of Frederick's death, was to advance into Prussia and demand Silesia (a territory Frederick had conquered from Maria Theresa in the War of the Austrian Succession ). However, Frederick recovered, and thereafter became wary and mistrustful of Joseph. Joseph was also eager to enforce Austria's claim on Bavaria upon the death of the elector Maximilian III in 1777. In April of that year, he paid
5076-455: The events of Joseph II's last years also suggest that the government was financially vulnerable to the European wars that ensued after 1792. The Emperor also attempted to simplify the administration of his dominions, often a patchwork of states united in personal union by the Habsburg monarch. As an example, in 1786 he abolished the separate administration of the Duchy of Mantua , merging it with
5170-463: The example of his contemporary (and sometimes rival) King Frederick II of Prussia . His practical training was conferred by government officials, who were directed to instruct him in the mechanical details of the administration of the numerous states composing the Austrian dominions and the Holy Roman Empire. Joseph married Princess Isabella of Parma in October 1760, a union fashioned to bolster
5264-503: The expensive and largely futile Austro-Turkish War (1787–1791) . Joseph II travelled with only a few servants on horseback as "Count Falkenstein". He preferred to stop at a regular inn—forcing Catherine II to convert a wing of her palace, cajoling her gardener to act as inn-keeper. Joseph's participation in the Ottoman war was reluctant, attributable not to his usual acquisitiveness, but rather to his close ties to Russia, which he saw as
5358-422: The far northeast around Poysdorf. The deep soils between Vienna and the Neusiedlersee are rapidly establishing a reputation for well-balanced red wines made from Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch. Being close to Vienna and full of history, the area is a popular area to visit. The spa region south of Vienna saw two wine regions, Gumpoldskirchen and Bad Vöslau , merged in 1985. Climatically similar to Burgundy, with
5452-681: The following week. The loss of his beloved wife and their newborn child was devastating for Joseph, after which he felt keenly reluctant to remarry, though he dearly loved his daughter and remained a devoted father to Maria Theresa. For political reasons, and under constant pressure, in 1765, he relented and married his second cousin , Princess Maria Josepha of Bavaria , the daughter of Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor , and Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria . This marriage proved extremely unhappy, albeit brief, as it lasted only two years. Though Maria Josepha loved her husband, she felt timid and inferior in his company. Lacking common interests or pleasures,
5546-526: The guardian of Catholicism, Joseph II struck vigorously at papal power . He tried to make the Catholic Church in his territories the tool of the state, independent of Rome. Clergymen were deprived of the tithe and ordered to study in seminaries under government supervision, while bishops had to take a formal oath of loyalty to the crown. He financed the large increase in bishoprics, parishes, and secular clergy by extensive sales of monastic lands. As
5640-408: The land; most of the remainder were serfs legally tied to particular estates. After the collapse of the peasant revolt of Horea , 1784–1785, in which over a hundred nobles were killed, the emperor acted. His Imperial Patent of 1785 abolished serfdom but did not give the peasants ownership of the land or freedom from dues owed to the landowning nobles. It did give them personal freedom. Emancipation of
5734-478: The man at rest by saying "Ah, when it comes to theology, there is never much light." Thus, Joseph was undoubtedly a much laxer Catholic than his mother. In 1789 he issued a charter of religious toleration for the Jews of Galicia , a region with a large Yiddish-speaking traditional Jewish population. The charter abolished communal autonomy whereby the Jews controlled their internal affairs; it promoted Germanization and
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#17328023925355828-463: The market for Austrian wine and compelled Austria to tackle low standards of bulk wine production, and reposition itself as a producer of quality wines. The country is also home to Riedel , makers of some of the most expensive wine glasses in the world. Some of the best producers of Austria include Weingut Bründlmayer , Weingut F.X. Pichler and Weingut Franz Hirtzberger, Weingut Nikolaihof, Weingut Knoll, Weingut Tement, and Weingut Sattlerhof. There
5922-448: The mid-19th century, and seems to have substantial Pinot noir (Blauerburgunder) parentage; St Laurent has a reputation for being problematic to grow, but can produce good quality wine. Blauer Wildbacher is probably an indigenous wild grape variety, used to make a cult rosé called Schilcher in western Styria. Rössler is the latest variety to be bred at Klosterneuburg. Since joining the EU
6016-526: The most famous is the Ruster Ausbruch dessert wine from the western shore of the lake. The Mittelburgenland is a southern continuation of the forested hills to the west of the Neusiedlersee. The nickname "Blaufränkischland" reflects the dominant variety here, which is the subject of the only red wine DAC and can be very good, the Bordeaux varieties also do well here. The most famous vineyard of
6110-428: The moulding of humanity could meet with pardonable opposition. Joseph was documented by contemporaries as being impressive, but not necessarily likable. In 1760, his arranged consort , the well educated Isabella of Parma, was handed over to him. Joseph appears to have been completely in love with her, but Isabella preferred the companionship of Joseph's sister, Marie Christine of Austria . The overweening character of
6204-592: The necessary price to be paid for the security of his people. After initial defeats, the Austrians won a string of victories in 1789, including the capture of Belgrade , a key Turkish fortress in the Balkans. These victories however would not amount to any significant gains for the monarchy. Under the threat of Prussian intervention and with the worrying state of the revolution in France, the Treaty of Sistova of 1791 ended
6298-540: The neighbouring Duchy of Milan . Local opposition to the change forced his successor Leopold II to reverse this measure and restore the duchy in 1791. The busy Joseph inspired a complete reform of the legal system, abolished brutal punishments and the death penalty in most instances, and imposed the principle of complete equality of treatment for all offenders. He lightened censorship of the press and theatre. In 1781–1782, he extended full legal freedom to serfs . Rentals paid by peasants were to be regulated by officials of
6392-468: The nobility, clergy, merchants and the peasants, since their barter economy lacked money. Joseph also abolished the death penalty in 1787, a reform that remained until 1795. After the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, Joseph sought to help the family of his estranged sister Queen Marie Antoinette of France and her husband King Louis XVI . Joseph kept an eye on the development of
6486-425: The nobility, the peasantry, and some officials. Most of the reforms were abrogated shortly before or after Joseph's death in 1790; they were doomed to failure from the start because they tried to change too much in too short a time, and tried to radically alter the traditional customs and relationships that the villagers had long depended upon. In the cities, the new economic principles of the Enlightenment called for
6580-498: The number of holy days to be observed in the Habsburg monarchy and ordered ornamentation in churches to be reduced. He forcibly simplified the manner in which the Mass (the central Catholic act of worship) was celebrated. Opponents of the reforms blamed them for revealing Protestant tendencies, with the rise of Enlightenment rationalism and the emergence of a liberal class of bourgeois officials. Anti-clericalism emerged and persisted, while
6674-463: The peasantry of feudal burdens, and to remove restrictions on trade and knowledge. In these, he did not differ from Frederick, or his own brother and successor Leopold II, all enlightened rulers of the 18th century. He tried to liberate serfs , but that did not last after his death. Where Joseph differed from great contemporary rulers, and was akin to the Jacobins in the intensity of his belief in
6768-465: The peasants from the Kingdom of Hungary promoted the growth of a new class of taxable landholders, but it did not abolish the deep-seated ills of feudalism and the exploitation of the landless squatters. Feudalism in the Habsburg monarchy finally ended in 1848. To equalize the incidence of taxation, Joseph caused an appraisal of all the lands of the Habsburg monarchy to be made so that he might impose
6862-513: The point of view of 18th-century philosophy, the Age of Enlightenment , appeared "reasonable". He strove for administrative unity with characteristic haste to reach results without preparation. Joseph carried out measures of the emancipation of the peasantry , which his mother had begun, and abolished serfdom in 1781. In 1789, he decreed that peasants must be paid in cash payments rather than labor obligations. These policies were violently rejected by
6956-634: The relationship offered little for Joseph, who confessed he felt no love (nor attraction) for her in return. He adapted by distancing himself from his wife to the point of near total avoidance, seeing her only at meals and upon retiring to bed. Maria Josepha, in turn, suffered considerable misery in finding herself locked in a cold, loveless union. Four months after the second anniversary of their wedding, Maria Josepha grew ill and died from smallpox. Joseph neither visited her during her illness nor attended her funeral, though he later expressed regret for not having shown her more kindness, respect, or warmth. One thing
7050-538: The rest of the country. The four main wine regions are split into 16 districts. This narrow valley of the Danube around Melk is reminiscent of the great wine areas of the Rhine, with steep terraces that produce world-class Grüner Veltliner and Riesling wines. Climatically and geologically it marks the transition from the Alps to the Hungarian plains, leading to a diverse array of microclimates and terroir , with
7144-413: The revolution, and became actively involved in the planning of a rescue attempt. These plans failed, however, either due to Marie Antoinette's refusal to leave her children behind in favor of a faster carriage or Louis XVI's reluctance to become a fugitive king. Joseph died in 1790, making negotiations with Austria about possible rescue attempts more difficult. It was not until 21 June 1791 that an attempt
7238-403: The rival claimant to Bavaria. This was the War of the Bavarian Succession . Real fighting was averted by the unwillingness of Frederick to embark on a new war and by Maria Theresa's determination to maintain peace. However, the war cost Joseph most of his influence over the other German princes, who were wary of his potential designs on their lands, and looked to Frederick as their protector. As
7332-604: The river moderating the effects of the cold Alpine winds. As mentioned above, the Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus still clings to its own classification of Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd, reserved for wines that are made 100% from Wachau grapes. Downstream of the Wachau lies the Kremstal region, centred on the town of Krems . The valley opens out a little, the climate is a little warmer allowing more red wine to be produced, but otherwise Kremstal
7426-399: The scandal was the saviour of the industry in Austria. Strict new regulations restricted yields among other things, producers moved towards more red wine and a dry style of white wine that was what the 1990s market would demand, and the middlemen went bust forcing producers to sell direct and encouraging the expression of local terroir . Perhaps most importantly, there was a massive change in
7520-546: The slopes of the extinct volcanoes which characterize the landscape. Some vineyards are up to 650 m above sea level. The main grape varieties grown in this region are Welschriesling , Chardonnay (called Morillon), Weißburgunder (Pinot blanc) and Grauburgunder (Pinot gris), Gelber Muskateller , the Traminer family, Sauvignon blanc and Riesling ; red wines feature Zweigelt as well as other grapes, including St. Laurent or Blauburgunder (Pinot noir). Viticulture
7614-462: The son of Francis I, Joseph succeeded him as titular Duke of Lorraine and Bar , which had been surrendered to France on his father's marriage, and titular King of Jerusalem and Duke of Calabria (as a proxy for the Kingdom of Naples ). The death of Maria Theresa on 29 November 1780 left Joseph free to pursue his own policy, and he immediately directed his government on a new course, attempting to realize his ideal of enlightened despotism acting on
7708-474: The traditional Catholics were energized in opposition to the emperor. Joseph's Patent of Toleration in 1781 was a major shift away from the inquisitive religious policies of the Counter Reformation that were previously predominant in the monarchy. Limited religious freedom of worship was given to major non-Catholic Christian sects, although conversion from Catholicism was still restricted. This
7802-543: The two rulers initially got along well. On the second occasion, he was accompanied by Prince Kaunitz , whose conversation with Frederick may be said to mark the starting point of the First Partition of Poland. To this and to every other measure which promised to extend the dominions of his house, Joseph gave hearty approval. Thus, when Frederick fell severely ill in 1775, Joseph assembled an army in Bohemia which, in
7896-430: The union did provide him was the improved possibility of laying claim to a portion of Bavaria, though this would ultimately lead to the War of the Bavarian Succession . Joseph never remarried. In 1770, Joseph's only surviving child, the seven-year-old Maria Theresa, became ill with pleurisy and died. The loss of his daughter was deeply traumatic for him and left him grief-stricken and scarred. Lacking children, Joseph II
7990-531: The wearing of non-Jewish clothing. The Habsburg Empire also had a policy of war, expansion, colonization and trade as well as exporting intellectual influences. While opposing Prussia and Turkey, Austria maintained its defensive alliance with France and was friendly to Russia though trying to remove the Danubian Principalities from Russian influence. Mayer argues that Joseph was an excessively belligerent, expansionist leader, who sought to make
8084-627: Was followed by the Edict of Tolerance in 1782, removing many restrictions and regulations on Jews. The Secularization Decree issued on 12 January 1782 banned several monastic orders not involved in teaching or healing and liquidated 140 monasteries (home to 1484 monks and 190 nuns). The banned monastic orders: Jesuits, Camaldolese , Order of Friars Minor Capuchin , Carmelites , Carthusians , Poor Clares , Order of Saint Benedict , Cistercians , Dominican Order (Order of Preachers), Franciscans , Pauline Fathers and Premonstratensians , and their wealth
8178-479: Was made , with the help of Count Fersen , a Swedish general who had been favored at the courts of both Marie Antoinette and Joseph. The attempt failed after the King was recognized from the back of a coin. Marie Antoinette became increasingly desperate for help from her homeland, even giving French military secrets to Austria. Nevertheless, even though Austria was at war with France at the time, it refused to directly help
8272-488: Was succeeded by his younger brother Leopold II . He was baptised under the full name Josephus Benedictus Joannes Antonius Michael Adamus, born an archduke of Austria. Joseph was born in the midst of the early upheavals of the War of the Austrian Succession . His formal education was provided through the writings of David Hume , Edward Gibbon , Voltaire , Jean-Jacques Rousseau , and the Encyclopédistes , and by
8366-527: Was supposedly found as flotsam in the Danube in the 1850s, but is now known to be a cross between Silvaner and the ancient Roter Veltliner . Frühroter Veltliner is also known as Malvasier, suggesting a link to the Malvasia grape family of the Eastern Mediterranean. Muscat Ottonel is used in dessert wines from the Neusiedlersee, as is Bouvier, which is related to the muscat family and is
8460-577: Was taken over by the Religious Fund. His anticlerical and liberal innovations induced Pope Pius VI to pay him a visit in March 1782. Joseph received the Pope politely and showed himself a good Catholic, but refused to be influenced. On the other hand, Joseph was very friendly to Freemasonry , as he found it highly compatible with his own Enlightenment philosophy, although he apparently never joined
8554-480: Was the founding in 1860 of what became the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at Klosterneuburg . Then the phylloxera root aphid arrived in 1872 and wiped out most of the vineyards of central Europe . Although it took several decades for the industry to recover, it allowed lower quality grapes to be replaced with better varieties, particularly Grüner Veltliner . After World War I , Austria
8648-556: Was the third biggest wine producer in the world, much being exported in bulk for blending with wine from Germany and other countries. However that intensification of viticulture sowed the seeds of its own destruction. During the twentieth century Austrian wine became a high-volume, industrialised business, with much of it being sold in bulk to Germany. A run of favourable years in the early 1980s saw massive yields of wines that were light, dilute and acidic, that nobody wanted. Wine brokers discovered that these wines could be made saleable by
8742-553: Was thus the first ruler in the Austrian dominions of the union of the Houses of Habsburg and Lorraine , styled Habsburg-Lorraine . Joseph was a proponent of enlightened absolutism ; however, his commitment to secularizing, liberalizing and modernizing reforms resulted in significant opposition, which resulted in failure to fully implement his programs. Meanwhile, despite making some territorial gains, his reckless foreign policy badly isolated Austria. He has been ranked with Catherine
8836-402: Was ultimately succeeded by his younger brother, who became Leopold II . Joseph was made a member of the constituted council of state ( Staatsrat ) and began to draw up minutes for his mother to read. These papers contain the germs of his later policy, and of all the disasters that finally overtook him. He was a friend to religious toleration, anxious to reduce the power of the church, to relieve
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