Chancellor of Austria - History

History

The use of the term Chancellor (Kanzler) (Latin cancellarius) in the Austrian lands can be traced back as far as the ninth century, when the office of the Archchancellor (Erzkanzler), later Imperial Chancellor (Reichserzkanzler) was created as the highest office within the Holy Roman Empire.

The Emperor Maximilian I (1493 - 1519) in 1498 attempted to counter the spiritual power of the Reichserzkanzler, a title associated with the Archbishopric of Mainz with a more secular position of Court Chancellor (Hofkanzlei), but the two became merged. These were also the times when attempts were made to balance Imperial absolutism by the creation of Imperial Governments (Reichsregiment), ultimately a failure.

When Maximilian was succeeded by Ferdinand I (1503–1564) (Archduke of Austria 1521-1564) the separate position of Austrian Chancellor appeared as a Österreichische Hofkanzlei, around 1526, but soon merged with the equivalent office of the Holy Roman Empire (1559 - 1620).

Emperor Charles V (1519-1556) appointed Mercurino Gattinara (1521-1530) as "Grand Chancellor of all the realms and kingdoms of the king" (Großkanzler aller Länder und Königreiche). Under Leopold I (1658 – 1705) the term again became Hofkanzler with Johann Paul Freiherr von Hocher (1667-1683), and Theodor von Strattman (1683-1693).

The eighteenth century was dominated by Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg (13 May 1753 – 19 August 1792), who was Chancellor to four emperors from Maria Theresa to Francis II (1792-1835), with the titles of both Hofkanzler and Staatskanzler and was succeeded by Johann Philipp von Cobenzl (1792-1793). Cobenzl was dismissed by Francis II over the Partition of Poland and was succeeded by Johann Amadeus Francis de Paula (Baron Thugot) (1793-1800). Thugot's chancellorship did not survive the Austrian defeats by the French at the battles of Marengo and Hohenlinden in 1800 and he was replaced by Johan Ludwig Joseph Cobenzl (1800-1805), his predecessor's cousin, but who in turn was dismissed following the Austrian defeat at Austerlitz in 1805.

With the consequent dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and founding of the Austrian Empire, Francis abdicated the former Imperial Throne, but remained Francis I of Austria in 1806. He had replaced Cobenzl with Johan Philip Charles Stadion (1805-1809) the previous year, but his career was in turn cut short in 1809 following yet another Austrian defeat by Napoleon at the Battle of Wagram and subsequent humiliation at the Treaty of Schönbrunn. The term Chancellor or Staatskanzler was not used again till 1821.

Prince Metternich was appointed by Francis I to the positions of Hofkanzler and Staatskanzler (25 May 1821 to 13 March 1848). However there is some opinion that the title was not used between Kaunitz-Rietberg's resignation in 1792 and 1821.

From 1848 the position became that of Minister-President, with the exception of Friedrich Ferdinand Beust (1867-1871) the title only re-emerging at the birth of the First Republic after the First World War when Karl Renner (12 November 1918 – 7 July 1920) was appointed Reichskanzler. From 1920 the term Staatskanzler was once again used.