The 19th century Austro-Hungarian Navy

1 19th century

1.1 modernising navy
1.2 novara expedition
1.3 second schleswig war
1.4 third italian war of independence
1.5 peace-time
1.6 polar expedition

the 19th century

officers , men of austrian navy in 1820.

in 1802 archduke charles of austria, acting in role inspector general of navy ordered formation of naval cadet academy in venice (cesarea regia scuola dei cadetti di marina), move trieste in 1848 , - under later name of imperial , royal naval academy (k.u.k. marine-akademie) - fiume (now rijeka, croatia), remained until world war i.

the navy gained first influential supporter when archduke charles third son archduke friedrich entered service in 1837. young archduke introduced many modernizing reforms, aiming make country s naval force less venetian , more austrian . in 1844 archduke friedrich promoted vice-admiral , commander-in-chief of navy, died 1 year later @ age of twenty-six.

austrian warships had first military encounters during oriental crisis of 1840 part of british-led fleet ousted viceroy of egypt, muhammad ali, ottoman syria. archduke friedrich took part in campaign , awarded military order of maria theresa exceptional leadership.

archduke ferdinand maximilian in naval uniform, c. 1864.


modernising navy

in 1849 dane hans von dahlerup appointed commander-in-chief of austrian navy. introduced many personal , other reforms , imposed in navy replacement of italian language german language. in following years strength of navy reached 4 frigates, 6 corvettes, 7 brigs, , smaller ships.

in 1854 younger brother of reigning emperor franz joseph took office commander-in-chief of austrian navy. archduke ferdinand maximilian twenty-two @ time. archduke friedrich s distant relative trained navy, , threw himself new career zeal. carried out many reforms modernise naval forces, , instrumental in creating naval port @ trieste battle fleet admiral wilhelm von tegetthoff later secure victories in italian war.

in venice naval shipyard retained. here austrian screw-driven gunboat kerka (crew: 100) launched in 1860 (in service until 1908). venice lagoon flotilla of austrian warships was, in 1864, moored in front of church of san giorgio , included screw-driven gunboat ausluger, paddle-steamer alnoch, , 5 paddle-gunboats of types 1 iv.

novara expedition

from novara expedition: sketch of coca plant.



main article: novara expedition


s.m.s. novara commemorative coin, issued austria in 2004.

archduke ferdinand maximilian initiated large-scale scientific expedition (1857–1859) during frigate sms novara became first austrian warship circumnavigate globe. journey lasted 2 years , 3 months , accomplished under command of kommodore bernhard von wüllerstorf-urbair, 345 officers , crew, , 7 scientists aboard. expedition planned imperial academy of sciences in vienna , aimed gain new knowledge in disciplines of astronomy, botany, zoology, geology, oceanography , hydrography. sms novara sailed trieste on 30 april 1857, visiting gibraltar, madeira, rio de janeiro, cape town, st. paul island, ceylon, madras, nicobar islands, singapore, batavia, manila, hong kong, shanghai, puynipet island, stuarts, sydney (5 november 1858), auckland, tahiti, valparaiso , gravosa before returning trieste on 30 august 1859.

in 1863 royal navy s battleship hms marlborough, flagship of admiral fremantle, made courtesy visit pola, main port of austro-hungarian navy.

in april 1864 archduke ferdinand maximilian stepped down commander-in-chief of navy , accepted throne of mexico louis napoleon, becoming maximilian of mexico. traveled trieste veracruz aboard sms novara, escorted frigates sms bellona (austrian) , thémis (french), , imperial yacht phantasie led warship procession palace @ schloß miramar out sea. when arrested , executed 4 years later, admiral wilhelm von tegetthoff sent aboard novara take ferdinand maximilian s body austria.

second schleswig war

the second schleswig war 1864 invasion of schleswig-holstein prussia , austria. @ time, duchies part of kingdom of denmark. rear-admiral wilhelm von tegetthoff commanded small austrian flotilla traveled mediterranean sea north sea.

on may 9, 1864, tegetthoff commanded austrian naval forces in naval action off heligoland flagship, screw-driven sms schwarzenberg. action tactical victory danish forces. last significant naval action fought squadrons of wooden ships , last significant naval action involving denmark.

tegetthoff (centre) @ battle of lissa, painting anton romako, 1880


third italian war of independence


screw-driven corvette erzherzog friedrich in 1868, veteran of battle of lissa

on 20 july 1866, near island of vis (lissa) in adriatic, austrian fleet, under command of rear-admiral wilhelm von tegetthoff, made name in modern era @ battle of lissa during third italian war of independence. battle pitted austrian naval forces against naval forces of newly created kingdom of italy. decisive victory outnumbered austrian on superior italian force, , first major european sea battle involving ships using iron , steam, , 1 of last involve large wooden battleships , deliberate ramming.

peace-time

in 1873 new sail , steam frigate sms laudon (crew 480) added fleet, took part in international naval review off gruž in 1880.

during peace-time austrian ships visited asia, north america, south america, , pacific ocean.

in 1869 emperor franz joseph travelled on board screw-driven corvette sms viribus unitis (not confused later battleship of same name) opening of suez canal. ship had been named after personal motto.

polar expedition

austro-hungarian ships , naval personnel involved in arctic exploration, discovering franz josef land during expedition lasted 1872 1874.

led naval officer karl weyprecht , infantry officer , landscape artist julius payer, custom-built schooner tegetthoff left tromsø in july 1872. @ end of august got locked in pack-ice north of novaya zemlya , drifted hitherto unknown polar regions. on drift when explorers discovered archipelago named after emperor franz joseph i.

in may 1874 payer decided abandon ice-locked ship , try return sledges , boats. on 14 august 1874 expedition reached open sea , on 3 september set foot on russian mainland.