Austria struggled during the French Revolution. It lost a war to France and was neglected in the Second Partition of Poland, when the 1790 Polish-Prussian Pact was signed. The French had occupied the Low Countries and persuaded neutral Britain, the Dutch Republic and Spain into the War of the First Coalition. However, the Austrian Netherlands were given to the Austrians. Poland continued to be separated, and at the third official separation, Austria gained crucial territories. All of Europe was in ripe condition for dictators and influential monarchs, including the young general Napoleon Bonaparte, who marched through the Alps and into Vienna, promising lands for the Austrians.

When Bonaparte proclaimed himself emperor of the French in 1804, Francis I saw the writing on the wall for the old Empire and decided to take the titles of Emperor of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor. Napoleon continued to conquer and annex lands, such as Italy, Genoa and Parma. The European states realised Napoleon’s threat and the War of the Third Coalition began. However, Napoleon defeated the coalition and Austria was forced to give up many territories, such as Tyrol, Bavaria, Baden and Wurttember. Yet, Salzburg was annexed to Austria.

In the following three years, Austria, ruled by Philipp Stadion, tried to balance peace with France. However, the overthrow of the Spanish Bourbons in 1808 deeply disturbed the Hapsburgs, who went to war out of desperation in 1809, without allies on the continent. Stadion’s attempts to generate uprisings in Germany were aborted, and the Russians strengthened their bonds with France. Napoleon suffered his first battle defeat in a decade in the 1809 Battle of Aspern-Essling. The same year witnessed the Treaty of Schönbrunn, which forced Austria to give up Salzburg to Bavaria, some of which was in Poland, close to Russia, as well as its territory on the Adriatic, including much of Carinthia and Styria.

The Austrian minister of foreign affairs Klemens von Metternich wanted to establish a pro-French policy. The Austrian king’s daughter married Napoleon, and Austria contributed troops to Bonaparte’s invasion of Russia in 1812. However, Napoleon suffered a great defeat to Russia, which resulted in Prussia’s retreat to the Russian side in the beginning of 19th Century. Metternich then began to shift his policy, seeking peace with France and its continental enemies. Napoleon, however, did not desire compromise and was finally defeated at Waterloo.