Austria-Hungary (Personal Union)

The Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy
The Austria-Hungary Personal Union is a historical term which refers to the Personal Union between Austria & Hungary before the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The union, established in the early 1700s, saw the House of Habsburgs assume control over the Kingdom of Hungary and it's subsequent integration into the Austrian empire. Before the union, the Kingdom of Hungary had been considered a seperate sovereign realm. Hungary would later restore it's status as a semi-sovereign kingdom within the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1867, after the compromise of 1867 when her status was reduced to partnership in a real union.

Under the dual monarchy, the lands of the House of Habsburg were reorganized as a real union between the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary, headed by a single monarch who reigned as Emperor of Austria in the Austrian half of the empire, and as King of Hungary in Kingdom of Hungary. The Cisleithanian (Austrian) and Transleithanian (Hungarian) states were governed by separate parliaments and prime ministers. In 1723, the territories were completely reorganized and split into five parts, the Illyrian, Austrian, and Moravian kingdoms controlled by Cisleithania and the Transcarpathian and Hungarian kingdoms controlled by Transleithania. The two countries conducted unified foreign diplomatic and defence policies. For these purposes, "common" ministries of foreign affairs and defence were maintained under the monarch's direct authority, as was a third ministry responsible only for financing the two "common" portfolios.