THE INFLUENCE OF THIRTEEN YEARS' WAR ON AUSTRIAN HABSBURGH HOUSE'S POSITION IN THE XVII CENTURY INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Abstract

This is an article evaluating the place that the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy held in the system of international relations during the Thirteen Years' War. The author reflects on the specifics of the act of studying the history of international relations in the said period, and concludes by proposing the existence of three planes of relations beetwen Austrian Habsburg House and other political actors: European, Empirial, and Austrian. Through looking at these planes the author is able to elaborate on his concept of progression of the Thirteen Years' War and the role that the Austrian Habsburgs played in it. The following conclusions are reached. The place in international relations to which the Habsburg Monarchy came in the middle of XVII century was largely determined by negotiations held at 1646's Westphalia Congress. A transformation of external policy of the Habsburg House can be seen from 1648 to 1668. The Habsburg Dynasty has kept their position in the Holy Roman Empire de-facto the same as pre-war. All main actors opposing the Austrian politity (the existence of which is proposed by author) were eliminated during the war.