List of Prime Ministers of the Austrian Empire
In the Austrian Empire , the office of Prime Minister was created in the Revolution of 1848. He was the head of government and chaired the ministers, together with them he formed the Council of Ministers. Before that there was an Austrian Council of State, which was headed by the Kaiser himself, with individual specialist ministers always assuming a certain leadership position. For example, Johann Philipp von Stadion from 1805 to 1809 or Klemens Wenzel Fürst von Metternich , who was even awarded the title of State Chancellor in 1821 (like Anton Corfiz Ulfeldt in 1742 and Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg in 1753 ).
The prime minister was appointed and dismissed by the emperor; there was no parliamentary control. With the death of Felix Fürst zu Schwarzenberg in the spring of 1852, so - called neo - absolutism was fully established and the office of Prime Minister was not filled again. Instead, the emperor was again alone in charge of the ministers. However, there was a chairman of the Ministerial Conference, as the ministers' meeting was henceforth called. Of course, this at least had a coordinating role among the ministers. In 1867, with the settlement, the dual monarchy was divided into a western and an eastern half of the empire, each with its own head of government.
State Chancellor
Prime Minister
- Count Franz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky : March 20, 1848 - April 19, 1848
- Karl Ludwig Graf von Ficquelmont : April 19, 1848 - May 4, 1848
- Franz Freiherr von Pillersdorf : May 4, 1848 - July 8, 1848
- Anton Freiherr von Doblhoff-Dier : July 8, 1848 - July 18, 1848
- Johann Freiherr von Wessenberg-Ampringen : July 18, 1848 - November 21, 1848
- Prince Felix zu Schwarzenberg : November 21, 1848 - April 5, 1852
Chair of the Ministerial Conference
- Karl Ferdinand Graf von Buol-Schauenstein : April 11, 1852 - August 21, 1859 (The actual head of government was Interior Minister Alexander von Bach .)
- Johann Bernhard Graf von Rechberg and Rothenlöwen : August 21, 1859 - February 4, 1861
- Rainer Ferdinand of Austria : February 4, 1861 - June 26, 1865 (Actual head of government: Minister of State Anton von Schmerling )
- Alexander Graf von Mensdorff-Pouilly : June 26, 1865 - July 27, 1865
- Richard Count Belcredi : July 27, 1865 - February 7, 1867
- Friedrich Ferdinand Graf von Beust : February 7, 1867 - December 30, 1867