154 Austria-Hungary. 



The Kingdom of Hungary alone (which was joined 

 to the Hapsburg dominions by election of its people 

 in 1526, and under new relations in 1867), with at 

 least 50% Hungarians, is a national unit with a 

 national language (Magyar), while all other parts 

 have in their composition preponderatingly Slavish 

 population, although German elements have the 

 ascendancy more or less everywhere. 



Not less than 10 different languages are spoken 

 among the forty odd million people, of whom the 

 Germans comprise about one-quarter, the Hungarians 

 one-third, the balance being Slavs. 



Originally, this section of the country was occupied 

 by Germans with the German institution of the Mark, 

 but, when the Slavish and Magyar tribes pressed in 

 from the East, it became the meeting ground of the 

 three races, and during the first 1,000 years after 

 Christ the "East Mark" formed the bulwark of the 

 German empire against the eastern invaders, who, 

 were, in succession, the Slavs, the Huns, the Turks. 



With the unexpected election of Rudolph of Haps- 

 burg, a little known prince of small possessions, to the 

 dignity of German Emperor, in 1272, the foundation 

 of the Austrian Empire was laid. The Archduchy of 

 Austria he secured by conquest in 1282, and around 

 this nucleus all the other territories were from time 

 to time, aggregated by the Hapsburgs through 

 marriage, conquest, or treaty. At one time their rule 

 extended over Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, 

 Naples, Sicily and Sardinia. 



The abdication of Francis II, in the year 1806, pre- 

 pared the separation from Germany, although Aus- 



