Not Just the Tudors: "Rise of the Habsburgs" (September 8, 2025)

Overview of the Episode

In this first of a four-part series on the Habsburg dynasty, host Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by historian Professor Martin Rady (author of The Habsburgs: The Rise and Fall of a World Power) to trace the improbable ascent and enduring dominance of the Habsburgs in European history. The discussion centers on the dynasty’s origins, how they amassed their sprawling empire—principally through clever marriage alliances, inheritance, and political strategy—and the contradictions underlying their power. Rady and Lipscomb illuminate both the grandeur and the fragility of the Habsburg experiment, from their spectacular rise in the late Middle Ages to their entanglements with Spain and their role in defining modern Europe.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Unlikely Rise of the Habsburgs ([00:00]–[05:10])

• Modest Beginnings to Imperial Power: Originally a minor Swiss noble house in the 10th century, the Habsburgs leveraged their ancestral ties and reputational maneuvers to position Austria as the heart of a greater imperial dream.
• Dynastic Myth-Making: The Habsburgs traced their lineage not just to local nobility but to the Babenbergs, the Hohenstaufen, and even Byzantine rulers, transforming "Austria" into a portent of greatness.

"Austria is not so much a geographic expression as an idea and a portent of greatness." —Martin Rady [04:45]

2. Periods of Decline and Recovery ([05:11]–[12:58])

• Eclipse by the Luxembourgs: The 14th century saw the family’s influence wane, symbolized by murder and exclusion from the Electorate—a key blow to their prestige, and reflected even in marriage prospects.
• "Faking it 'til They Made it": In response, the Habsburgs indulged in spurious practices: fraudulent charters supposedly issued by Roman emperors, invented titles, and ostentatious (sometimes deceptive) architectural displays.
• Frederick III and the ‘AEIOU’ Motto: Frederick III (ruled 1440–1493) consolidated the idea of a world-spanning destiny with the cryptic acrostic "AEIOU," understood as "Austria will rule the whole world."

"This acrostic is stuck everywhere in Habsburg iconography. It's rather like Frederick uses it instead of 'this book belongs to.'" —Martin Rady [11:10]

3. Succession, Inheritance, and the Marriage Strategy ([12:58]–[23:40])

• Inheritance Troubles: The tradition of dividing estates among male heirs led to recurring fragmentation and succession crises—a practice finally abandoned in the 18th century.
• Marital Machinations: Lacking the might to conquer, the Habsburgs mastered the art of marrying into powerful dynasties—sometimes with astonishing windfalls.
• Double Marriage with Spain and Burgundy: Maximilian I’s marriage policies linked the family to the Spanish throne and Burgundy, setting the stage for their 16th-century global reach.

"You haven't got the capacity to wage war...what you can do is marry into the French royal household." —Martin Rady [17:09]

Notable Anecdote:

• The 1490s Double Marriage and Spain: Habsburg luck (or "high-stakes gambling") brought Spain and ultimately the New World under their rule:

“He dies worn out by the amorous attentions of his bride.” –Martin Rady, on the premature death of Juan [18:55]

4. Charles V & the Global Habsburg Empire ([23:40]–[28:53])

• Governing a Multinational Patchwork: Charles V, inheriting an immense composite monarchy, ruled pragmatically—maintaining local laws and elites rather than enforcing central authority.

“To rule each realm as if the king of each. In other words, to be the special ruler of each of those parts.” –Martin Rady [27:00]

• True First ‘Global Empire’? Rady challenges conventional wisdom, arguing the Ottomans rivaled the Habsburgs for global reach, even if blocked from the Atlantic:

"We always think of the Habsburgs as being...the first European global empire. But I don't think it is. I think the Ottoman Empire is doing exactly the same." —Martin Rady [27:07]

5. Split Dynasties, Entwined Fates ([28:53]–[36:01])

• The 1555 Division: Charles V’s abdication split the empire into Spanish and Austrian lines, yet the two remained closely linked—militarily, financially, and (sometimes disastrously) by intermarriage.
• Consequences of Inbreeding: By the 17th century, catastrophic inbreeding led to dangerously high infant mortality rates within the dynasty:

"By the 17th century, they have an 80% infant mortality, which is four times the norm, and that is due to catastrophic inbreeding." —Martin Rady [32:19]

• Fragile Alliances: Habsburg unity was often circumstantial rather than preordained; the Spanish commitment to the Thirty Years’ War, for instance, came about haphazardly rather than through firm policy alignment.

6. Unraveling Control: The Dutch Revolt and Thirty Years’ War ([36:01]–[41:01])

• Dutch Revolt’s Impact: Despite adversities, Spain retained significant assets in the Low Countries, remaining solvent and militarily able—Rady is skeptical towards claims of their dramatic failure.
• Thirty Years’ War: The war’s devastation and drain on resources also highlighted the limitations of the Habsburg’s reach, but it reinforced cooperation between the Austrian and Spanish lines.
• Westphalia and Sovereignty: The 1648 Treaty of Westphalia is often seen as the origin of state sovereignty, but Rady casts doubt, noting the Holy Roman Empire’s complexity defied such straightforward notions.

"People didn't notice that at the time...he [Pufendorf] calls it...as if a monster...a monstrosity that doesn't fit any pattern." —Martin Rady [42:20]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Habsburg Self-Image:
  "They react by bigging themselves up...The Italian scholar Petrarch said it's so obviously fraudulent, these charters, that he actually felt physically ill reading them." —Martin Rady [07:14]
• Host’s Summary:
  "The expression 'fake it till you make it' applies when it comes to the Habsburgs—this idea of a fraudulent basis, a created archduchy, pretending you've got a cathedral before you have one." —Suzannah Lipscomb [12:58]
• On Marriage Alliances:
  "It's a bit like online betting. And Habsburg should have been reminded to take a break and set limits because they are gambling at a very, very high intensity." —Martin Rady [22:42]
• On the Ottomans’ Global Ambitions:
  "They would, given the chance, have been setting out their war fleets in the Atlantic...The conversion of the Americas to Islam. We'd now have Sultan Trump instead." —Martin Rady [27:50] (humorous aside)
• On State Sovereignty and Westphalia:
  "Social scientists...never read books, they just talk to each other and they're convinced that somehow Westphalia equals the idea of state sovereignty." —Martin Rady [43:50]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Habsburg Origins and Mythmaking – [03:50]–[07:10]
• Fake Charters & Symbolic Displays of Power – [07:14]–[10:15]
• Frederick III, AEIOU, and Imperial Destiny – [10:18]–[12:58]
• Marriage Strategy and High-stakes Succession – [13:43]–[23:40]
• Charles V and Governance of Empire – [23:40]–[28:53]
• Ottomans as a Rival Global Empire – [27:05]–[28:53]
• The Habsburg Split and Consequences of Inbreeding – [30:29]–[33:44]
• Dutch Revolt and Financial Reality – [35:27]–[38:51]
• Thirty Years’ War and Westphalia's Legacy – [39:17]–[44:16]

Tone and Style

The discussion is engaging, witty, and layered with illuminating anecdotes and a touch of dry humor (especially from Professor Rady), balancing accessible storytelling with deep scholarly insight. Lipscomb’s questions are incisive and clear, often summarizing complex dynamics for listeners.

Summary

This episode provides a lively, comprehensive introduction to the Habsburgs’ transformation from minor nobles to a dynasty at the heart of European—and global—power. Through fraud, marriage, calculated risk, and a persistent belief in their own destiny, the Habsburgs shaped the trajectory of early modern history, even as their imagined unity was threatened from within and without. The conversation deftly sets the scene for deeper explorations to come in this special series.