apnql

Just out of curiosity, I was wondering what the capabilities of the Austrian navy were during the 18th century, like a ship count or something. To what nation does their navy best compare to?

corrocamino

Swiss navy?

Belisarius

Not sure they even had a navy then. If they had it would have had to have been a riverine fleet along the Danube or operated from the Austrian Netherlands.

Zeno

I'm pretty sure there was a Danube Flottilla.

Zeno

From wiki:

"Until the end of the 18th century there were only limited attempts in Austria at establishing a navy of its own. The Habsburgs had employed armed ships sailing the Danube in the 16th and 17th centuries to fight the Ottoman Empire, and ships guarding the merchant fleet also operated from the Austrian Netherlands, but these forces were neither under a common command nor did they serve a common purpose. After the Seven Years War Austrian vulnerability to privateers in the Mediterranean Sea led Count Kaunitz to push for the creation of a small force of frigates. A specific Naval Ensign (Marineflagge) based on the red-white-red colours was introduced only in the reign of Emperor Joseph II.
This situation changed considerably in 1797 with the Treaty of Campo Formio between France and Austria. Austria ceded to France the Austrian Netherlands and certain islands in the Mediterranean, including Corfu and some Venetian islands in the Adriatic. Venice and its territories were divided between the two states and the Austrian emperor received the city of Venice along with Istria and Dalmatia. The Venetian naval forces and facilities were also handed over to Austria and became the basis of the formation of the future Austrian Navy."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_Navy#Origins

apnql

So aside from a Danube flotilla and some work at the end of the century, they didn't have a (real) navy at all? I guess I just assumed they did but they weren't very important... thanks!