Tipolt I

Típolt

Típolt foncu Hapšpurk, germ. Diepold von und zu Habsburg, *1831 - †1919

One of the most important persons on Bohemian throne, Típolt heavily worked on the diplomatic field starting almost endless line of negotiations, on which end was the neutrality of Bohemian Kingdom ensured by cross-treaties with major European powers. He used political and economical power of the Kingdom, which was rising with international bickering around. He saved the kingdom of the Great War, which started on February 17, 1914 by Austrian Empire attack on Dalmatian Hercegovina, member of the Triple Entente. The other two members of The Triple Entente, Two Sicilies and Mutenia answered declaring war on the Austrian Empire. The avalanche of war declarations followed: other members of Triple Alliance - Holy Roman Empire and Hungary - joined the Austrian Empire and in September 1914 Ottomans Sultanate extended it to Quadruple Alliance. Bulgaria as an answer joined Triple Entente along with Russia, which saw the possibility to invade Hungary and gain in Ruthenia. Germans get directly involved in 1915 in RTC, which asked Russians to help them against the thread from west. Through their alliance system, after declaration of was between Germany and Russia, France and Federated Kingdoms get involved in the Great War too. The whole course of the war was rather messy, full of small local conflicts (e.g. Oltenia rebellion against Hungary) showing rather picturesque presentation of absurd global conflict as it was later described in well-known novel Erich Maria Krammer Ruhe an der Westfront. It ended in November 11, 1918 with extensive changes on the map of Europe. The results were not unambiguous. Neither alliance was convincingly victorious, nowadays historians say, that the November 11, 1918 was signed only cease-fire and that the Great War was continuously followed by acts preceding Second Great War and the war it-self.

In this difficult situation, Bohemian Kingdom survived not because of pre-war diplomacy, but only because of their industry, which allowed Quadruple Alliance in Central Europe to hold enough long using material and weapons sold to them. Bohemian Kingdom had tensed relations with both, Holy Roman Empire and Austrian Empire, but quite relaxed with Hungary, as one of the greatest Bohemian trade partners. Help to RTC because of good relations between these two countries was sacrificed on altar of Bohemian neutrality. It would be hazardous to declare war on Alliance once Bohemian Kingdom was completely isolated. It must be said, that Holy Roman Empire and Austrian Empire were also much dependent on Bohemian coal and steel.

Interestingly, king financed the expedition to southern Africa led by famous Bohemian traveller Émil Holup, to the waterfalls we today know as Diepoldt’s Waterfalls in nowadays Rhodesia.

Preceded by: king Henrik

Bohemian king 1851-1919

Succeeded by: queen Terézija