Illyrian Provinces

As Illyrian Provinces ( French Provinces Illyriennes ) were those areas designated on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea and in the Eastern Alps, which were conquered and annexed 1807-1809 by Napoleonic France. The short-lived Illyrian provinces included Dalmatia, Croatia south of the Sava, Istria, Trieste, Gorizia, Carniola and the western part of Carinthia. 1813 these territories were re-conquered by Austrian troops. Dalmatia and Istria were, however, in 1805, first united with the Kingdom of Italy.

After the French victory at Wagram, and the Treaty of Schönbrunn then closed the formation of the Illyrian Provinces were ordered in October 1809 by a decree of Emperor Napoleon, to direct the management of the annexed Austrian territories on track. Capital and seat of the French Governor-General was Ljubljana.

The British navy blocked since 1807 under Napoleonic rule Adriatic coasts. The British also held far from the coast, island of Lissa ( Vis) occupied and used it as a base for their ships.

Austria declared in August 1813 France again the war and immediately afterwards troops marched under General Franz Tomassich first of all in the northern part of the Illyrian Provinces. The few French troops contributed little resistance and already on 20 September the Austrians marched in Ragusa ( Dubrovnik) a. Only the heavily fortified Zara (Zadar) were able to keep the French longer. The fort surrendered on 6 December 1813. Meanwhile, the Montenegrins Cattaro ( Kotor ) had occupied. This city was captured in June 1814 by the Austrians.

The Congress of Vienna confirmed the Empire of Austria possession of all the countries that had won it by the Treaty of Campo Formio. Inside, the traditional national borders were restored. Thus, the Illyrian provinces were dissolved.

Management

At the head of the administration was a French governor-general. From October 1809 to January 1811 held Auguste de Marmont this post, he was succeeded in April 1811 Henri- Gratien Bertrand, in February 1812, took Jean- Andoche Junot office. Last governor general of the Illyrian Provinces was in July and August 1813 Joseph Fouché.

The French introduced immediately to the Civil Code and set the Jewish emancipation through. In addition to French and German laws were also published in " Slavonian language". So a form of not yet codified Slovene or Croatian was meant. Especially on the later development of the Slovene literary language of this had a beneficial.

The regional government should be organized as everywhere in the French empire in departments. But by the end of French rule, this project could not be fully implemented. Rather, they formed transitional so-called artistic directors ( first 11, later reduced to seven), which is largely based on older administrative boundaries:

• Laybach (Ljubljana)
• Karlstadt ( Karlovac )
• Trieste
• Zara (Zadar)