<P> Insurgents quickly lost in street fighting to King Ferdinand's troops led by General Radetzky, prompting several liberal government ministers to resign in protest . Ferdinand, now restored to power in Vienna, appointed conservatives in their places . These actions were a considerable blow to the revolutionaries, and by August most of northern Italy was under Radetzky's control . </P> <P> In Bohemia, the leaders of both the German and Czech nationalist movements were both constitutional monarchists, loyal to the Habsburg Emperor . Only a few days after the Emperor reconquered northern Italy, Alfred I, Prince of Windisch - Grätz took provocative measures in Prague to prompt street fighting . Once the barricades went up, he led Habsburg troops to crush the insurgents . After having taken back the city, he imposed martial law, ordered the Prague National Committee dissolved, and sent delegates to the "Pan-Slavic" Congress home . These events were applauded by German nationalists, who failed to understand that the Habsburg military would crush their own national movement as well . </P> <P> Attention then turned to Hungary . War in Hungary again threatened imperial rule and prompted Emperor Ferdinand and his court to once more flee Vienna . Viennese radicals welcomed the arrival of Hungarian troops as the only force able to stand up against the court and ministry . The radicals took control of the city for only a short period of time . Windisch - Grätz led soldiers from Prussia to quickly defeat the insurgents . Windisch - Grätz restored imperial authority to the city . The reconquering of Vienna was seen as a defeat over German nationalism . At this point, Ferdinand I named the noble Prince Felix zu Schwarzenberg head of government . Schwarzenberg, a consummate statesman, persuaded the feeble - minded Ferdinand to abdicate the throne to his 18 - year - old nephew, Franz Joseph . Parliamentarians continued to debate, but had no authority on state policy . </P> <P> Both the Czech and Italian revolutions were defeated by the Habsburgs . Prague was the first victory of counter-revolution in the Austrian Empire . </P>

In austria the government stayed in power in 1849 by