Franz Joseph I, in an attempt to shore up his Austro-Hungarian Empire both financially and politically, introduced the October Diploma which gave increased powers to regional legislatures. Designed to expand the power of conservative local land-holders, the reform was a failure and met with significant resistance from liberals opposing federalism. The October Diploma was replaced by the February Patent in February, 1861. (By John Osborne)
Source Citation
Peter N. Stearns, William Leonard Langer, The Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern, chronologically arranged (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2001), 505.