The Ersatz Zenta class was a class of three planned light cruisers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy designed in the mid-1910s as part of a naval expansion program passed during a period of rising tensions in Europe. Several designs were proposed, including options for a so-called "yacht cruiser" that was to have been used by Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The design that was ultimately selected called for ships that were capable of speeds of at least 30 knots (56km/h; 35mph), with an armament of fourteen 12-centimeter (4.7in) guns and a thin armored belt that was 20 millimeters (0.79in) thick.
The Austro-Hungarian Navy followed the traditional German custom of not naming the new ships until they were formally launched. As a result, the Navy only referred to them as "replacements" for the Zenta-class cruisers. The ships, only ever given the contract names "Cruiser K", "Cruiser L", and "Cruiser M", were scheduled to be laid down beginning in July 1914. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand the month before and the resulting July Crisis, which culminated in the start of World War I on 28 July, led the navy to suspend all new ship construction projects. Work on a revised version of the design began in December 1915, but shortages of material and a lack of skilled shipyard workers meant that the new design would be completed on paper only. None of the three ships were ever laid down and the project was abandoned after Austria-Hungary's defeat at the end of the war.
Background
The Ersatz Zenta-class cruisers were intended to be constructed at a time when Austro-Hungary was engaged in a naval arms race with its nominal ally, Italy.[1] Italy's Regia Marina was considered the most-important naval power in the region which Austria-Hungary measured itself against, often unfavorably. In 1909, the Austro-Hungarian Navy had 9 cruisers of various types in commission, while Italy had 14. The disparity between the two navies was even greater when taking into account tonnage. Italian cruisers had a total tonnage of 74,474 metric tons (73,298 long tons; 82,094 short tons), while Austria-Hungary's cruisers only had a total tonnage of 35,719 metric tons (35,155 long tons; 39,373 short tons). This gave Italy a more than two to one advantage among cruisers.[2] By 1914, the disparity in numbers and tonnage among cruisers had only grown, with Italy having 20 more cruisers than Austria-Hungary with a tonnage advantage of 136,053 metric tons (133,904 long tons; 149,973 short tons) to 43,990 metric tons (43,300 long tons; 48,490 short tons).[3]
Naval strength of Italy and Austria-Hungary in May 1914[3]
Type
Italy
Austria-Hungary
Italian/Austro-Hungarian
tonnage ratio
Number
Tonnage
Number
Tonnage
Dreadnoughts
3
67,676 metric tons (66,607 long tons; 74,600 short tons)
3
60,042 metric tons (59,094 long tons; 66,185 short tons)
98,564 metric tons (97,007 long tons; 108,648 short tons)
12
114,840 metric tons (113,030 long tons; 126,590 short tons)
0.9:1
Armoured cruisers
11
86,602 metric tons (85,234 long tons; 95,462 short tons)
3
18,800 metric tons (18,500 long tons; 20,700 short tons)
4.6:1
Torpedo cruisers
6
5,030 metric tons (4,950 long tons; 5,540 short tons)
2
3,020 metric tons (2,970 long tons; 3,330 short tons)
1.6:1
Protected cruisers
10
31,374 metric tons (30,878 long tons; 34,584 short tons)
5
15,050 metric tons (14,810 long tons; 16,590 short tons)
2.1:1
Scout cruisers
5
13,047 metric tons (12,841 long tons; 14,382 short tons)
2
7,080 metric tons (6,970 long tons; 7,800 short tons)
1.8:1
Destroyers
31
121,514 metric tons (119,595 long tons; 133,946 short tons)
18
10,860 metric tons (10,690 long tons; 11,970 short tons)
11.1:1
High seas torpedo craft
29
6,221 metric tons (6,123 long tons; 6,857 short tons)
25
4,000 metric tons (3,900 long tons; 4,400 short tons)
1.6:1
Coastal torpedo craft
41
5,009 metric tons (4,930 long tons; 5,521 short tons)
29
2,920 metric tons (2,870 long tons; 3,220 short tons)
1.7:1
Submarines
20
4,427 metric tons (4,357 long tons; 4,880 short tons)
6
1,412 metric tons (1,390 long tons; 1,556 short tons)
3.1:1
Total
173
330,464 metric tons (325,245 long tons; 364,274 short tons)
105
238,064 metric tons (234,304 long tons; 262,421 short tons)
1.4:1
Proposals
The Bosnian Crisis of 1908, the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912 and the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913 significantly increased tensions in Europe, which saw the dismemberment of large swaths of the Ottoman Empire. These conflicts provided the background for a major naval expansion program in Austria-Hungary, which received broad support in the Austrian and Hungarianparliaments. Admiral Anton Haus, then the Commanders-in-Chief of the Navy (German: Marinekommandant) used the growing risk of war with Austria-Hungary's nominal ally, Italy, to push his construction program.[4] On 5 October 1913, Haus presented a new five-year construction program which called for four superdreadnoughts to replace the aging Monarch-classcoastal defense ships, as well as three scout cruisers, six destroyers, two river monitors, and one supply ship. The scout cruisers in this plan would eventually form the design of the Ersatz Zenta-class cruiser.[1] Haus estimated the cost of this program to be over 420 million krone.[5] As part of its construction program, the navy projected to build three cruisers, and adopted a secret construction schedule on 12 January 1914, which called for the first vessel to be laid down on 1 July 1914, followed by the other two on 1 July 1915.[6] The first ship was projected to be completed by 31 December 1917, with the second and third following on 31 December 1918.[7] By 1919, all three ships were expected to be complete and commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy.[5]
The Ersatz Zenta-class cruisers were intended to play a diverse role in Austro-Hungarian naval policy. Two of the ships were intended to be assigned to the navy's Active Squadron alongside the Ersatz Monarch-class battleships, the Tegetthoff-class battleships, the cruisers Sankt Georg and Admiral Spaun, two Kaiser Franz Joseph I-class cruisers, two Zenta-class cruisers, the Tátra-class destroyers, 24 250t (250-long-ton; 280-short-ton)torpedo boats, one torpedo depot ship, and six minesweepers. The remaining Ersatz Zenta-class cruiser would be a part of the Reserve Squadron, which was to be made up of the Radetzky-class battleships, the Erzherzog Karl-class battleships, the Novara-class cruisers, six Huszár-class destroyers, and 12 Kaiman-class torpedo boats.[5] Each ship in the class was designated to replace an existing cruiser from the older Zenta class. "Cruiser K" was intended to replace Zenta, "Cruiser L" would replace Aspern, and "Cruiser M" was to replace Szigetvár.[8]
Preliminary design work on what became the Ersatz Zenta class began in May 1913, before the budgetary debate had begun. The Marinetechnische Komitee (MTK—Naval Technical Committee) issued a series of requirements for the new cruiser: displacement would be in the range of 4,500 to 4,800 metric tons (4,400 to 4,700 long tons; 5,000 to 5,300 short tons), speed would be 29.5 to 30 knots (54.6 to 55.6km/h; 33.9 to 34.5mph) from steam turbines, with a radius of action of 1,200 nautical miles (2,200km; 1,400mi) at a speed of 24 knots (44km/h; 28mph). The ship would carry no armor protection, and the armament would consist of either twelve 12-centimeter (4.7in) 45-caliber (cal.) guns and two 9cm (3.5in)anti-aircraft guns all singly mounted, or fourteen of the 12cm guns and four 45cm (17.7in)torpedo tubes in single or double mounts.[4][5]
During the design process, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, requested that one of the new cruisers be built as a "yacht cruiser". The designers considered two options to accommodate Ferdinand's request, the first with a deck house on the stern in place of some of the guns; in the event of war, the deck house could be removed and the guns installed, and the second wherein the ship would not be readily converted and would only be used for auxiliary roles during a conflict. In either case, the maximum speed for the so-called "yacht cruiser" was to be 24 knots (44km/h; 28mph), with no armor protection, and it was to resemble the other two ships as closely as possible.[9]
On 12 September 1913, the navy began the design competition, soliciting offers from several different shipyards. The designer of the winning bid was to receive a prize of 2,450krone and the runner-up would receive 1,750krone. Franz Pitzinger, the chief constructor of the Austro-Hungarian navy, was occupied with the design of the Ersatz Monarch-class battleship, allowing one of the private firms an opportunity to design the new class of cruisers. Two naval engineers, Silvius Morin of the MTK and Johann Fiala, who oversaw the construction of the cruiser Admiral Spaun at the Pola Naval Arsenal, submitted the two most serious proposals. Fiala submitted two variants, Ia and IIb, along with a third for the "yacht cruiser" that was considered separately during the design competition. His third design, Ic, was identical in dimensions to the other two proposals, though it incorporated an armored belt of 60-millimeter (2.4in)Krupp cemented steel.[10] While busy with the Ersatz Monarch project, Pitzinger nevertheless submitted a design by the deadline.[11]
On 14 April 1914, the navy ruled out Morin's design. Fiala's Ib design was the version chosen, though the navy requested several alterations. These included lengthening the forecastle by 16 frames to increase space for crew berths and the addition of a 20mm (0.79in) thick armored belt, which would extend from 2m (6ft 7in) above the waterline to 1.2m (3ft 11in) below the line. The changes caused the displacement to rise by 154.3t (151.9 long tons; 170.1 short tons). A four-shaft arrangement was also proposed as a possibility.[7] The changes requested by the navy evidenced an evolution in Austro-Hungarian cruiser designs away from the unarmored scout cruisers of the earlier Admiral Spaun and Novara types toward modern light cruisers suited to fleet operations.[6]
Funding for the three cruisers were approved on 18 April 1914 as part of Haus' 1915–1919 naval construction program. It was scheduled to come into force on 1 July. The entire project, which called for four battleships, three cruisers, and six destroyers, had a final cost of 426.8–427.8 million krone.[13][14][lower-alpha 3] On 16 May, the navy informed the shipbuilding firms Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino (STT), Ganz-Danubius, CNT Monfalcone, and San Rocco AG to submit tenders to build the ships, with a deadline of 5 July. At the same time, Fiala issued a request for a 40,000shp (30,000kW) propulsion system to STT, Ganz-Danubius, and Breitfeld & Danek. On 28 May, the navy secured approval for constructing the three cruisers. On 2 August, days after the outbreak of World War I, the navy awarded Ganz-Danubius with the contract to build the three cruisers. It had settled on a two-shaft arrangement with AEG-Curtis turbines license-built by Ganz—Danubius.[7]
The "yacht cruiser" project was handled separately by the navy; Morin's design was again ruled out, now because he had focused his design too much on the yacht aspect of the vessel, neglecting its military qualities. Again, the navy chose Fiala's proposal, named IIb, as the basis for the "yacht cruiser", citing its heavier armament and higher speed, compared to Morin's vessel. But no final design had been approved by the time Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914; with the death of the man who had requested the "yacht cruiser", the navy no longer had a reason to pursue the project.[15]
Characteristics
As adopted, the Ersatz Zenta-class ships were to have been 151.2m (496ft)long at the waterline and 153.1m (502ft)long overall. Their beam was to have been 13.7m (45ft). The class had a design displacement of 4,950t (4,870 long tons; 5,460 short tons), with a full load displacement of 5,611t (5,522 long tons; 6,185 short tons); at deep load, their draft was to be 6.4m (21ft).[6][16]
The ships were to be powered by two AEG-Curtis turbines, each rated at 20,000shp (15,000kW), meeting the required 40,000shp output. Steam was provided by sixteen Yarrow boilers, eight of which were to burn coal and the other eight to burn fuel oil.[17] Top speed was to have been 30.1 knots (55.7km/h; 34.6mph). Fuel storage capacity and thus cruising range are unknown.[6][16]
The ships retained the fourteen 12cm 45-cal. guns of Fiala's design, and received a 47mm (1.9in) 44-cal. gun and a 66mm (2.6in) 18-cal. landing gun in addition.[6][16] The 12cm guns had reached the prototype stage only by the outbreak of World War I saw the ships' cancellation, so no performance data exists. A longer-barreled 50-cal. version was also prepared for possible use aboard the Ersatz Zenta class, but it too did not see completion.[18] They were also to carry a pair of 533mm (21in) torpedo tubes in deck-mounted launchers, which were placed amidships. Armor protection consisted of the 20mm belt, along with a 38mm (1.5in) thick armor deck.[6][16]
Ships
Name
Cost
Contract awarded to
Laid down
Scheduled launch
Building time
Fate
"Cruiser K" (German: "Kreuzer K")
15,450,000 krone per ship, 46,350,000 krone in total
Construction suspended until after the war. Canceled upon Austria-Hungary's collapse in 1918.
"Cruiser L" (German: "Kreuzer L")
1 July 1915
31 December 1917
"Cruiser M" (German: "Kreuzer M")
Construction and cancellation
Each ship in the class, referred to in the budget as "Cruiser K", "Cruiser L", and "Cruiser M",[6] was to cost 15.45 million krone and be constructed within 30 months.[19] "Cruiser K" was expected to be laid down on 1 July 1914, followed by "Cruiser L" and "Cruiser M" on 1 July 1915. "Cruiser K"'s expected completion date was listed 31 December 1916 in the budget, while "Cruiser L" and "Cruiser M" were both expected to be finished on 31 December 1917. All three ships were to have completed their sea trials and been commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy by 1919.[19] With the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 however, construction on the first ship was halted just days before its hull was scheduled to be laid down. With the outbreak of World War I on 28 July, construction never began on the three cruisers.[6] Indeed, the navy refused to use part of the war appropriations passed under the naval expansion budget to fund construction of the vessels, preferring to await the end of what was expected to be a short war, and then use the additional wartime funds to build improved ships. The navy mistakenly assumed no new projects could be completed before the war would be over, and any wartime experience would necessarily have to be incorporated in any future design.[15][20]
In August 1914, the Austro-Hungarian government suspended all contracts which had been awarded as part of Haus' naval program, including the three ships of the Ersatz Zenta class. In October 1914, the Hungarian finance ministry attempted to cancel the projects outright. While the navy was unwilling to begin work on the ships until after the war, Haus objected to a cancellation of the project and in February 1915 a compromise was reached where construction would be halted until after the war, but the project would be suspended, not formally canceled.[21] Instead, in late 1914, a scale model of the design was taken to the Tiergarten in Berlin, where the Königlichen Versuchsanstalt für Wasserbau und Schiffbau[de] (Royal Research Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Shipbuilding) had testing facilities, since the Austro-Hungarian Navy had no such capability.[15]
While Fiala remained at STT, he continued to refine the design. On 14 May 1915, nine days before Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, Fiala was recalled to the MTK. He continued to independently work on the cruiser project as late as 14 December that year. On 25 December, he was officially ordered to prepare a revised design with the following characteristics: armament was to be increased to two 19cm (7.5in) 45-cal. guns in a twin gun turret, supported by six to eight 15cm (5.9in) 50-cal. guns in single mounts and two 9cm (3.5in) 45-cal. anti-aircraft guns; the 533mm torpedo tubes would be retained. Speed was to be 29 to 30knots, with a cruising radius sufficient to allow operations in the Mediterranean Sea. The new ships would also incorporate a 150mm (5.9in) thick armored belt.[15]
The new project was simply a design study only, since the majority of the shipyard workers had already been drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army and material shortages prevented any actual work from being done anyway.[15] It nevertheless represented the lessons learned from the first year of the war, including the fact that the 12cm guns used on earlier Austro-Hungarian cruisers was wholly insufficient, as exemplified by the loss of the German cruiser Emden to the 6-inch (152mm) gun armed HMASSydney in 1914. The lack of shipyard workers was itself a result of the navy's decision at the start of the war to stop new construction; since the shipyards no longer needed large work forces, those men could be used in the army.[22]
Notes
Footnotes
↑ For political and traditional purposes, the Marinekommandant designated all of his proposed ships to the Austrian and Hungarian parliaments with the prefix "Ersatz" ("replacement"). Once a ship was launched, it would be formally named. As the cruisers were never laid down, much less launched, their class was never given a proper name. See Sondhaus, p. 168
↑ This figure excludes 6 obsolete battleships which had a combined displacement of 76,166 metric tons (74,963 long tons; 83,959 short tons).
↑ There is some debate over the exact size of the budget for Haus' 1915–1919 naval program. Vego claims the budget was 427 million krone. Sondhaus states the budget was 426.8 million. Sieche writes that the budget was 427.8 million.
SMS Zrínyi was a Radetzky-class semi-dreadnought battleship (Schlachtschiff) of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, named for the Zrinski, a Croatian-Hungarian noble family. Zrínyi and her sisters, Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand and Radetzky, were the last pre-dreadnoughts built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy.
The Tegetthoff class was a class of four dreadnought battleships built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Named for Austrian Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, the class was composed of SMS Viribus Unitis, SMS Tegetthoff, SMS Prinz Eugen, and SMS Szent István. Construction started on the ships shortly before World War I; Viribus Unitis and Tegetthoff were both laid down in 1910, Prinz Eugen and Szent István followed in 1912. Three of the four warships were built in the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino shipyard in Trieste; Szent István was built in the Ganz-Danubius shipyard in Fiume, so that both parts of the Dual Monarchy would participate in the construction of the ships. The Tegetthoff-class ships hold the distinction for being the first and only dreadnought battleships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The SMS Szent István had a different more modern propulsion system than her sister ships.
SMS Szent István was the last of four Tegetthoff-class dreadnought battleships built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Szent István was the only ship of her class to be built within the Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a concession made to the Hungarian government in return for its support for the 1910 and 1911 naval budgets which funded the Tegetthoff class. She was built at the Ganz-Danubius shipyard in Fiume, where she was laid down in January 1912. She was launched two years later in 1914, but Szent István's construction was delayed due to the smaller shipyards in Fiume, and further delayed by the outbreak of World War I in July 1914. She was finally commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy in December 1915.
SMS Prinz Eugen was the third of four Tegetthoff-class dreadnought battleships built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Prinz Eugen was named for Prince Eugene of Savoy, a Habsburg general and statesman during the 17th and 18th centuries most notable for defeating the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Zenta in 1697. The ship was armed with a main battery of twelve 30.5 cm (12.0 in) guns in four triple turrets. Constructed shortly before World War I, she was built at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino shipyard in Trieste, where she was laid down in January 1912 and launched in November that same year.
SMS Zenta was the lead ship of the Zenta class of protected cruisers built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the late 1890s. The class included two other vessels, Aspern and Szigetvár. The Zentas were intended to serve as fleet scouts and to guard the battleships against attacks by torpedo boats. She carried a main battery of eight 12 cm (4.7 in) guns manufactured by Škoda; Zenta and her sisters were the first major warships of the Austro-Hungarian fleet to be armed entirely with domestically produced guns. Unlike earlier Austro-Hungarian cruisers, the Zenta class discarded heavy belt armor in favor of a higher top speed.
SMS Kaiserin und Königin Maria Theresia was an armored cruiser used by the imperial Austro-Hungarian Navy from 1895 to 1917; she was the first ship of that type built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The ship was a unique design, built by the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino shipyard in Trieste; she was laid down in July 1891, launched in April 1893, and completed in November 1894. Armed with a main battery of two 24-centimeter (9.4 in) guns and eight 15 cm (5.9 in) guns, the ship provided the basis for two subsequent armored cruiser designs for the Austro-Hungarian Navy.
The U-1 class was a class of two submarines or U-boats built for and operated by the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The class comprised U-1 and U-2. The boats were built to an American design at the Pola Navy Yard after domestic design proposals failed to impress the Navy. Constructed between 1907 and 1909, the class was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Navy's efforts to competitively evaluate three foreign submarine designs.
SMS Radetzky was the first of the three Radetzky-class pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. She was named for the 19th-century Austrian field marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz. Radetzky and her sisters, Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand and Zrínyi, were the last pre-dreadnoughts built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy—they were followed by the larger and significantly more powerful Tegetthoff-class dreadnoughts.
The Ersatz Monarch class was a class of four dreadnought battleships which were intended to be built between 1914 and 1919 for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Design work on a class of battleships to succeed the Tegetthoff class and replace the aging Monarch class began in 1911. After going through several different design proposals, Anton Haus, Commander-in-Chief of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, secured passage of a naval expansion program through the Austro-Hungarian government to fund the construction of the battleships in April 1914.
SMS Kaiser Karl VI was the second of three armored cruisers built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy. She was built by the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino in Trieste between June 1896 and May 1900, when she was commissioned into the fleet. Kaiser Karl VI represented a significant improvement over the preceding design—Kaiserin und Königin Maria Theresia—being faster and more heavily armed and armored. She provided the basis for the third design, Sankt Georg, which featured further incremental improvements. Having no overseas colonies to patrol, Austria-Hungary built the ship solely to reinforce its battle fleet.
SMS Aspern was the second of the three Zenta-class cruisers built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the 1890s. The class included two other vessels, Zenta and Szigetvár. The Zentas were intended to serve as fleet scouts and to guard the battleships against attacks by torpedo boats. They carried a main battery of eight 12 cm (4.7 in) guns manufactured by Škoda; Aspern and her sisters were the first major warships of the Austro-Hungarian fleet to be armed entirely with domestically produced guns. Unlike earlier Austro-Hungarian cruisers, the Zenta class discarded heavy belt armor in favor of a higher top speed.
SMS Szigetvár was a protected cruiser of the Zenta class, the third and final member of her class, which was built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the late 1890s. The class included two other vessels, Zenta and Aspern. The Zentas were intended to serve as fleet scouts and to guard the battleships against attacks by torpedo boats. They carried a main battery of eight 12 cm (4.7 in) guns manufactured by Škoda; Szigetvár and her sisters were the first major warships of the Austro-Hungarian fleet to be armed entirely with domestically produced guns. Unlike earlier Austro-Hungarian cruisers, the Zenta class discarded heavy belt armor in favor of a higher top speed.
The Novara class was a class of three scout cruisers built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Named for the Battle of Novara, the class comprised SMS Saida, SMS Helgoland, and SMS Novara. Construction started on the ships shortly before World War I; Saida and Helgoland were both laid down in 1911, Novara followed in 1912. Two of the three warships were built in the Ganz-Danubius shipyard in Fiume; Saida was built in the Cantiere Navale Triestino shipyard in Monfalcone. The Novara-class ships hold the distinction for being the last cruisers constructed by the Austro-Hungarian Navy.
SMS Tegetthoff was the second of four Tegetthoff-class dreadnought battleships built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Tegetthoff was named for the 19th-century Austrian Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, most notable for defeating the Italian Regia Marina at the Battle of Lissa in 1866. The ship was armed with a main battery of twelve 30.5 cm (12.0 in) guns in four triple turrets. Constructed shortly before World War I, she was built at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino shipyard in Trieste, where she was laid down in September 1910 and launched in March 1912.
SMS Admiral Spaun was a scout cruiser built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Named for Admiral and Marinekommandant Hermann von Spaun, Admiral Spaun was constructed shortly before World War I. Laid down at the Pola Navy Yard in May 1908, the cruiser was launched in October 1909. Admiral Spaun was commissioned into the Navy just over a year later, in November 1910. The first ship of the Austro-Hungarian Navy to be constructed with steam turbines, her design later influenced the construction of the Novara-class cruisers.
The Kaiser Franz Joseph I class was a class of two protected cruisers built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Named for Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I, the class comprised SMS Kaiser Franz Joseph I and SMS Kaiserin Elisabeth. Construction took place throughout the late 1880s, with both ships being laid down in 1888. Kaiser Franz Joseph I was built by Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino in Trieste, while Kaiserin Elisabeth was built at the Pola Navy Yard in Pola. The Kaiser Franz Joseph I-class ships were the first protected cruisers constructed by the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Kaiser Franz Joseph I was the first ship of the class to be commissioned into the fleet in July 1890. She was followed by Kaiserin Elisabeth in November 1892.
The Zenta class was a group of three protected cruisers built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the 1890s.
SMS Kaiser Franz Joseph I was a protected cruiser built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Named for the Austrian emperor and Hungarian king Franz Joseph I, Kaiser Franz Joseph I was the lead ship of her namesake class. Constructed by Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino in Trieste, she was laid down in January 1888 and launched in May 1889. Kaiser Franz Joseph I was commissioned into the Navy in June 1890. As the first protected cruiser constructed by the Austro-Hungarian Navy, she was intended to serve as Austria-Hungary's response to the Italian cruisers Giovanni Bausan and Etna. Her design was heavily influenced by the Jeune École, a naval strategy which had gained prominence in the 1880s as a means to combat a larger and more heavily armored navy of battleships through the use of torpedo flotillas.
References
Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-84832-100-7.
Greger, René (1976). Austro-Hungarian Warships of World War I. London: Allan. ISBN978-0-7110-0623-2.
Sieche, Erwin (2002). Kreuzer und Kreuzerprojekte der k.u.k. Kriegsmarine 1889–1918[Cruisers and Cruiser Projects of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, 1889–1918] (in German). Hamburg. ISBN978-3-8132-0766-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Sondhaus, Lawrence (1994). The Naval Policy of Austria-Hungary, 1867–1918: Navalism, Industrial Development, and the Politics of Dualism. West Lafayette: Purdue University Press. ISBN978-1-55753-034-9.
Vego, Milan N. (1996). Austro-Hungarian Naval Policy: 1904-14. London: Routledge. ISBN978-0-7146-4209-3.
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Austro-Hungarian Navy 
