An Austrophile is somebody who is fond of Austrian culture, and Austria in general though they themselves were not born in the country. Historically it could be applied to the wider Austrian Empire, but since 1918 it has applied to the more limited boundaries of the modern nation-state of Austria. It was later sometimes taken as part of a wider Germanophile attitude and generally linked to the admiration of the Germanic culture of the German-speaking world or countries, mainly: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
In Britain during the eighteenth century there were a number of prominent Austrophiles, including a Prime Minister the Duke of Newcastle. Austrophiles at the time sought an alliance with Austria against France, and were opposed to the Francophiles who saw French dominance in Europe was inevitable both culturally and militarily. This movement led to British support for the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa during the Austrian War of Succession. They were opposed by the Austrophobes who tried to draw attention to Austria's perceived autocracy and suppression of Protestant minorities.
