The purpose of this thesis is to present the relationship of Slovenian historiography towards: the Habsburg Monarchy, important events and political decisions that took place in the time between the end of the Napoleonic wars and the First World War. For certain events Slovenian historians do not have the same opinion as to why they happened and what were their consequences with regards to the development of Slovenian nation. These events are emphasised in the thesis. Many historians also dared to offer their own judgement on what should have happened and how certain politicians and social groups should have acted, which I find unobjective and unprofessional. However, this made reading sources that more interesting. My research is based on those historians' works which are either, in my opinion, the most important for understanding the years between 1815 and 1914, and/or have influenced how modern Slovenian society sees either this time period or the Habsburg Monarchy. Whether the Habsburg Monarchy was a positive or a negative influence for the Slovenian nation, or rather the people who lived in it, is a contentious topic among historians to this very day. According to my findings, most critics base their criticisms on the works of Melik and Gestrin or on the works of other historians who in turn based their own works on those of Melik and Gestrin. The latter paid much attention to the national and economic repression of Slovenes by the German nobility and burgeoisie, while ignoring the national and economic (in terms of developing the infrastructure, creating jobs and the like) development which the Slovenian nation was enjoying during this time. Their polar opposites, however, are Janko Prunk and Stane Granda, who shoved aside the national and economic repression and emphasised the positive effects of this period.
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