How did the Seven Weeks’ War change Austria’s position in German affairs?

The Seven Weeks’ War (1866) fundamentally altered Austria’s role in German affairs by resulting in its total exclusion from Germany.12

Prior to the conflict, Austria had held a position of leadership within the German Confederation, serving as a balance to Prussian influence. However, Prussia’s decisive military victory—most notably at the Battle of Königgrätz—shattered this arrangement. Following the war, the old confederation was dissolved, and Prussia emerged as the sole dominant power in the region, subsequently organizing the North German Confederation under its own leadership.132

By effectively ending the dualism that had previously characterized German politics, the war ensured that Austria no longer played a central role in the unification or governance of the German states, leaving Prussia to dictate the trajectory of German national affairs.32