How did Prussia gain Schleswig and Holstein after defeating Austria in 1866?

Following the defeat of Denmark in the 1864 German-Danish War, Prussia and Austria initially governed Schleswig and Holstein as a joint condominium. Tensions over the administration of these territories, alongside a broader struggle for hegemony over Germany, led to the Seven Weeks’ War in 1866.12

After Prussia defeated Austria, the conflict was formally concluded by the Treaty of Prague on August 23, 1866. Under the terms of this treaty, Austria ceded its rights to the duchies, resulting in both Schleswig and Holstein being annexed by Prussia. This acquisition was a pivotal moment in the rise of Prussia and the eventual formation of the German Empire.234