Austrian coastal defence ship SMS Budapest 1892-1921

SMS Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin Stephanie

SMS Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf

Monarch-class

Habsburg-class

Building ordered in May 1892, laid down by Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste on 16 February 1893, launched by countess Marie Széchényí on 27 April 1896, commissioned on 12 May 1898, decommissioned on 11 March 1918. Accommodation ship for the submarine staff, fitted out with 1-38cm/15” siege howitzer to bombard the Castellazzo fortifications for which on 26 March was started with removing her forward gun and barbette, completed on 4 April 1918, firing tested on 5 June 1918, gun practicing exercises cancelled due to lacking the needed ammunition, decommissioned on 7 June 1918, howitzer removed on 11 October 1918, again accommodation ship at Pola [=Pula, Croatia], handed over as war reparations to England and broken up in Italy in 1921.

Of the Monarch-class consisting of the Monarch, Wien and Budapest, succeeded by the Habsburg-class. Built to replace the obsolete ironclads SMS Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf and Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin Stephanie.

Displacement 5.878 tons and as dimensions 99,22 x 17 x 6,6 metres or 325.5 x 55.9 x 22 feet. Crew numbered 469 men. Nickel steel made armour consisted of a 12-27cm/4.7-10.6” thick belt, 4cm/1.6” thick deck with gun turrets, conning tower  and casemates protected by respectively 25cm/9.8”,22cm/8.7”and 8cm/3.1”” thick armour. Armament consisted of 2x2-24cm/9” L/40 guns, 6-15cm/6” L/40 guns, 10-4,7cm/1.9” L/44 guns, 4-4,7cm/1.9” L/33 guns, 1-0,8mm/0.31” machinegun and 4 torpedo tubes. Two vertical triple expansion steam engines and 16 Belleville boilers supplying via 2 shafts 9.600 ihp allowing a speed of 17,8 knots. With a speed of 9 knots and a coal bunker capacity of 500 tons a range of 3,500 nautical miles.