K.u.K. (Kaiserlich und Königlich)

K.u.K. stands for "Kaiserlich und Königlich," which translates to "Imperial and Royal" in English. It was used to describe the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867 until its dissolution in 1918. The term referred to the dual nature of the Habsburg Empire, encompassing both the Austrian Empire (imperial) and the Kingdom of Hungary (royal). This designation affected various aspects of governance, military, and culture within the empire, symbolizing the combined authority of the Austrian Emperor and the Hungarian King over the diverse populations and territories of the empire.