Leslie Massey
The War of Austrian Succession was fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The war was caused by a rivalry between Prussia and Austria, with Prussia invading the Austrian province of Silesia in 1740. This invasion was a result of King Frederick II of Prussia's desire to unify his disconnected lands and acquire the prosperous, resource-rich, and strategically important province of Silesia. The invasion also sparked a wider conflict between France and Britain, with France seeking to challenge Habsburg power and Britain backing Maria Theresa's claim to the Austrian throne. As the conflict widened, it drew in other participants, including Bavaria, Spain, Saxony, Sweden, and Russia, and eventually involved most of Europe's great powers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1740-1748 |
| Cause | Question of Maria Theresa's succession to the Austrian Habsburg crown |
| Maria Theresa's Patrons | Britain, Dutch Republic, Hanover, Sardinia, Saxony, Russia |
| Opposition | France, Prussia, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden |
| Outcome | Prussia acquired Silesia from Austria |
| Other Outcomes | End of Austria-France rivalry; Prussia-Great Britain alliance; outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756 |
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What You'll Learn
The death of Emperor Charles VI
Emperor Charles VI died on 20 October 1740 at the Hofburg in Vienna. He fell seriously ill at the Favorita Palace in Vienna after a hunting trip across the Hungarian border. According to Voltaire, Charles died after consuming a meal of death cap mushrooms.
Charles was the Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1711 until his death in 1740. He was the eldest son of Emperor Leopold I and his wife, Princess Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg. In 1708, he married Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, with whom he had four children: Leopold Johann, Maria Theresa, Maria Anna, and Maria Amalia.
Charles' death sparked the War of the Austrian Succession, which lasted from 1740 to 1748. The war was primarily fought over the right of Charles' daughter, Maria Theresa, to inherit the Habsburg lands and the Austrian throne. Despite being the eldest child, Maria Theresa's right to succeed her father was contested due to the elective nature of the position and the convention that it could not be held by a woman.
Before his death, Charles had attempted to secure the succession of Maria Theresa to the Habsburg lands and the titles and powers of the Holy Roman Emperor. In 1713, he issued the Pragmatic Sanction, which provided for male-line succession failure and favoured his own daughters over those of his elder brother, Joseph I. However, this sanction was ultimately in vain, as Maria Theresa was forced to resort to arms to defend her inheritance.
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Maria Theresa's succession
The War of the Austrian Succession was fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The conflict was sparked by the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the Austrian Habsburg crown following the death of her father, Emperor Charles VI, in 1740.
Maria Theresa was the eldest daughter of Emperor Charles VI and Elizabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Born in 1717, she replaced her cousin Maria Josepha as heir presumptive to the Habsburg realms upon her birth. Charles VI issued the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, which placed his nieces behind his own daughters in the line of succession. This act was recognized by most powers, allowing female descendants to succeed to the domains of the Habsburgs.
Despite Charles VI's efforts to secure his daughter's succession, the right of Maria Theresa to inherit the Habsburg lands was contested. France, Prussia, and Bavaria saw the transition as an opportunity to challenge Habsburg power. Prussia, in particular, sought to exploit the succession struggle to acquire Habsburg possessions and diminish Austrian power. In 1740, King Frederick II of Prussia invaded and occupied the affluent Austrian province of Silesia, marking the beginning of the War of the Austrian Succession.
During the war, Maria Theresa successfully defended her rule over most of the Habsburg monarchy. She was supported by Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover, collectively known as the Pragmatic Allies. The conflict widened and drew in other participants, including Spain, Sardinia, Saxony, Sweden, and Russia. The war ended in 1748, with Prussia acquiring Silesia from Austria and demonstrating the vulnerability of Hanover, held in personal union with the British Crown.
Despite losing Silesia, Maria Theresa's successful defense of her inheritance during the War of the Austrian Succession proved that the Austrian monarchy was not a mere agglomeration of lands but a unified power capable of resisting dismemberment.
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The invasion of Silesia
The seizure of Silesia was motivated by both dynastic claims and geostrategic factors. Prussia had centuries-old dynastic claims on parts of Silesia, and Frederick sought to prevent King Augustus III of Poland and Elector of Saxony from using Silesia to connect his own disparate lands. Additionally, Silesia held great strategic importance due to its resources, prosperous economy, and location contiguous with Prussia's core territory in the Margraviate of Brandenburg. The valley of the Upper Oder in Silesia formed a natural military conduit between Brandenburg, the Kingdom of Bohemia, and the Margraviate of Moravia.
The First Silesian War ended in 1742 with the Treaty of Berlin, which recognised Prussia's seizure of most of Silesia and parts of Bohemia. However, the underlying conflict over Silesia remained unresolved, leading to the Second Silesian War in 1744. The Second Silesian War ended in 1745 with the Treaty of Dresden, which maintained Prussia's control of Silesia but did not resolve the dispute, as Maria Theresa still refused to recognise Prussia's sovereignty in the region. The rivalry between Prussia and Austria over Silesia continued, leading to the Third Silesian War from 1756 to 1763 as part of the Seven Years' War.
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The realignment of European powers
The War of the Austrian Succession, fought between 1740 and 1748, was a conflict that reshaped the traditional European balance of power. The war was caused by the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the Austrian Habsburg crown following her father's death. Prussia, backed by France, invaded the Austrian province of Silesia, demonstrating the vulnerability of the Habsburg dominions. This invasion sparked a wider conflict, with Prussia, France, Bavaria, and Spain seeking to exploit the succession struggle to acquire Habsburg possessions and diminish Austrian power.
The war resulted in a realignment of European powers, known as the Diplomatic Revolution. Austria and France ended their centuries-long rivalry, and Prussia formed an alliance with Great Britain. This shift set the stage for the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756.
During the War of the Austrian Succession, Prussia was considered the clear winner, acquiring Silesia from Austria. This outcome undermined the long-standing Anglo-Austrian alliance, as Maria Theresa resented Britain's insistence that she cede Silesia to make peace. As a result, she made it her primary goal to regain the province. The war also exposed the vulnerability of Hanover, which was held in personal union with the British Crown, to Prussian attacks. Additionally, many British politicians felt they received little benefit from the substantial subsidies paid to Austria.
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The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
The treaty guaranteed the right of succession of Maria Theresa to the Austrian lands, but the Habsburgs were weakened by the guarantee to Prussia of its conquest of Silesia. This concession was a particular point of resentment for Maria Theresa, who blamed Britain for forcing her to accept it. This souring of Anglo-Austrian relations, combined with Britain's feeling that they had gained little from the treaty, led to the realignment known as the Diplomatic Revolution. This set the scene for the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756.
The treaty also confirmed the right of succession of the house of Hanover in Great Britain and Hanover. France agreed to expel the Jacobite Prince of Wales, Charles Edward Stuart, and to withdraw from the Austrian Netherlands. Britain and France exchanged Louisbourg on Île-Royale for Madras in India. Spain renewed the Asiento de Negros, a monopoly contract to supply slaves to Spanish America, which had been granted to Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. Britain later renounced this under the 1750 Treaty of Madrid in return for £100,000.
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Frequently asked questions
The War of Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The war was caused by the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the Austrian Habsburg crown following the death of her father, Emperor Charles VI. Prussia, France, Bavaria, and Saxony saw it as an opportunity to challenge Habsburg power, while Maria Theresa was backed by Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover.
Prussia, often considered the clearest winner, acquired Silesia from Austria. This outcome undermined the long-standing Anglo-Austrian Alliance, as Maria Theresa deeply resented Britain's insistence that she cede Silesia to make peace. The war also demonstrated that Hanover, then held in personal union with the British Crown, was vulnerable to Prussian attacks.
