Lyla Lindsey
The War of the Austrian Succession was a conglomeration of related wars fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The war was sparked by the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740, and the subsequent debate over the right of his daughter, Maria Theresa, to inherit the Habsburg lands. Prussia, France, and Bavaria saw it as an opportunity to challenge Habsburg power, while Maria Theresa was backed 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.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1740-1748 |
| Cause | Death of Emperor Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor and head of the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg |
| Combatants | Austria, Britain, Russia, the Netherlands, Hanoverians, Hessians, Sardinia, Prussia, France, Bavaria, Spain, Saxony |
| Outcome | Prussia acquired Silesia from Austria; French conquest of the Austrian Netherlands; Britain's victories at sea; Maria Theresa recognised as ruler of the Monarchy |
| Notable Battles | Battle of Toulon (1744); Battle of Dettingen (1743); Battle of Fontenoy (1745) |
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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 ill at the Favorita Palace after a hunting trip across the Hungarian border and died after consuming a meal of death cap mushrooms, according to Voltaire.
Charles VI was the Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death in 1740. He was the second son of Emperor Leopold I and was a claimant to the Spanish throne after the death of Charles II in 1700. He was also known as Charles III, archduke of Austria and king of Hungary.
Charles VI's chief concern was the regulation of the Habsburg succession. In 1713, he promulgated the Pragmatic Sanction, which stated that Austria's lands were to pass undivided to his female heirs in the absence of male progeny. His only son died in infancy, so he bequeathed his inheritance to his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa. At the time of his death, it seemed that he had accomplished his purpose. However, Maria Theresa was forced to fight several wars to establish herself as her father's heiress.
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The struggle for Silesia
The War of the 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 conflict was sparked by the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740 and the subsequent inheritance of the Habsburg monarchy by his daughter, Maria Theresa. The war was fought between several European powers, including Prussia, Austria, France, Britain, Bavaria, and Saxony, and was divided into three separate but connected conflicts: the Silesian Wars, the war in Northern Italy, and the global contest between Britain and France.
The First Silesian War (1740-1742) saw Prussia defeat the Austrians at Mollwitz in April 1741 and establish control over almost all of Silesia. This victory emboldened other powers to attack Austria, widening the conflict. In July 1742, Austria temporarily neutralized Prussia by allowing it to retain Silesia, but the Second Silesian War (1744-1745) saw a renewed Prussian invasion. The Second Silesian War ended with the Treaty of Dresden in December 1745, which confirmed Prussia's control over Silesia and Glatz. Despite this, Maria Theresa still refused to recognize Prussia's sovereignty in Silesia, and the struggle for the region continued beyond the War of the Austrian Succession, setting the stage for the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756.
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The invasion of Austrian Netherlands
The War of the 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 crown as part of the Habsburg monarchy. Maria Theresa was the daughter of Emperor Charles VI, who died on 20 October 1740.
The conflict involved France, Prussia, and Bavaria, who saw it as an opportunity to challenge Habsburg power, while Maria Theresa was backed by Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover, collectively known as the Pragmatic Allies. As the war widened, it drew in other participants, including Spain, Sardinia, Saxony, Sweden, and Russia.
The invasion of the Austrian Netherlands (now Belgium) was a significant theatre of the war. The French sought to overrun the Austrian Netherlands to gain a strategic advantage and weaken Austrian power. The British, who were allied with Austria, sought to prevent the French from achieving this objective to protect their commercial and colonial empire.
In 1742, a British force of 16,000 men was sent to Flanders to support the Austrians. Despite this, the French were successful in overrunning much of western Flanders in 1744 and 1745, laying siege to the fortress of Tournai. The British, led by the Duke of Cumberland, clashed with the French army of Marshal Maurice de Saxe at the Battle of Fontenoy on 11 May 1745. Although the British and their allies broke through the French position, they ultimately had to retreat. This was followed by further French victories at the Battle of Lauffeld in July 1746 and the capture of Brussels, the capital of the Austrian Netherlands.
The French conquest of the Austrian Netherlands gave them a clear dominance on land. However, the British victories at sea, such as the capture of the French fortress of Louisbourg, offset these losses. Eventually, in 1748, France agreed to withdraw from the Austrian Netherlands as part of the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, signed in October of that year.
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The global conflict between Britain and France
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) was a conglomeration of related wars, two of which developed directly from the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740. The conflict centred on the question of whether Charles's daughter, Maria Theresa, had the right to succeed him as ruler of the Habsburg monarchy. While Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover supported Maria Theresa's claim, France, Prussia, and Bavaria opposed it, seeking to challenge Habsburg power.
Secondly, the conflict between Britain and France extended to their colonies, particularly in India and North America. France seized the British East India Company's trading base of Madras, while the British captured the French fortress of Louisbourg in Canada with the support of colonists from nearby British colonies. The French also planned to invade Britain, aiming to restore the exiled Stuarts to the thrones of Scotland and England. However, these plans were thwarted by the British Navy, which prevented the French from exiting the Mediterranean.
Thirdly, the conflict between Britain and France influenced their respective alliances during the War of the Austrian Succession. Britain's main European war aim was to prevent the French from overrunning the Austrian Netherlands (now Belgium) and to protect its Hanoverian territory. To achieve this, Britain allied itself with Austria, providing military support and defeating the French at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743. In contrast, Prussia, which had initially invaded the Austrian province of Silesia, allied itself with France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden, and Saxony. However, in 1742, Austria and Prussia made peace, allowing Austria to focus its efforts against France.
Overall, the War of the Austrian Succession was one phase in the prolonged struggle between France and Britain, which lasted from 1689 to 1815. The conflict between the two powers continued beyond the War of the Austrian Succession, with colonial conflicts remaining unresolved by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. The rivalry between France and Britain would later escalate into the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), which has been described as the original "world war".
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The realignment of European powers
The War of the Austrian Succession, fought between 1740 and 1748, was a conglomeration of related wars, two of which developed directly from the death of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor and head of the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg. The war was fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The conflict saw Prussia emerge as the clearest winner, acquiring Silesia from Austria. This outcome undermined the long-standing Anglo-Austrian Alliance, as Maria Theresa, the Austrian ruler and daughter of Charles VI, deeply resented Britain's insistence that she cede Silesia to make peace.
The war led to a realignment of European powers, known as the Diplomatic Revolution. This realignment set the stage for the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756. Firstly, the war demonstrated that Hanover, then held in personal union with the British Crown, was vulnerable to Prussian attacks. Secondly, many British politicians felt they received little benefit from the enormous subsidies paid to Austria. These factors led Britain to shift its alliance from Austria to Prussia.
Another significant aspect of the realignment was the end of the centuries-long rivalry between Austria and France. This shift occurred as France's attempts to invade Austria and Bohemia fell apart due to a lack of unity and military capability. Additionally, Austria's victory over Prussia in the Battle of Mollwitz in April 1741 enhanced suspicions in Europe about the weakness of the Habsburg dominions, leading to a general war.
The war also witnessed the continued conflict between France and Britain over colonial possessions in India and North America. The British pursued a dual strategy of naval blockade and bombardment of enemy ports, utilizing their naval power to expand their colonial influence. In contrast, France focused on land conquests, achieving dominance through the conquest of the Austrian Netherlands.
Overall, the War of the Austrian Succession and its aftermath significantly reshaped the traditional European balance of power, leading to new alliances and rivalries that would define the continent's political landscape in the years to come.
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Frequently asked questions
The War of Austrian Succession was a conglomeration of related wars fought between 1740 and 1748. The war was fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The immediate cause of the war was the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740, and the inheritance of the Habsburg monarchy. The right of Charles' daughter, Maria Theresa, to succeed her father was contested by Prussia, France, and Bavaria.
The war was fought between several European powers, with Prussia, France, and Bavaria forming one alliance, and Maria Theresa's supporters including Britain, the Dutch Republic, Russia, and Hanover, collectively known as the Pragmatic Allies. As the conflict widened, other participants included Spain, Sardinia, Saxony, Sweden, and Austria.
Prussia acquired Silesia from Austria, undermining the Anglo-Austrian Alliance as Maria Theresa sought to regain the province. The war also demonstrated the vulnerability of Hanover, held in union with the British Crown, to Prussian attacks. The conflict ultimately set the stage for the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756.
The British pursued a strategy of naval blockade and bombardment of enemy ports, utilising their naval power. They also employed troops from nearby colonies, with more success in North America than in Europe. The war's outcome led to a realignment known as the Diplomatic Revolution, with Austria and France ending their rivalry, and Prussia allying with Britain, ahead of the Seven Years' War.
