Damon Mcknight
During the 1700s, Prussia and Austria were two of the largest states in Central Europe, with the Kingdom of Prussia being a major northern German kingdom and Austria being the domain of the powerful Habsburg family. Absolutism, or unrestrained power held by a monarch, was a common form of government in both states during this period. The two powers competed for influence in the region, resulting in conflicts such as the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) and the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). The War of the Austrian Succession was sparked by a dispute over the succession of the Habsburg monarchy following the death of Emperor Charles VI, with Prussia invading the Austrian province of Silesia in 1740. This war led to a realignment of alliances known as the Diplomatic Revolution, setting the stage for the Seven Years' War. The competition between Prussia and Austria during the 1700s shaped the balance of power in Central Europe and contributed to the wider rivalry between the two states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for competition | Dispute over the right of Maria Theresa to succeed her father, Emperor Charles VI, as ruler of the Habsburg monarchy |
| Date | 1740–1748 |
| Location | Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea |
| Related conflicts | King George's War in North America, the War of Jenkins' Ear, the First Carnatic War, the First and Second Silesian Wars |
| Combatants | Prussia, France, Bavaria, and Spain vs. Austria, Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover |
| Outcome | Prussia acquired Silesia from Austria, undermining the Anglo-Austrian Alliance |
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What You'll Learn
The War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
France, Prussia, and Bavaria saw the situation as an opportunity to challenge Habsburg power. In December 1740, King Frederick II of Prussia invaded the Austrian province of Silesia, one of the richest Habsburg provinces. His army defeated the Austrians at Mollwitz in April 1741 and overran Silesia. This victory enhanced the suspicion in Europe that the Habsburg dominions were incapable of defending themselves and thus ensured that the war would become general. Within a month, France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden and Saxony had formed an alliance against Austria. Maria Theresa's main foreign support came from Britain, which feared that, if the French achieved hegemony in Europe, the British commercial and colonial empire would be untenable.
The conflict widened and drew in other participants, including Sardinia, Russia, and the Dutch Republic. The war included related conflicts such as King George's War in North America, the War of Jenkins' Ear, the First Carnatic War, and the First and Second Silesian Wars. The Second Silesian War was concluded by the Treaty of Dresden in December 1745, which confirmed Prussian possession of Silesia. By early 1748, France held most of the Austrian Netherlands but was close to bankruptcy due to the war's cost and a British naval blockade. The stalemate led to the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which confirmed Maria Theresa in her titles but failed to resolve underlying tensions between the signatories.
The war resulted in a realignment known as the Diplomatic Revolution, which ended the rivalry between Austria and France and led to an alliance between Prussia and Great Britain. These changes set the scene for the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756.
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The rivalry between the Hapsburgs and Prussia
The rivalry between the Habsburgs and Prussia was a centuries-long power struggle that dominated Central Europe. The conflict had its roots in the early 18th century, with the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740, which triggered the War of the Austrian Succession. The war was fought over the right of Charles VI's daughter, Maria Theresa, to succeed him as ruler of the Habsburg monarchy, with Prussia occupying the Austrian province of Silesia in 1740.
The War of the Austrian Succession was a pan-European conflict, with France, Prussia, and Bavaria challenging Habsburg power, while Maria Theresa was backed by Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover. The war resulted in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which confirmed Maria Theresa's titles but failed to resolve underlying tensions. Prussia was considered the clear winner, having acquired Silesia from Austria, an outcome that undermined the Anglo-Austrian Alliance.
The rivalry between the Habsburgs and Prussia continued to escalate, with Prussia increasing in size and prestige, and both powers dominating German affairs in a state of tension known as "the German dualism". The monarchs of both realms carried out important internal reforms, with Maria Theresa streamlining the Austrian administrative structure on the Prussian model, an effort continued by her son, Joseph II.
The two powers clashed again during the Silesian Wars and the Seven Years' War in the mid-18th century, with Prussia occupying Saxony, an Austrian ally, during the latter conflict. The Treaty of Hubertusburg of 1763 confirmed Prussia's hold over Silesia, further fuelling the rivalry. The rivalry culminated in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which resulted in Prussian dominance over the German states and a shift in power away from Austria.
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The death of Emperor Charles VI
Emperor Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy, died on 20 October 1740. He had been hunting across the Hungarian border and fell seriously ill at the Favorita Palace in Vienna. According to Voltaire, Charles died after consuming a meal of death cap mushrooms.
Charles's death sparked the War of the Austrian Succession, which lasted eight years. The war was fought over the right of Charles's daughter, Maria Theresa, to succeed him as ruler of the Habsburg monarchy. France, Prussia, and Bavaria saw the opportunity to challenge Habsburg power, while Maria Theresa was backed by Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover, collectively known as the Pragmatic Allies.
Prussia had been growing in size and power, and the War of the Austrian Succession was part of a wider shift in the European balance of power. The war was also related to other conflicts, including King George's War in North America, the War of Jenkins' Ear, the First Carnatic War, and the First and Second Silesian Wars.
During the war, Prussia occupied the Austrian province of Silesia, undermining the Anglo-Austrian Alliance. Maria Theresa was forced to defend her inheritance from the coalition of Prussia, Bavaria, France, Spain, Saxony, and Poland, who assaulted the Austrian frontier weeks after her father's death. She ultimately saved her crown and most of her territory but lost the Duchy of Silesia to Prussia and the Duchy of Parma to Spain.
The death of Charles VI and the ensuing war also had wider implications for the Holy Roman Empire. The Habsburgs had controlled the Emperorship for almost 300 years, but Charles's death and the war led to a realignment known as the Diplomatic Revolution. Austria and France ended their centuries-long rivalry, while Prussia allied with Great Britain, setting the stage for the Seven Years' War in 1756.
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The invasion of Silesia
Prussia and Austria's competition during the 1700s can be traced back to the Silesian Wars, which were fought in the mid-18th century. The First and Second Silesian Wars were fought between 1740 and 1745, and the Third Silesian War took place from 1756 to 1763. These wars were centred around the region of Silesia, which is now in southwestern Poland.
The valley of the Upper Oder in Silesia formed a natural military conduit between Brandenburg, Bohemia, and Moravia. Control of this territory would enable its holder to threaten neighbouring regions. Additionally, Silesia's position along the northeastern frontier of the Holy Roman Empire meant that its controller could limit the influence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire within Germany.
Prussia's invasion of Silesia was facilitated by the fact that Austria was already engaged in the Great Turkish War. In 1685, Emperor Leopold I granted Great Elector Frederick William immediate control of the Silesian exclave of Schwiebus in exchange for military support against the Turks and the surrender of outstanding Hohenzollern claims in Silesia. However, in 1694, Leopold I reneged on this agreement, claiming that the territory had only been assigned to Frederick William for his lifetime.
In 1740, the newly crowned King Frederick II of Prussia reasserted the old Hohenzollern claims to Jägerndorf and the Silesian Piast heritage. This ultimately led to the Prussian invasion of Habsburg Silesia, marking the start of the First Silesian War. The war ended in 1742 with a Prussian victory and the Treaty of Berlin, which recognised Prussia's seizure of most of Silesia and parts of Bohemia.
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The rise of absolutism in Prussia and Austria
Prussia and Austria were both part of the Holy Roman Empire, a multi-ethnic collection of territories in Central Europe that lasted until 1806. The Empire was ruled by an Emperor, who was elected by seven princes, each of whom ruled at least one of the states within the Empire.
In Austria, the Habsburg dynasty held significant influence within the Holy Roman Empire, and Empress Maria Theresa is particularly noted for her progressive reforms. Her son, Emperor Joseph II (r. 1765-1790), became the absolute ruler of the most extensive realm in Central Europe after her death in 1780. Deeply influenced by the Enlightenment, Joseph II issued thousands of edicts and new laws aimed at modernizing the empire. He implemented far-reaching reforms, including attempts to modernize the Catholic Church, which proved highly unpopular. Joseph II's policies, known as Josephism, reflected his commitment to enlightened despotism and his desire to improve the lives of his subjects according to his own criteria.
The competition between Prussia and Austria during the 1700s can be attributed to their rivalry within the Holy Roman Empire and their pursuit of power and influence in Central Europe. Both states sought to expand their territories and consolidate their dominance within the region. This rivalry eventually led to the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, which resulted in Prussian dominance over the German states and a shift in power away from Austria.
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Frequently asked questions
Prussia and Austria were competing for power in Central Europe. The death of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI in 1740 without a male heir led to a dispute over the succession to the Austrian throne. Charles's daughter, Maria Theresa, succeeded him as ruler of the Habsburg lands, but her right to do so was questioned. This dispute, along with the dramatic increase in the size and power of Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria, led to the War of the Austrian Succession, which lasted from 1740 to 1748.
The War of the Austrian Succession was a conflict fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. It was caused by the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the Austrian throne and resulted in Prussia acquiring the province of Silesia from Austria.
Frederick the Great became King of Prussia in 1740, the same year that Maria Theresa ascended to the Austrian throne. He invaded the Austrian province of Silesia, which was part of the Habsburg monarchy, and sparked the War of the Austrian Succession.
The War of the Austrian Succession resulted in a realignment of powers known as the Diplomatic Revolution, with Austria and France ending their rivalry and Prussia allying with Great Britain. The war also confirmed Maria Theresa as the ruler of the Austrian Habsburg crown and resulted in the acquisition of Silesia by Prussia.
The German dualism referred to the tension between Prussia and Austria after the War of the Austrian Succession. Both realms had become so powerful that only the other could check their power, leading to a condition of tension and mutual competition.
