Leslie Massey
The Prussian attack on Austria in 1740 was part of the War of the Austrian Succession, which was fought between 1740 and 1748. The conflict was caused by the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the Austrian Habsburg crown after the death of her father, Emperor Charles VI, who had no male heir. Prussia, France, and Bavaria saw this as an opportunity to challenge Habsburg power, and Prussia invaded the Austrian province of Silesia in December 1740, without a formal declaration of war. This marked the beginning of the First Silesian War and sparked a wider conflict that eventually drew in most of Europe's great powers, including Britain, Russia, and Spain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1740 |
| Conflict Name | War of the Austrian Succession |
| Primary Belligerents | Prussia, France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden, Saxony |
| Austria, Britain, the United Provinces, Russia | |
| Cause | Succession of Maria Theresa to the Austrian Habsburg crown |
| Prussia's ambition to seize Austrian-held Silesia | |
| Austria's female succession | |
| Austria's financial distress | |
| Austria's poor military performance in the Austro-Turkish War | |
| Favourable European strategic situation for Prussia | |
| Outcome | Prussia occupied the Austrian province of Silesia in 1740 |
| Prussia allied with France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden and Saxony | |
| Austria allied with Britain, the United Provinces and Russia | |
| Prussia and Austria made peace in 1742 |
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What You'll Learn
The death of Emperor Charles VI
Emperor Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy, died on 20 October 1740. His death sparked the War of the Austrian Succession, which lasted from 1740 to 1748. The war was fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Charles VI had been concerned with the regulation of the Habsburg succession, as he lacked male heirs. In 1713, he promulgated the Pragmatic Sanction, which provided that Austria's lands were to pass undivided to his female heirs if he had no male heirs. As his only son died in infancy, he bequeathed his inheritance to his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa.
Despite gaining recognition of the Pragmatic Sanction from several European powers, including Great Britain, France, and Russia, Charles VI's death in 1740 left Maria Theresa in a vulnerable position. She was forced to resort to arms to defend her inheritance from a coalition of Prussia, Bavaria, France, Spain, Saxony, and Poland, who assaulted the Austrian frontier weeks after her father's death. The War of the Austrian Succession saw Prussia ally itself with France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden, and Saxony, while Maria Theresa was backed by Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover.
During the war, the Prussian Army invaded the Austrian province of Silesia in December 1740 without a formal declaration of war. The Prussian Army was better trained and led than its Austrian counterpart, and its standing army of 80,000 was disproportionately large compared to its population of 2.2 million. In contrast, Austria had an authorised standing army of 157,000, but financial constraints limited its true size. As a result, the Austrian Army was spread thinly across its vast empire, making it more vulnerable to invasion.
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The right of Maria Theresa to succeed
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) was a conflict primarily fought over the right of Maria Theresa to succeed her father, Emperor Charles VI, as ruler of the Habsburg monarchy. Emperor Charles VI's death in October 1740 left no male heir, so he had established his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa, as the successor to his hereditary titles through the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713.
Upon his death, Maria Theresa duly became ruler, but her right to do so was contested by Prussia, Bavaria, and Saxony. Frederick II of Prussia, who had succeeded to the throne in May 1740, saw an opportunity to seize the Austrian province of Silesia, arguing that the Pragmatic Sanction did not apply to this region. On 16 December 1740, Frederick led Prussian troops across the Silesian frontier without a formal declaration of war, sparking the First Silesian War and the wider War of the Austrian Succession.
The conflict widened, drawing in other participants, including France, Spain, Sweden, and Russia. These states sought to exploit the succession struggle to acquire Habsburg possessions and diminish Austrian power. Prussia, France, Bavaria, and Saxony formed one coalition, while Maria Theresa was backed by Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Hanover, collectively known as the Pragmatic Allies.
The First Silesian War ended in 1742 with a peace agreement between Austria and Prussia, allowing Austria to concentrate its efforts against France. However, the War of the Austrian Succession continued until 1748, with the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle confirming Maria Theresa as the Austrian ruler. Despite this resolution, hostilities continued in other parts of the world, and conflict soon broke out again between Prussia and Austria.
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The seizure of Silesia
Frederick saw in Austria's female succession an opportune moment to seize Silesia. He argued that the Pragmatic Sanction did not apply to Silesia, which was held by the Habsburgs as part of the imperial demesne rather than as a hereditary possession. In a 1740 letter to Voltaire, Frederick called Austria's female succession "the signal for the complete transformation of the old political system". In addition to these dynastic claims, realpolitik and geostrategic factors also played a leading role in provoking the war. Britain and France were distracted by the War of Jenkins' Ear, and Sweden was moving towards war with Russia. The Electors of Bavaria and Saxony also had claims against Austria and seemed likely to join in the attack.
On 8 November 1740, Frederick ordered the mobilisation of the Prussian army, and on 11 December he issued an ultimatum to Maria Theresa demanding the cession of Silesia. In return, he offered to guarantee all other Habsburg possessions against any attack, pay a large cash indemnity, acknowledge the Pragmatic Sanction, and give his vote as elector of Brandenburg to Maria Theresa's husband, Duke Francis Stephen of Lorraine, in the forthcoming imperial election. Frederick did not wait for a response. On 16 December, he led Prussian troops across the lightly defended Silesian frontier without a formal declaration of war. By the end of January 1741, almost the entirety of Silesia was under Prussian control, and the remaining Austrian strongholds of Glogau, Brieg and Neisse were besieged.
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The War of the Austrian Succession
The war can be divided into three separate but connected conflicts. The first of these was the First Silesian War (1740-1742), fought between Prussia and Austria for control of the region of Silesia. In December 1740, King Frederick II of Prussia, having inherited a large and well-trained army and a healthy treasury, invaded the lightly defended Austrian province of Silesia without a formal declaration of war. By the end of January 1741, almost the entirety of Silesia was under Prussian control. The speed of the Prussian invasion was aided by the fact that Austrian military resources were concentrated in Hungary and Italy, leaving them with fewer than 3,000 troops in Silesia.
The second conflict saw Austria and Sardinia defeat Spanish attacks in Northern Italy. The third conflict involved a wider naval struggle in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, as well as fighting in Central Europe and the Austrian Netherlands. The war also included related conflicts such as King George's War in North America, the War of Jenkins' Ear, the First Carnatic War, and the Second Silesian War.
The war resulted in a Prussian-led coalition including France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden and Saxony, which sought to exploit the succession struggle to acquire Habsburg possessions and diminish Austrian power. Ranged against them were Austria, Britain, the Dutch Republic, Hanover and Russia. The British war aims were to prevent the French from overrunning the Austrian Netherlands and to protect its Hanoverian territory. The British pursued a dual strategy of naval blockade and bombardment of enemy ports, as well as utilising their ability to move troops by sea.
The war eventually concluded with the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle in October 1748, which saw France agree to leave the Austrian Netherlands and give back Madras in return for Louisbourg. Maria Theresa was also confirmed as Austrian ruler. However, the peace was little more than a truce, and hostilities would soon break out again between Prussia and Austria.
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The Prussian advantage
War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
During the War of the Austrian Succession, Prussia held several advantages over Austria. Firstly, Prussia had a well-trained and well-led standing army of 80,000 soldiers, which was disproportionately large compared to its population of 2.2 million. In contrast, Austria's standing army of 157,000 was relatively smaller in proportion to its population of 16 million and was hampered by financial constraints. This meant that the Austrian army was spread thin across a much larger area, making it vulnerable to invasion.
Secondly, Prussia exploited diplomatic alliances to gain an advantage over Austria. In 1739, Prussia formed an alliance with France, with Louis XV agreeing to attack Austria from the west while Prussia attacked from the north, effectively creating a two-front war for Austria. Prussia also allied with Bavaria, Saxony, Spain, Sweden, and other states, all of whom sought to challenge Habsburg power and diminish Austrian influence.
Thirdly, Prussia took advantage of Austria's preoccupation with other conflicts and its weakened state after the Austro-Turkish War (1737-1739). Austria was engaged in multiple theatres of war, including conflicts in Central Europe, Italy, and the Austrian Netherlands, leaving it stretched thin and unable to focus its military resources on defending against Prussia.
Finally, Prussia's new king, Frederick II, who ascended the throne in May 1740, was ambitious and sought to expand his kingdom's territory. He inherited a large and well-trained army and a healthy treasury, which positioned Prussia favorably for an attack on Austria.
Austro-Prussian War (1866)
During the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, Prussia again held several advantages, including:
- A more efficient rail network that allowed for faster mobilisation and concentration of troops. Prussia could assemble 285,000 men in 25 days using five railway lines, while Austria had only one railway line and required 45 days to assemble 200,000 men.
- Modernised army discipline, including the adoption of new tactics learned from observing the American Civil War.
- Alliance with the Kingdom of Italy, which diverted some Austrian forces to the south.
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Frequently asked questions
Prussia attacked Austria in 1740 due to the death of Emperor Charles VI, which led to a dispute over the succession of the Austrian crown.
The war between Prussia and Austria in 1740 was known as the War of the Austrian Succession.
The War of the Austrian Succession ended in 1748 with the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, which confirmed Maria Theresa as the Austrian ruler. However, it was more of a truce than a lasting peace, as hostilities continued in other parts of the world.
Prussia was one of the key players in the War of the Austrian Succession, allying itself with France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden, and Saxony. They sought to exploit the succession struggle to acquire Habsburg possessions and diminish Austrian power. Prussia invaded the Austrian province of Silesia in December 1740, sparking the conflict.
The War of the Austrian Succession had significant implications for the relationship between Prussia and Austria. It set the stage for further conflicts, such as the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and the Austro-Prussian War (1866). These wars ultimately led to a shift in power among the German states, with Prussia gaining dominance over Austria.
