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What happened during the War of the Bavarian Succession?

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Portrait painting of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, wearing a black and red military coat with medals and a sash, with St. Peter's Basilica visible in the background. — Joseph II Joseph II, Holy Roman emperor, detail of a painting by Pompeo Girolamo Batoni, 1769; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.

The War of the Bavarian Succession (1778–1779) was a conflict triggered by Joseph II’s attempt to acquire Bavaria to restore Austria’s influence in Germany.1

Following the death of the Bavarian elector Maximilian Joseph in 1777, Joseph II secured a treaty with his successor, Charles Theodore, to cede Lower Bavaria to Austria. However, Frederick II of Prussia opposed this expansion, fearing a shift in the balance of power, and declared war in 1778.1

The conflict involved little actual combat, as both sides focused on maneuvering to cut off enemy supplies and communications, leading contemporaries to nickname it the "potato war" (Kartoffelkrieg). While Joseph II personally led the imperial army in Bohemia, his mother, Maria Theresa, sought a peaceful resolution against his wishes.1

The war concluded with the Treaty of Teschen in 1779, mediated by France and Russia. Austria received only the small Inn district, failing to achieve its broader territorial ambitions.1