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Why did Frederick II invade Silesia in 1740?

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Portrait painting of Frederick II of Brandenburg, King of Prussia, wearing a dark coat with a star medal, yellow gloves, and holding a cane, with the inscription Fridericus II Rex Prussiae. — Frederick II Frederick II, painting in the Castello di Miramare, Trieste, Italy.

Frederick II of Prussia invaded the Austrian province of Silesia in December 1740 primarily to seize its significant wealth, as it was the most economically developed of the Habsburg territories.12

His decision was prompted by the death of the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI in October 1740, which left the Habsburg lands to his daughter, Maria Theresa. Frederick perceived that the Austrian government was in a vulnerable state, characterized by a weak army, financial difficulties, and inexperienced leadership, whereas he possessed a well-funded and highly capable military inherited from his father.13

Additionally, Frederick sought to capitalize on weak dynastic claims that the Hohenzollern family held over the region. While he initially hoped Maria Theresa would cede the territory in exchange for Prussian support against other rivals, her refusal made military conflict inevitable, leading to the Silesian Wars and the broader War of the Austrian Succession.143