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How did Prussia’s occupation of Saxony affect the start of the Seven Years’ War?

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Seven Years' War: Battle of Zorndorf — Seven Years’ War Frederick II leading his Prussian troops against Russians at the Battle of Zorndorf during the Seven Years' War, August 25, 1758.

Prussia’s occupation of Saxony in August 1756 was a strategic "preventive" measure taken by Frederick II to forestall an anticipated attack by an anti-Prussian coalition.12

Convinced that a Russo-Austrian offensive, supported by France, was imminent, Frederick crossed the Saxon frontier with 70,000 troops on August 29, 1756. By occupying the Saxon capital of Dresden and forcing the capitulation of the Saxon army at Pirna, Frederick aimed to secure his position and prevent the union of Saxon forces with an Austrian army moving from Bohemia.12

This invasion is one of the most debated events of Frederick's reign, as it serves as a primary example of the moral and strategic complexities surrounding "preventive" military action. While Frederick’s aggression effectively unleashed the Seven Years’ War in Europe, historical analysis confirms that he was indeed under significant threat, as his enemies—particularly the Russian empress Elizabeth—intended to dismantle Prussia’s status as a power.2