- Date:
- 1740 - December 16, 1748
- Location:
- Austria
- Participants:
- Austria
- Bavaria
- Dutch Republic
- France
- Hanover
- Prussia
- Savoy
- Spain
- United Kingdom
War of the Austrian Succession
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What was the War of the Austrian Succession?
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48) was triggered by the death of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, and the succession of his daughter Maria Theresa to the Habsburg throne. Frederick II of Prussia's invasion of Silesia sparked wider conflict, with France, Bavaria, and Spain joining against Austria, while Britain and the Dutch Republic supported Austria.
The war involved multiple battles and shifts in alliances, concluding with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. Maria Theresa retained most of her inheritance, but Prussia gained control of Silesia, significantly weakening the Habsburgs and paving the way for Prussia's rise.
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When and where did the War of the Austrian Succession take place?
The War of the Austrian Succession took place in Europe from 1740 to 1748. It began on December 16, 1740, when Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, a wealthy Habsburg province. The war involved multiple countries, with France, Bavaria, Spain, and Prussia on one side and Austria, Great Britain, and the Dutch Republic on the other. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle concluded the war in October 1748.
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Who were the main countries involved in this war?
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) involved multiple European powers. France, aiming to weaken Austria, supported the claims of Bavaria, Saxony, and Spain to Habsburg territories and backed Charles Albert of Bavaria for the imperial crown.
Austria, led by Maria Theresa, was primarily supported by Great Britain, which feared French dominance in Europe would threaten its colonial empire. Prussia, under Frederick II the Great, allied with France to seize and retain Silesia from Austria. Other participants included Savoy, allied with Austria, and Hanover and Hesse, supporting the British.
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Why did the War of the Austrian Succession start?
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48) stemmed from the death of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, in October 1740, and the ascension of his daughter, Maria Theresa, to the Habsburg throne. Despite Charles VI's efforts to secure recognition for Maria Theresa through the Pragmatic Sanction, Prussia, under Frederick II, challenged her legitimacy by invading Silesia in December 1740. This invasion triggered a wider conflict as other powers, such as France and Bavaria, saw an opportunity to weaken or dismantle the Habsburg monarchy.
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What were some important battles or events during this war?
The War of the Austrian Succession involved multiple conflicts and key events.
- Invasion of Silesia In December 1740, Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, initiating the war and defeating the Austrians at Mollwitz in April 1741.
- Battle of Dettingen In June 1743, Austria's allies, including the British, Hanoverians, and Hessians, defeated the French in Bavaria.
- Battle of Fontenoy A significant French victory occurred in May 1745, with Marshal Maurice de Saxe's conquest of the Austrian Netherlands following the Battle of Fontenoy.
- Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle The war concluded in October 1748 with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which preserved most of the Austrian inheritance for Maria Theresa but left Prussia in control of Silesia.
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How did this war affect Europe after it ended in 1748?
The War of the Austrian Succession had several significant effects on Europe after it ended in 1748. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle preserved most of the Austrian inheritance for Maria Theresa, but Prussia retained possession of Silesia.
The war and the treaty that followed led to:
* Rise of Prussia The rise of Prussia as a major power, due to their acquisition of Silesia, created a lasting rivalry with Austria.
* Diplomatic Revolution The war exposed dissatisfaction with existing alliances, leading to the reversal of alliances between Great Britain, Austria, France, and Prussia.
* Unresolved Conflicts Colonial and other conflicts between France and Britain remained unresolved.3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
War of the Austrian Succession, (1740–48), a conglomeration of related wars, two of which developed directly from the death of Charles VI, Holy Roman emperor and head of the Austrian branch of the house of Habsburg, on Oct. 20, 1740.
In the war for the Austrian succession itself, France unsuccessfully supported the dubious claims of Bavaria, Saxony, and Spain to parts of the Habsburg domain and supported the claim of Charles Albert, elector of Bavaria, to the imperial crown, all with the overall aim of crippling or destroying Austria, France’s long-standing continental enemy.
Another pair of wars were the First Silesian War (1740–42) and the Second Silesian War (1744–45), in which Frederick II the Great of Prussia, allied with France, wrested the province of Silesia from Austria and held on to it. A third series of wars centred on the continued conflict between France and Britain over colonial possessions in India and North America (see Jenkins’ Ear, War of; King George’s War).
What is known collectively as the War of the Austrian Succession began on Dec. 16, 1740, when Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, one of the richest Habsburg provinces. His army defeated the Austrians at Mollwitz in April 1741 and overran Silesia. His 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’s Charles-Louis-Auguste Fouquet, comte (later marshal and duc) de Belle-Isle, constructed an alliance with Bavaria and Spain and, later, with Saxony and Prussia against Austria. The Austrian ruler Maria Theresa (daughter of Charles VI) derived her main foreign support from Britain, which feared that, if the French achieved hegemony in Europe, the British commercial and colonial empire would be untenable. Thus, the War of the Austrian Succession was, in part, one phase of the struggle between France and Britain that lasted from 1689 to 1815.
The invasion of Austria and Bohemia by the French and Bavarian forces fell apart for lack of unity of purpose and military capability. Austria temporarily neutralized Prussia by allowing it to retain Silesia in July 1742, drove the French and Bavarians out of Bohemia (1742), and overran Bavaria. Austria’s allies—the British, Hanoverians, and Hessians—defeated the French at the Battle of Dettingen (June 27, 1743) in Bavaria. In September 1743 Savoy joined the Austrians, and the French withdrew toward their own borders. In January 1745 the emperor Charles VII (Charles Albert of Bavaria), who was also chief claimant to the Austrian succession, died. His son Maximilian III Joseph gave up these claims and pledged to support Francis Stephen at the imperial election in return for Austria’s restoration of its conquests to Bavaria. Frederick now feared the growing Austrian power, and he reentered the war. This Second Silesian War was concluded by the Treaty of Dresden in December 1745. It confirmed Prussian possession of Silesia.
The last major French success was Marshal Maurice de Saxe’s conquest of the Austrian Netherlands (1745–46), which followed his great victory at the Battle of Fontenoy on May 11, 1745. From 1746 to 1748 the war dragged on indecisively. The British had withdrawn their army to England to oppose the French-supported efforts of the young pretender, Charles Edward, to win the thrones of Scotland and England for the Stuarts. The financial burden finally pushed the powers to the conference table. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (see Aix-la-Chapelle, Treaty of) in October 1748 preserved the bulk of the Austrian inheritance for Maria Theresa. Prussia remained in possession of Silesia, however, and none of the colonial or other conflicts between France and Britain was resolved.