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What was the War of the Bavarian Succession?

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Historical map showing the unification of Germany by Prussia in the late 19th century. The map highlights in green the Kingdom of Prussia as of 1866, and in yellow the additional territories that formed the German Empire by 1871-1918, encompassing most of north-central Europe. Neighboring countries such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Switzerland are labeled, with major regions and states within the empire clearly marked. — Prussia The unification of Germany by Prussia, which brought most of north-central Europe into one kingdom.

The War of the Bavarian Succession (1778–1779) was a conflict in which Frederick II the Great of Prussia successfully blocked an attempt by Joseph II of Austria to acquire Bavaria.1

Following the death of the Bavarian elector Maximilian Joseph in 1777, Austria sought to annex parts of Bavaria to restore its influence in Germany. Frederick II opposed this expansion, declaring war in 1778 to support the claims of Charles, duke of Zweibrücken. The conflict involved little actual fighting, as both sides focused on maneuvering to cut off enemy supplies and communications, leading contemporaries to nickname it the "potato war" (Kartoffelkrieg).1

The war concluded with the Treaty of Teschen on May 13, 1779, mediated by France and Russia. Under the agreement, Austria received only a small portion of territory, the Inn district, rather than the significant acquisitions it had originally sought.1