Why did Charles VI’s death without a male heir lead to the War of the Austrian Succession?

The death of Charles VI in 1740 without a male heir triggered the War of the Austrian Succession because it challenged the integrity of the Habsburg inheritance.

To ensure his lands remained undivided, Charles VI had promulgated the Pragmatic Sanction in 1713, which established that his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa, would inherit the throne in the absence of a son. Although many European powers had previously recognized this decree, Charles VI’s death prompted several rulers to contest it, viewing the transition as an opportunity to weaken the Habsburgs or seize territory.

Specifically, Frederick the Great of Prussia invaded the wealthy province of Silesia, while Charles Albert of Bavaria asserted his own claim to the Habsburg lands and the imperial crown. These challenges, supported by France and other powers, transformed the succession dispute into a general European conflict.123