Although it would still retain its name until the Napoleonic Wars, where it would be completely dissolved, by the 18th century, the Holy Roman Empire was already a crumpled and decentralized mess. In the 18th century we will see the rise of Austria, originally a province of the Holy Roman Empire. While I’ll still address the rulers of this region as Holy Roman Emperor (as it is formally the correct term), bear in mind that the Holy Roman Empire has essentially collapsed by this time, and Austria is one of the dominating powers in the region.
The War of Austrian Succession started in 1740 and lasted for 8 years. In 1713, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI issued the Pragmatic Sanction, which declared that his daughter Maria Theresa would succeed him, and that no one should challenge her position. By declaring the Pragmatic Sanction, many other European kingdoms saw opportunity, whether that be power, resources, or land. Suddenly, but as it always does, a family issue becomes a continental shift in the balance of power.
In 1740, two things happened: the death of Charles VI and the rise of Frederick II as king of Prussia, a military kingdom north of Austria. Maria Theresa inherited power over Austria and some other provinces of the Holy Roman Empire. A province of Brandenburg in the Holy Roman Empire was part of the Prussian kingdom. Unclear claims of land and a thirst for control made up the perfect recipe for war.
Frederick II ignored the Pragmatic Sanction and challenged Maria Theresa’s rule with his eye on Silesia, a part of Austria with abundant resources and strategic significance. As Frederick II moved south to occupy Silesia, other European kingdoms began to seek alliances between the two sides for their own gains. For example, France and Spain sided with Prussia, while Britain and Russia sided with Austria. Almost instantly, this became a war involving all of Europe.
The first skirmish between these European powers ended in a win for Prussia. As the French harassed the Austrian lands in Bohemia, the Austrian army was essentially facing war on two fronts. The well-trained and disciplined Prussian army was able to defeat the Austrians at Silesia, giving Frederick II full control over the province.
The second skirmish started when Austria mobilized troops to reclaim Silesia with the help of British soldiers. Frederick reacted by sending his Prussian army (along with some French allies) to Silesia once again. The Prussian army proved victorious once more, and peace was negotiated not long after. The Treaty of Dresden and Breslau formally acknowledged Silesia as part of the Prussian kingdom. The treaties also signified that Frederick II now recognized Maria Theresa and her husband to be the rightful rulers of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire. However, less than a decade later, these broad European alliances will switch completely and go to war again over colonial lands and trade routes during the Seven Years War.
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Cover image from Wikipedia
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