War of the Austrian Succession

A European war fought from 1740 to 1748 over Maria Theresa’s inheritance of the Habsburg monarchy, alongside disputes over territory and the balance of power.

Pragmatic Sanction of 1713: A Habsburg succession decree that allowed Maria Theresa to inherit her father’s hereditary lands. Its recognition by other powers became the central diplomatic dispute when Maria Theresa succeeded Charles VI.
Maria Theresa: Habsburg ruler from 1740 to 1780 who inherited the monarchy after the death of Charles VI. Her contested accession was the conflict’s central dynastic issue.
Habsburg monarchy: A Central European composite monarchy ruled by the House of Habsburg until 1918. The war concerned the inheritance and defense of this collection of dynastic lands.
Silesian Wars: Three conflicts between Prussia and Austria from 1740 to 1763 over control of Silesia. The war’s first Silesian conflict began a prolonged contest that outlasted the 1748 peace.
First Silesian War: The 1740–1742 conflict in which Prussia seized most of Silesia from the Habsburg monarchy. Frederick II’s invasion of Silesia opened the war and established Prussia as a major adversary.
Frederick the Great: King of Prussia from 1740 to 1786, known for expanding Prussian power through war and reform. His seizure of Silesia transformed Prussia into the war’s principal challenger to Austria.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor: Habsburg ruler from 1711 to 1740 and father of Maria Theresa. His lack of a surviving son made succession arrangements central to his final decades of rule.
Diplomatic Revolution: The mid-eighteenth-century reversal of traditional European alliances, especially Austria’s alignment with France. Wartime partnerships and their limits helped set the stage for Austria’s later alliance with France.
Battle of Mollwitz: A 1741 battle in which Prussian forces defeated an Austrian army in Silesia. The victory secured Frederick II’s early position in Silesia despite his temporary absence from the battlefield.
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor: Bavarian ruler elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1742, opposing Maria Theresa’s inheritance claims. His election gave a rival dynastic claimant the imperial title during the war.

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