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The Austria Succession War

The Austrian Succession War (1)

The Austrian Succession War (1740-48) broke out shortly after Maria Theresia ascended the throne because the neighbouring powers refused to honour the principles laid down in the Pragmatisch Sanction (Treaty) of 1713.

Financially the Habsburg Empire was in a very poor state, but never-the-less after Frederick II of Prussia invaded of Silesia (Schlesien), which was rich in minerals and natural resources and one of Austria's wealthiest provinces, Maria Theresia refused to negotiate with him.

Karl Albrecht of Bavaria captured Prague on the 26th October 1741, and declared himself King of Bohemia and was elected Holy Roman Emperor on the 24th January 1742. The Bavarian army was marching towards Vienna and Maria Theresia decided to make a plea for help to Hungary, one of the only kingdoms that had not taken part in the coalition against her.

She knew she would need all her diplomatic skills to make an appeal to the Hungarians for troops and their support for her cause.To reach out and open the Magyar's hearts she needed to find the right key, so to seek their help she appeared before the Hungarian nobles in Pressburg (Pozsony) holding her newborn son in her arms. This ploy worked perfectly and the Hungarian nobles cheered her on and promised their allegiance.During the delicate negotiations that followed Maria Theresia's very strong personality helped her to secure the support she needed from the Hungarian magnates (noblemen).

In 1741, Austria realised that Bohemia supported Karl Albrecht (Karl Albert) of Bavaria as King of Bohemia.

Maria Theresia considered herself as the heiress of the rights of the house of Austria and vowed to defend her Kingdom and insisted that all efforts were to be made to save Bohemia. However, Karl Albrecht captured Prague on the 26th October 1741 and declared himself King of Bohemia. The King of Bavaria was elected Holy Roman Emperor on the 24th January 1742 and on the same day Maria Theresia started a winter campaign and managed to surprise her enemies by taking his capital city, Munich.In June 1742 a separate peace between Prussia and Austria brought the first part of the conflict with Prussia (The First Silesian War) to an end.


The Coronation of Maria Theresia in Pressburg

'Vitam et sanguinem pro rege nostro Maria Theresia'

'Our life and blood for our King, Maria Theresia'

Rex Hungariae (King of Hungary)

After her coronation as 'King' of Hungary, Maria Theresia, dressed in the Hungarian coronation robes, and wearing the crown of St. Stephen, rode on horseback up an artificial hill (Coronation Mound) constructed from soils from of all parts of the Hungarian Kingdom. She then pointed the Royal Sword to all four corners of her realm and swore an oath to protect the Kingdom and all its subjects.

Everyone present then paid homage and hailed their new sovereign with three rousing cries of "Hurrah!".

Because here was no provision in the Hungarian constitution for a female ruler the Hungarians simply overlooked the fact that she was a woman.

As a child Maria Theresia had not been taught to ride a horse so she was obliged to learn the basics for her coronation ceremony in Hungary.


The Austrian Succession War (2)

During the winter of 1742 the War of the Austrian Succession continued and Maria Theresia was now able to intensify her war efforts in Bohemia and forced the French army to retreat from Bohemia.

Her army regained control of Prague and Maria Theresia was crowned Queen of Bohemia in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague on the 12th May 1743.

In 1744, Frederick feared the growing Austrian power and re-entered the war.

Prussia invaded Bohemia marking the start of the Second Silesian War that lasted until December 1745.Austria and her allies also managed to make more important military gains, and when Karl Albrecht died unexpectedly in January 1745 his son negotiated a peace treaty with Austria.

The Austrian successes were balanced by the French victories against her British allies in the Austrian Netherlands.
Frederick promised to endorse the Habsburg candidature for Holy Roman Emperor in exchange for Silesia. Maria Theresia accepted this compromise with Prussia, but she was forced to cede Silesia to Prussia and the Duchy of Parma to Philip of Spain.
Maria Theresia's husband Franz Stephan was duly elected Holy Roman Emperor on the 13th September 1745.

Hostilities in the Netherlands and Italy carried on for another three years until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 finally put an end to the war.

Fortunately, due to the assistance Maria Theresia had received from the Hungarian nobles, Austria emerged with most of her Empire intact.The Imperial dignity remained in her family and the pragmatic sanction was finally fully honoured.Austria soon realised that the costly war against France had done more to help the British colonial interests in North America than its own interests in Central Europe.

Count Wenzel Anton Kaunitz wanted to change Austria's alliances and bringe France and Russia onto the side of Austria but failed to manage this during his time as ambassador in Paris.
An alliance was very important to him and he tried to gain the support of King Louis XV for the impending war, but during his time in Paris he began to lay the foundations for a future treaty.
In 1753 Kaunitz became chancellor of state and minister of foreign affairs and soon entered negotiations with France concerning a defensive alliance, and in 1756 Austria and France signed the treaty of Versailles.

A similar alliance was made with Russia in 1757.

This reversal of alliances was sealed with the promise to marry Maria Theresia's youngest daughter Maria Antonia (Marie Antoinette) to the future Louis XVI of France.

Austria abandoned her partnership with Britain in 1756 in favour of an alliance with France and Russia.
This forced Britain, Austria's 'old ally', to leave the alliance and link up with Prussia in order to protect Britain's interests in Hanover from the French.

In December 1744, an edict was issued regarding an immediate expulsion of Jews from Prague and further edicts were planned to follow throughout Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia. Maria Theresia accused the Jews of treacherous behaviour during the War of Austrian Succession.



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