SEVEN WEEKS' WAR. The name given to the brief war in 1866 between Prussia and Italy on the one side and Austria and her German allies on the other. Bavaria, Wiirttemberg, Baden, Sax ony, Hesse, Hesse-Cassel, Hanover, and Nassau were on the side of Austria. The war was the culmination of Bismarck's plan for forcing Austria out of the German Confederation and making way for a new Germany under Prussian leadership. For an acconnt of the preliminary events which led up to the struggle, see BISMARCK; GERMANY; PRUSSIA; and SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.
On April 8, 1866, Prussia had concluded a secret alliance with Italy, and the issue of a federal execution by the Diet Prussia on June 14th was followed by the of war against Austria, Saxony, Hanover, and Hesse Cassel. The invasion of Bohemia was immedi ately begun. The eentral (First) Prussian army, under Prince Frederick Charles (q.v.), entered from Eastern Saxony, crossing the frontier range of the Erzgebirge toward Reich enherg; the western or Elbe (Third) army, under General }Ierwarth von Bittenfeld. started from Dresden. and entered Bohemia by Neustadt and Schluckenau; while the eastern or Silesian (Second) army, under the Crown Prince, Frede rick William (later the German Emperor Fred erick III.) (q.v.), entered Bohemia from Silesia by the Trautenau and Naehod passes. As the Austrians expected the attack from Silesia, by far the greater portion of their army was sta tioned behind the Riesengebirge; so that when Von Bittenfeld and Prince Frederick Charles crossed the Erzgebirge (June 24th), they found themselves opposed by only the outlying brigades of Clam-Gallas, they forced to retire to ward Turnau and Aliinchengratz, after defeating them in some insignificant combats and in a se vere struggle at Podol. The First Prus*ian Army and the Elbe Army, now united, advanced leisure ly, driving the enemy before them toward Alfin chengriitz, where Clam-Gallas was attacked on June 2Sth, and, after a brief but severe contest forced to retreat in haste. By several routes, the combined armies continued their onward march, routing the detached corps of Austrians and Sax ons which attempted to bar their progress; and after a severe contest (June 29th) took posses sion of Gitsehin and establ:shed communications with the Crown Prince. Clam-Gallas retired to
join the main body under Benedek.
The army of the Crown Prince advanced in two divisions, the right wing by Landslint, toward Trautenan; the left by Glatz, toward Nachod and Skalitz; while the centre entered Bohemia by Brannan. a11 crossing the frontier on June 26th and 27th. The passes were traversed without op position. but the Austrian forces under Gablenz opposed a determined resistance when the invaders emerged from them. Both sides were strongly reinforced, but victory remained with the Prus sians in the encounters at Nachod, Skalitz, and Schweinsehlidel. The three Prussian columns, having effected a firm lodgment in Bohemia, moved steadily forward in lines converging to a point north of the Austrian army, which was concentrated between Josephstadt and Iiiinig grMz; and King William I. of Prussia, who had arrived (July 2d) at the headquarters of the First and Third armies, hearing of Benedek's in tention of attacking before the Crown Prince's army could come up, resolved to anticipate him, and ordered an attack on the Austrian position at S A. Al. on July 3d, at the same time sending an urgent appeal to hasten the arrival of the Crown Prince. (See SADOWA, BATTLE oF.) The Aus trians and their Saxon allies were utterly routed and only saved from annihilation by their admir able cavalry. All hope, however, of staying the advance of the Prussians with the army of Bene dek was at an end: a truce was asked for. but refused; and the victorious Prussians pushed forward toward Vienna, whither Benedek had drawn his beaten forces. At the same time the southern Austrian army, which had been em ployed against the Italians, was summoned to the defense of Vienna, when, through the agency of the Emperor of the French, a truce was agreed to (July 26th), at Nikolsburg, which afterwards led to a treaty of peace.