THE WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION. This struggle arose after the death of the Emperor Charles VI. (q.v.), in 1740. In accordance with the Pragmatic Sanction (q.v.) Charles Vt.'s daughter and heiress, Maria Theresa, had re ceived assurances of support. from most of the European powers, but hardly had she ascended the Austrian throne when she found her domin ion contested on every side. Frederick the Great of Prussia reasserted an old claim and invaded and seized Silesia. Charles Albert, Elector of Bavaria. claimed to be the rightful heir to the Hapsburg possessions as a descendant through the female line of Ferdinand I., and in virtue of old arrangements. Augustus III. of Saxony and Poland put forward his claims as the hus band of the eldest daughter of the Emperor Joseph 1. The Bourbon courts of France and Spain seized the opportunity to make war upon Austria. England thereupon entered into an alliance with Maria Theresa. Charles Emmanuel III. of Sardinia was also among the princes who sought the dismemberment of the Austrian realm. Holland joined the Anglo-Austrian Alli ance, and the Bourbon King of Naples joined the enemies of Maria Theresa. Some of the minor German princes engaged in the struggle, as allies of Prussia and France. On April 10, 1741, Frederick 11. defeated the Austrians at Mollwitz. The Bavarians, the French, under Belleisle. and the Saxons poured into the Aus trian dominions. Maria Theresa appealed for support to her Hungarian subjects at the Diet assembled at PresAiurg and they responded chivalrously to her call. She was, however, un able to save Prague, which surrendered to Belle isle on November 26, 1741, but at the beginning of 1742 her forces entered upon a victorious campaign against Charles Albert. General Khe venhtiller overran Bavaria, and on the very day of the Elector Charles Albert's coronation as Emperor Charles VII. took :Munich (February 12, 1749). On May 17, 1742. Frederick won a victory over the Austrians at Chotusitz, which was followed by the Treaty of Breslau (terminat ing the first Silesian War) which provided for the cession of most of Silesia to Prussia. The French General Belleisle effected a masterly re treat from Prague.
In May, 1743. Bavaria again fell into the hands of the Austrians. In June the English, under George defeated the French at Dettin gen. In the same year Saxony and Sardinia were won over to the side of Austria. France and Spain now remained the sole representatives of the coalition. Seeing the tide turn so
strongly in favor of Austria, Frederick became alarmed and renewed hostilities in 1744 by an invasion of Bohemia (second Silesian War). In January, 1745, Charles VII. died and his son, Maximilian Joseph. made peace with Austria. On June 4, 1745, Frederick w•on a victory over the Austrians at Hohenfriedberg, and An De cember 15th the Prussians defeated the Saxons at Kesselsdorf. Frederick, displeased with the overbearing conduct of France. was willing to make terms with Austria, and the Peace of Dresden (December 25. 1745) between Austria, Saxony, and Prussia terminated the second Si lesian War. On September 13, 1745. the hus band of Maria Theresa had IH•en elected Emperor as Francis I. In the meanwhile the French were being led to victory in the Austrian Neth erlands by Marshal Saxe. who, on May 11. 1745, defeated the English, Hanoverians, Dutch, and Austrians at Fontenoy. One after another the principal towns of the region fell before his at tacks, and on October 11. 1746, lie won a splen did victory over the allies under Charles of Lor raine at Ilaueoux. In Italy the War was waged with varying fortune. In 17-13 the French were successful. In 1740 the Austrians and Sar dinians made a victorious advance, and Genoa, which bad joined the enemies of Austria, was occupied. The city, however, had soon to be evacuated, and an attempt to recapture it in 1747 was frustrated by the French. In 1747 Saxe routed the Duke of Cumberland at Laf feld. near Aix-la-Chapelle (July 2d), while his celebrated chief of engineers. Count Lilwendal, after a two months' siege, took Bergen-op-Zoom. a fortress believed by the Dutch to be impreg nable. On the sea, however, the English gained victories in 1747 under Admirals Anson and Hawke. At this juncture the Empress Elizabeth of flussia came to the aid of Maria Theresa and sent her forces into the field. France was now willing to listen to proposals of peace. On Oc tober 18, 1748, the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle put an end to the war. It left the Hapsburgs in possession of their hereditary dominions• with the exception of Silesia. Parma and Piacenza (acquired in 1735) were handed over by Austria to Don Philip, brother of Ferdinand VI. of Spain. The principal event of the contest waged by the British and French in America (King George's War) was the taking of Louisburg in 1745. The French held their ground in India.