Pragmatic Army facts for kids
The Pragmatic Army was a special army that fought during the War of the Austrian Succession. This war happened in the 1740s. King George II created the army in 1743. He was the King of Great Britain and also the ruler of Hanover, a German state. The army was made up of soldiers from Britain, Hanover, and Austria. Its main goal was to support Maria Theresa of Austria. The army's name came from something called the "Pragmatic Sanction." This was a rule that allowed Maria Theresa to become ruler.
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Why the Army Was Formed
When Maria Theresa's father, Emperor Charles VI, died in 1740, many countries tried to take her lands. Frederick the Great of Prussia attacked first, taking a region called Silesia. Then, a larger group of countries, led by France, joined the fight against her.
Britain strongly supported Maria Theresa. However, King George II had a tricky situation. As the ruler of Hanover, he had signed a deal with France. This deal said Hanover would stay neutral, meaning it wouldn't pick sides. This caused some arguments back in London.
Despite the neutrality deal for Hanover, King George agreed to send soldiers. He sent a large group of Hanoverian troops and also Hessian soldiers. These Hessian troops were paid by Britain. King George said these soldiers were under British control. This way, he argued, they did not break his agreement with France.
Early Battles and Leadership
King George II himself led the Pragmatic Army into battle. In June 1743, they fought and won the Battle of Dettingen. This was a big victory. It also made George II the last British king to lead his troops in person during a battle. This win stopped France's plans in Germany. France had been supporting Maria Theresa's rival, Charles of Bavaria.
After this victory, King George's younger son, the Duke of Cumberland, took command of the army. In response to their losses, the French planned to invade Britain in 1744. However, this invasion never happened. The Pragmatic Army then moved its base from the Rhineland to the Austrian Netherlands, which is modern-day Belgium.
Facing the French in Belgium
The Pragmatic Army met the French again in battle in May 1745. This was the Battle of Fontenoy. It was a very tough fight, and many soldiers were lost on both sides. In the end, the French won this battle.
Later in 1745, a group called the Jacobites started an uprising in Scotland. The Jacobites wanted to put Charles Edward Stuart on the British throne. Their uprising was quite successful. Their troops even marched into England and reached as far south as Derby.
This threat to Britain meant that many soldiers from the Pragmatic Army had to be sent back home. The Duke of Cumberland led these forces. He won a major victory against the Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden. But while he was away, the French commander, Maurice de Saxe, took advantage. The French were able to capture Brussels. They then went on to take Ghent, Mons, and Namur.
Later Battles and the End of the War
The Pragmatic Army faced more defeats. They lost at the Battle of Rocoux in October 1746. Then, even after the Duke of Cumberland returned with more British soldiers, they lost again at the Battle of Lauffeld in July 1747. France had taken control of much of the Austrian Netherlands.
However, France was also getting tired of the war. They had lost many battles at sea and in their colonies. So, they started secret talks with Britain in Breda to end the war. In 1748, they signed the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. In this treaty, France agreed to leave all the lands they had taken in Belgium. In return, Britain gave back a captured French stronghold in Canada called Louisbourg.
The Pragmatic Army was then disbanded in 1748. Years later, in 1757, during the Seven Years' War, British and German forces fought the French again. This happened after France invaded Hanover.
