Treaty of Vienna (1738) facts for kids

The Treaty of Vienna of 1738 was an important agreement that officially ended the War of the Polish Succession. This war was a big conflict in Europe that involved many countries. The treaty helped to sort out who would rule certain lands and brought peace after several years of fighting.

This treaty was special because it was one of the last major international agreements written in Latin. Latin was the language used for official documents and diplomacy in Europe for a very long time.

What the Treaty Decided

The Treaty of Vienna made several key decisions that changed the map of Europe. It was all about who got to rule which territories and how different royal families were connected.

The Polish Throne

One of the main issues the treaty solved was about the throne of Poland.

• Stanisław Leszczyński had claimed to be the King of Poland. However, the treaty made him give up his claim.
• Instead, he officially recognized Augustus III, the Duke of Saxony, as the rightful King of Poland.
• As a way to make up for giving up the Polish throne, Stanisław received two important areas: the Duchy of Lorraine and the Duchy of Bar. These were duchies, which are like small kingdoms ruled by a duke.
• A very important part of this deal was that when Stanisław Leszczyński passed away, Lorraine and Bar would become part of France. He died in 1766, and that's exactly what happened.

New Rulers for Other Lands

The treaty also moved around other territories and rulers in Europe.

Lorraine and Tuscany

• Francis Stephen was the Duke of Lorraine. Since Stanisław Leszczyński was getting Lorraine, Francis Stephen needed a new place to rule.
• He was given the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, which was a territory in Italy. The last ruler of Tuscany from the Medici family had died in 1737, so the throne was empty. This was a big change for Tuscany, as it brought a new ruling family.

France and the Pragmatic Sanction

• As part of the treaty, France also agreed to something called the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713.
• The Pragmatic Sanction was a special rule made by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. It said that his daughter, Maria Theresa, could inherit all the lands of the Habsburg monarchy, even though women usually couldn't inherit such titles at that time. France's agreement was important because it meant they would respect this rule.

Naples, Sicily, and Parma

• Another big change involved the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily. These were two important areas in southern Italy.
• Austria gave up control of Naples and Sicily.
• These kingdoms were given to Duke Charles, who was the younger son of King Philip V of Spain. Before this, Charles was the Duke of Parma and Piacenza.
• In return for getting Naples and Sicily, Duke Charles had to give up Parma to Austria. He also had to give up his claims to the throne of Tuscany, making sure that Francis Stephen could rule there without any challenges.

When It Was Signed

The Treaty of Vienna was officially signed on 18 November 1738. It was a very important moment for peace in Europe after the War of the Polish Succession.

See also

In Spanish: Tratado de Viena (1738) para niños

• List of treaties