Treaty of Warsaw (1745) facts for kids

The Treaty of Warsaw was a special agreement signed in Warsaw on January 8, 1745. It was a deal between several important European powers. These included Great Britain, the Habsburg monarchy (a powerful family ruling many lands), the Dutch Republic, and Saxony. Together, they formed a group called the Quadruple Alliance.

Their main goal was to support Maria Theresa. They wanted to make sure she could become the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy. The treaty also helped Austria and Saxony get money from the powerful sea nations like Great Britain and the Dutch Republic.

What Was the Treaty of Warsaw About?

This treaty brought Saxony into a close connection with Great Britain for the first time. It helped make clearer some secret plans that were hinted at in an earlier agreement called the Union of Warsaw.

Goals of the Treaty

The treaty had several important goals:

• To help Austria get back a region called Silesia.
• To make a powerful neighbor, Brandenburg, less strong.
• To make sure the countries involved worked together in the Holy Roman Empire. This was different from another group called the Frankfurt Union.

The agreement said that 30,000 soldiers from Saxony would join the Austrian army. The sea powers (Great Britain and the Dutch Republic) would pay for these soldiers. There was also a secret plan proposed by the rulers of Hungary and Poland. However, the sea powers did not agree to this secret part.

How the Treaty Changed Things

Even though it was supposed to be a defensive team-up, the Treaty of Warsaw was signed during the War of the Austrian Succession. Within a few months, all the countries that signed it were working together against France.

The sudden death of the Bavarian king also happened around this time. These two events, the treaty and the king's death, really changed who had the most power in Germany.

What Happened After the Treaty?

The countries that signed the Treaty of Warsaw were successful in the end. They made sure that Maria Theresa was accepted as the ruler at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748.

The Treaty of Warsaw was kept secret for a long time. It wasn't until 1756 that Frederick the Great found out about it and told everyone. Even though it was a big agreement, some parts of the treaty never fully happened as planned.