War of the Austrian Succession facts for kids
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) involved most of the countries in Europe. It was about Archduchess Maria Theresa's succession to the Habsburg Monarchy. The war included other events such as King George's War in British America, the War of Jenkins' Ear (which formally began on 23 October 1739), the First Carnatic War in India, the Jacobite rising of 1745 in Scotland, and the First and Second Silesian Wars.
Maria Theresa was not allowed to succeed to her father Charles VI's various crowns, because Salic law would not let a woman inherit the crown. This gave an opportunity for France and Prussia, joined by Bavaria, to challenge Habsburg power. Maria Theresa was supported by Britain, the Dutch Republic, Sardinia and Saxony.
Spain had been at war with Britain over colonies and trade since 1739. It joined the war to re-establish its influence in northern Italy. The Austrians had taken control of northern Italy, as a consequence of Spain's war of succession earlier in the 18th century.
The war ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. Maria Theresa was confirmed as Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary, but Prussia kept control of Silesia. The peace did not last, however, when Austria's desire to recapture Silesia and the political upheaval in Europe, ended with the Seven Years' War (1756–1763).
Images for kids
-
Maria Theresa, Queen regnant of Hungary and Bohemia and Archduchess of Austria, Holy Roman Empress
-
Europe after the Treaty of Vienna (1738), Habsburg Monarchy in gold
-
Frederick the Great, by Wilhelm Camphausen; his position at the end of 1744 was extremely precarious
-
Maria Theresa's husband, Francis I, elected Holy Roman Emperor on 13 September 1745
-
Victory at Fontenoy in May 1745 re-established French confidence
-
Philip V of Spain's family by Louis-Michel van Loo
-
The Prince of Conti by Alexis Simon Belle
-
Infante Philip of Spain by Laurent Pécheux
-
Map of the Low Countries; Bergen op Zoom, upper center
-
Europe in the years after the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748
-
Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon
-
The Franco-Spanish fleet commanded by Don Juan José Navarro drove off the British fleet under Thomas Mathews near Toulon in 1744.
-
Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia, who entered the war by the September Treaty of Worms
-
The Prussian infantry during the Battle of Mollwitz, 1741
-
King George II at the Battle of Dettingen, 1743
-
The Duke of Lorraine and Imperial troops crossing the Rhine before Strasbourg, 1744
-
The British fleet bombarding the Corsican port of Bastia in 1745
-
The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745
-
Colonels of the French Guards and British guards politely discussing who should fire first at the battle of Fontenoy, 1745
-
The Battle of Rocoux in 1746, between the French and the British, Dutch and Austrians
-
The Battle of Cape Finisterre, 1747
-
Marshal Maurice de Saxe at the Battle of Lauffeld, 1747
-
Taking and looting of the fortress of Bergen-op-Zoom in 1747
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Guerra de sucesión austríaca para niños
