Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) involved nearly every nation in Europe, and extended to America and India. In America, it was called the French and Indian War. In Europe, Prussia and Austria fought each other for control of Germany. Britain aided Prussia, and France helped Austria. Britain battled France for control of the seas and territories in North America. As a result of the Seven Years’ War, France lost its North American empire to Britain.
In Europe.
The Seven Years’ War resulted from the desire of Maria Theresa, ruler of Austria, to recover possession of the province of Silesia from Frederick the Great, king of Prussia. Frederick had taken most of Silesia from Austria, but Maria Theresa never gave up hope of regaining it. She allied herself with Czarina Elizabeth of Russia, who bitterly hated and feared the Prussian king. Maria Theresa found it more difficult to make an alliance with France, Austria’s ancient enemy. She finally succeeded with the aid of her shrewd foreign minister Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz. He was aided by an agreement between Britain and Prussia. This agreement alarmed the French, who saw it as an act of treachery by Frederick the Great, their ally.
Meanwhile, Frederick the Great was carefully watching the moves of his enemies. He was determined to strike the first blow. In August 1756, Frederick invaded the German state of Saxony because it was an ally of Austria, wealthy, and strategically located. Frederick soon forced the entire Saxon army to surrender and took control of the state.
In spite of these gains, Prussia’s hopes for victory were dim early in 1757. Austria, France, Russia, Sweden, and most of the German states were united against the Prussian king. Britain, Prussia’s only ally, gave little help. But Frederick moved with great vigor and decision. In November 1757, he destroyed the French in a great battle at Rossbach in Saxony. A month later, he defeated the Austrians at Leuthen, in Silesia.
In 1758, William Pitt, Britain’s secretary of state, began to give more active aid to Prussia. The British organized a new army, and it defeated French forces several times.
But Frederick’s resources were limited, and his costly campaigns had weakened Prussia. Prussia was near exhaustion and seemed to face almost certain ruin. But Frederick’s enemies failed to develop a joint plan against him. In 1762, Elizabeth of Russia died and was succeeded by Peter III. Peter, an enthusiastic admirer of Frederick, concluded a separate peace with Prussia. This turn of fate saved Frederick.
By terms of the peace signed in Hubertusburg early in 1763, most of Silesia remained under Prussian rule, and other boundaries stayed as they had been before the war. There were no territorial changes in Europe. The Treaty of Paris settled disputes between France, Spain, and Britain on Feb. 10, 1763.
In America.
One of the main results of the Seven Years’ War took place far from Europe. Britain finally won its long struggle with France for the control of North America. At the end of the war, France gave up almost all its lands in North America to Britain, and also gave up its empire in India. For a history of the war in America, see French and Indian wars.
