Succession << suhk SEHSH uhn >> wars are conflicts based on disagreements over who should succeed to (inherit) a throne. During the 1700’s, disputes over royal bloodlines erupted throughout Europe, resulting in four consecutive conflicts: the War of the Spanish Succession, the War of the Polish Succession, the War of the Austrian Succession, and the War of the Bavarian Succession.
The War of the Spanish Succession
(1701-1714) was fought throughout Europe, at sea, and in the Americas. In North America, it was called Queen Anne’s War, named for the queen of Britain (now also called the United Kingdom). On Nov. 1, 1700, the last Habsburg king of Spain, Charles II, died without a direct heir. He left a will naming Philip of Anjou as his successor. King Louis XIV of France, Philip’s grandfather, recognized him as Philip V of Spain. Other European nations became alarmed at Louis’s influence over Philip and the Spanish government, which could increase France’s power.
The Habsburg family in Austria had wanted their own Archduke Charles on the Spanish throne. Austria joined Britain, the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and several German states of the Holy Roman Empire in a group known as the Grand Alliance. The aim of the alliance was to replace Philip with Charles and to retain the old balance of power in Europe. Fighting broke out in 1701, and the Grand Alliance formally declared war on France and Spain in 1702.
The French lost major battles at Blenheim, Ramillies, Turin, and Oudenaarde. The forces of the alliance were led by two outstanding generals, the English Duke of Marlborough and the imperial general Prince Eugene of Savoy. Though the alliance was winning, Britain grew tired of the war. The battle at Malplaquet in 1709 was a strategic victory for Marlborough and Eugene, but it cost them more than 20,000 soldiers killed or wounded—nearly twice what the French suffered. In 1710, Britain began secret peace talks with France.
In 1711, Joseph I, the Holy Roman emperor and ruler of Austria, died. He was succeeded by his brother, Archduke Charles. Because Charles was also the Austrian candidate for the Spanish throne, the other allies became concerned that one power could control both Spain and Austria. This arrangement was unacceptable to them, just as the possibility of the united rule of Spain and France had been.
In 1713, most of the warring powers agreed to the Peace of Utrecht. King Louis XIV of France obtained fairly favorable terms. His grandson Philip was allowed to keep Spain and its overseas empire, on the condition that Spain and France would never be united.
The War of the Polish Succession
(1733-1738) began after Polish noblemen elected Stanislas Leszczyński, father-in-law of King Louis XV of France, as king of Poland. Russia and Austria forced the Poles to accept Augustus of Saxony as their king instead. War followed, with France, Spain, and Sardinia opposing Austria, Russia, and several German states. France and its allies defeated Austrian armies in Germany and Italy, but the Russian occupation of Poland continued. Fighting stopped in 1735, and the Treaty of Vienna officially ended the war in 1738. France and its allies won considerable territory, but Augustus remained king of Poland.
The War of the Austrian Succession
(1740-1748) was fought throughout Europe, at sea, in North America, and in India. In North America, it became known as King George’s War, named for Britain’s King George II.
The war began after the death of Charles VI, the Holy Roman emperor and ruler of Austria. Charles had no sons and left his vast lands to his daughter Maria Theresa. The great powers of Europe recognized her right to succeed by the terms of a decree called the Pragmatic Sanction. After the emperor’s death, however, most of the European powers acted to take her lands.
Frederick II, king of Prussia, attacked first, taking the Austrian province of Silesia. Soon, France, Spain, Bavaria, Saxony, and Sardinia joined Prussia, threatening to take most of Maria Theresa’s lands. Britain and the Netherlands became her allies, and eventually Sardinia and Saxony switched to her side. The combined forces were called the Pragmatic Army, after the Pragmatic Sanction. Maria Theresa retained her empire, but Frederick II kept almost all of Silesia. The war ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748.
The War of the Bavarian Succession
(1778-1779) was a short quarrel between Prussia and Austria over the succession to the throne of Bavaria. In 1777, Maximilian Joseph, the Duke of Bavaria, died, leaving his throne to a distant relative, Charles Theodore. Not a Bavarian himself, he agreed to Austrian claims to a part of Bavaria. Many Bavarians were angered, as was Frederick II of Prussia, who feared any Austrian expansion.
When Austria occupied parts of Bavaria, Prussia and Saxony invaded Austria. Still, no one was anxious for war, and no battles were fought. The conflict became known as the “Potato War,” as hungry soldiers spent the winter campaign searching for food in the frozen fields. France and Russia mediated the Treaty of Teschen in 1779, giving Austria only a small part of Bavaria.
