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War of the Austrian Succession

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War of the Austrian Succession
Part of theFrench–Habsburg rivalryand theAustro-Prussian rivalry

Left to right:
Date16 December 1740 – 18 October 1748
(7 years, 10 months and 2 days)
Location
Europe,North America,South America,South India
Result Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
Territorial
changes
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
Strength
1740:
Kingdom of France200,000
1742:
Kingdom of Prussia120,000[1]
Spain70,000[1]
Sweden40,000[1]
Electorate of Saxony35,000[1]		 1747:
Habsburg monarchy204,000[2]
Kingdom of Great Britain120,000[3][a]
Dutch Republic127,000[b]
Savoy55,000[6]
1742:
Province of Hanover30,000[1]
Casualties and losses
France:
158,400 killed and wounded[7][c]
Prussia:
23,100 killed and wounded[7]
Spain:
3,000 killed and wounded[7][d]		 Habsburg monarchy:
148,000 killed and wounded[7]
Great Britain:
26,400 killed and wounded[7][e]
Dutch Republic:
14,630 killed and wounded[7]
Savoy-Sardinia:
7,840 killed and wounded[7]
Total: 750,000 dead or wounded[8]

TheWar of the Austrian Succession[f]was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily inCentral Europe,theAustrian Netherlands,Italy,theAtlantic OceanandMediterranean Sea.Related conflicts includeKing George's WarinNorth America,theWar of Jenkins' Ear,theFirst Carnatic War,and theFirstandSecond Silesian Wars.

Its pretext was the right ofMaria Theresato succeed her father,Emperor Charles VI,as ruler of theHabsburg monarchy.France,Prussia,andBavariasaw it as an opportunity to challenge Habsburg power, while Maria Theresa was backed byBritain,theDutch Republic,andHanover,collectively known as thePragmatic Allies.As the conflict widened, it drew in other participants, among themSpain,Sardinia,Saxony,Sweden,andRussia.

Prussia occupied the Austrian province ofSilesiain 1740, although Austria and Sardinia defeated Spanish attacks in Northern Italy. By early 1748, France held most of theAustrian Netherlands,but was close to bankruptcy due to the cost of the war and a crippling British naval blockade. The stalemate led to theTreaty of Aix-la-Chapellewhich confirmed Maria Theresa in her titles but failed to resolve underlying tensions between the signatories, many of whom were unhappy with the terms. France achieved minimal gains for vast expenditure, while the Spanish gained theDuchies of Parma,PiacenzaandGuastalla.

Prussia, often considered the clearest winner, acquired Silesia from Austria, an outcome that undermined the long-standingAnglo-Austrian Alliance,since Maria Theresa deeply resented Britain's insistence she cede Silesia to make peace and made it her main objective to regain it. At the same time, the war demonstrated that Hanover, then held in personal union with theBritish Crown,was vulnerable to Prussian attacks, while many British politicians felt they received little benefit from the enormous subsidies paid to Austria. The result was the realignment known as theDiplomatic Revolution.Austria and France ended therivalrywhich had dominated European affairs for centuries, while Prussia allied with Great Britain. These changes set the scene for the outbreak of theSeven Years' Warin 1756.

Background

[edit]

The immediate cause of the war was the death in 1740 of EmperorCharles VI(1685–1740) and the inheritance of theHabsburg monarchy,often collectively referred to as Austria. The 1703Mutual Pact of Successionprovided that if theHabsburgsbecame extinct in the male line, these possessions would go first toMaria JosephaandMaria Amalia,daughters of EmperorJoseph I,then those of Charles, his younger brother. SinceSalic lawexcluded women from the inheritance, this agreement required approval by the various Habsburg territories and theImperial Diet.[9]

Charles succeeded Joseph in 1711 and two years later issued thePragmatic Sanction of 1713,which confirmed the principle of female inheritance. However, it also modified the 1703 agreement by placing the rights of his own children first and after his first child Maria Theresa was born in 1717, Charles' internal and external policy was dominated by ensuring her succession ahead of his two nieces.[10]Prior to their respective marriages toFrederick Augustus of SaxonyandCharles Albert of Bavariain 1719, both nieces were obliged to formally renounce their rights to the inheritance. Charles assumed the rivalry betweenSaxonyandBavariawould secure his daughter's throne, since neither would be prepared to allow the other to inherit, but instead he gave his two greatest rivals a claim to the Habsburg lands.[11]

Maria Theresa,whose succession was the proximate cause of the war

Charles was also seeking to ensure the succession of Maria Theresa not just to her family lands but the titles and powers of theHoly Roman Emperor.Although held by a Habsburg for over 300 years, it was an elective position and could not be held by a woman. The problem was exacerbated by tensions within theHoly Roman Empire,caused by dramatic increases in the size andpowerof Bavaria, Prussia, and Saxony, mirrored by the post-1683 expansion of Habsburg power into lands previously held by theOttoman Empire.These were the centrifugal forces behind a war that reshaped the traditionalEuropean balance of power;the various legal claims were largely pretexts and seen as such. [12]

Bavaria and Saxony refused to be bound by the decision of the Imperial Diet, while in 1738 France agreed to back the 'just claims' of Charles Albert of Bavaria despite previously accepting the Pragmatic Sanction in 1735.[13]Attempts to offset this involved Austria in the 1733–1735War of the Polish Successionand theRusso-Turkish War of 1735–1739,and it was weakened by the losses incurred. The situation was compounded by a failure to prepare Maria Theresa for her new role, and many European statesmen were sceptical Austria could survive the contest that would follow Charles' death, which finally came about in October 1740.[14]

Strategies

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On land, fighting focused on three main theatres,Central Europe,Italy,and theAustrian Netherlands,along with a wider naval conflict. The war itself can be divided into three separate but connected conflicts, the first being theSilesian Warsbetween Prussia and Austria. In the second, Austria and Sardinia defeated Spanish attacks inNorthern Italy,while the third featured an increasingly global contest between Britain and France. In the end, French conquest of the Austrian Netherlands gave them clear dominance on land, while Britain's victories at sea cemented its place as the dominant naval power.

For much of the 18th century, French military strategy focused on potential threats on its eastern and northern borders, which required a strong land army.[15]Its colonies were left to fend for themselves, or given minimal resources, anticipating they would likely be lost anyway.[16]This strategy was driven by a combination of geography, and the superiority of the British navy, which made it difficult for the French navy to provide significant supplies and support to French colonies.[17]The expectation was military victory in Europe would compensate for any colonial losses; in 1748, France recovered possessions likeLouisbourg,in return for withdrawing from the Austrian Netherlands.[18]

The British tried to avoid large-scale commitments of troops on the Continent.[19]They sought to offset the disadvantage this created in Europe by allying themselves with one or more Continental powers whose interests were antithetical to those of their enemies, particularly France. In the War of the Austrian Succession, the British were allied with Austria; by the time of theSeven Years' War,they were allied with its enemy,Prussia.In contrast to France, once Britain became engaged in the war, it took advantage of theRoyal Navyto expand it into the colonies.[20]The British pursued a dual strategy ofnaval blockadeand bombardment of enemy ports, and also utilized their ability to move troops by sea to the utmost.[21]They would harass enemy shipping and attack enemy outposts, frequently using colonists from nearby British colonies in the effort. This plan worked better in North America than in Europe, but set the stage for the Seven Years' War.

Campaign of 1740

[edit]
Lands of the Bohemian Crown;in 1742, most ofSilesiawascededto Prussia

Frederick IIsucceeded his fatherFrederick Williamas king of Prussia on 31 May 1740 at the age of 28. Although Prussia had increased in importance over the prior few decades, its disparate and scattered territories prevented it wielding significant power, a reality Frederick intended to change.[22]The death of Emperor Charles VI on 20 October 1740 provided him with an ideal opportunity to acquire Silesia,[23]but he needed to do so beforeAugustus of Saxony and Polandcould pre-empt him.[24]

With a population of 16 million, Austria had an authorisedstanding armyof 157,000, although financial restraints meant its true size was considerably less than that in 1740.[25]Since they had a much greater area to defend, their army was more of "a sieve" than a shield against foreign invasion.[26]In contrast, thePrussian Armywas better trained and led than its opponents, while its standing army of 80,000 was disproportionately large, at around 4% of its 2.2 million population.[27]To add to these advantages, in April 1739 Frederick ensured Austria faced war on two fronts whenLouis XVof France agreed to attack from the west, while Prussia did so from the north.[28]

In early December 1740, the Prussian army assembled along the riverOderand on 16 December invaded Silesia without a formal declaration of war.[29]Since Austrian military resources were concentrated in Hungary andItaly,they had fewer than 3,000 troops in Silesia, although this increased to 7,000 shortly before the invasion. They held onto the fortresses ofGlogau,Breslau,andBrieg,but abandoned the rest of the province and withdrew intoMoravia,with both sides taking up winter quarters.[30]In under two weeks Prussia had occupied most of the richest province in the Holy Roman Empire, containing a population of over one million, the commercial centre ofBreslaualong with mining, weaving and dyeing industries.[31]However, Frederick underestimated Maria Theresa's determination to reverse her loss, while the retention of Austrian fortresses in Southern Silesia meant a quick victory could not be achieved.[32]

Campaign of 1741

[edit]
War of the Austrian Succession is located in Central Europe
Linz
Linz
Brieg
Brieg
Vienna
Vienna
Prague
Prague
Neisse
Neisse
Budapest
Budapest
Mollwitz
Mollwitz
Tábor
Tábor
Munich
Munich
Tyrol
Tyrol
class=notpageimage|
Central European campaign, 1741

Early in the year, an Austrian army undervon NeippergrelievedNeisse,and marched onBrieg,threatening to cut the Prussians off. On 10 April, just outside Brieg, they were defeated at theBattle of Mollwitz;Frederick made serious mistakes in his first battle, and was so close to defeat that his subordinates ordered him to avoid capture and leave the battlefield. His deputyvon Schwerinmanaged to drag out a victory, both sides losing nearly 25% of their strength.[33]

On 5 June, Frederick signed an alliance against Austria with France, who crossed theRhineon 15 August.[34]A combined Franco-Bavarian force now advanced along theDanube,towardsVienna,capturingLinzon 14 September.[35]Joined by a Saxon army of 20,000, they advanced onPraguefrom three different points, initially meeting little resistance. Before long, the Austrians had an army atTábor,while Neipperg was recalled from Silesia to defend Vienna.[36]Apparently close to defeat, on 21 September Maria Theresa made an emotional speech to theHungarian DietinPressburg.They approved alevée en masse,which ultimately produced 22,000 troops, rather than the promised 60,000, but was an assertion of loyalty long remembered.[37]

Maria Theresa was also helped by deep divisions among her opponents and Frederick's duplicity.[38]Hoping to weaken Saxony, on 9 October he signed the Klein–Schnellendorf agreement with Neipperg and in what is now considered a memorable act of diplomatic subterfuge, the Austrians surrendered Neisse after a mock defence. Under the prevailing rules of war, this allowed them to receive a pass to the nearest friendly territory and thus be used against Prussia's allies elsewhere, rather than being taken prisoner.[39]Her best general,von Khevenhüllerincorporated them into an army being assembled for a winter offensive to retake Upper Austria, and attack Bavaria.[40]

While Frederick completed his conquest of Silesia, a French force underMaurice de Saxetook Prague on 26 November 1741, allowing the Bavarian elector,Charles Albert,to be crowned King ofBohemia.The year ended with Khevenhüller decisively defeating a bigger Franco-Bavarian army atSankt Pöltenand advancing up the Danube towards Linz, while a second column under Johann Bärenklau moved through theTyrol,towardsMunich.[40]

Campaign of 1742

[edit]

On 17 January, von Khevenhüller defeated a Bavarian army atSchärdingwhile seven days later 10,000 French soldiers surrendered at Linz. On 12 February, Charles Albert of Bavaria was crowned Emperor Charles VII, the first non-Habsburg to hold the position in 300 years, although Bärenklau capturedMunichthe same day. Although technically all allies, Prussia, Saxony and Bavaria had no desire to see France established in the Empire, nor to see one another gain relative ground. Maria Theresa ended Austria's secret truce with Frederick, first releasing the details. The Austrians assembled a second army of 28,000 to retake Prague, underCharles of Lorraine.[41]

War of the Austrian Succession is located in Czech Republic
Prague
Prague
Schärding
Schärding
Zahájí
Zahájí
Chotusice
Chotusice
Kutná Hora
Kutná Hora
Židlochovice
Židlochovice
Olomouc
Olomouc
Kłodzko
Kłodzko
class=notpageimage|
Bohemia and Moravia, 1742

News of the secret truce badly damaged the relationship between Frederick and his allies, but Emperor Charles asked him to relieve the pressure by invading Moravia. Frederick had used the interval to reorganise his cavalry, previously neglected in favour of the infantry, and who performed poorly at Mollwitz; they would prove more effective in the 1742 campaign.[42]

In December 1741, von Schwerin had capturedOlmütz;Frederick tookGlatz,before moving ontoGroß Seelowitzin March 1742. This allowed him to threaten Vienna; a few Prussian patrols even appeared in the suburbs, before withdrawing.[43]In early May, he took the offensive, and moved into north-east Bohemia; by 16 May, he had 10,000 infantry atKuttenberg,and another 18,000 men underLeopold of Anhalt-Dessaua day's march behind.[44]

On the afternoon of 16 May, Charles of Lorraine's cavalry ran into Leopold's rearguard. Leopold recognized he was in contact with the Austrian main force and so accelerated his march ahead to close the gap with Frederick. At 2:00 am on 17 May, his exhausted troops stopped at the small village ofChotusitz,still three hours from Kutná Hora.[45]Fought later the same day, theBattle of Chotusitzwas inconclusive, but technically a Prussian victory, since the Austrians withdrew. On 24 May, French Field Marshalde Brogliewon a minor action atSahay.The two victories left the strategic situation unchanged, since Charles was still able to move against Prague, while the Prussian presence in Moravia remained a threat to Vienna.

However, Habsburg policy was generally to avoid fighting on too many fronts at the same time; Prussia was the most dangerous, and most difficult to defeat. Although recovering Silesia remained a priority for decades, Maria Theresa was willing to agree a temporary truce with Prussia to improve her position elsewhere.[46]This suited Frederick, who was short of money and men and also suspected France was preparing a separate peace. In June, theTreaty of Breslauended the First Silesian War; Prussian troops withdrew from Bohemia, and Austriarecaptured Praguein December.[47]

Campaign of 1743

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War of the Austrian Succession is located in Central Europe
Mainz
Mainz
Dettingen
Dettingen
Vienna
Vienna
Prague
Prague
Simbach
Simbach
Budapest
Budapest
Worms
Worms
Milan
Milan
Munich
Munich
Augsburg
Augsburg
class=notpageimage|
Key locations, 1743

At the beginning of the year, Louis XV insisted Broglie be given command of the Franco-Bavarian forces, creating tension with the Bavarians, and their generalvon Seckendorff.[48]With most of his lands occupied by the Austrians, Charles VII fled toAugsburg,from where he initiated talks with Vienna andLondon,feeling he had been abandoned by his French allies.[49]Divided at the top, and their troops weakened by disease, the Franco-Bavarian forces offered limited resistance to the Austrian advance; on 9 May, the Bavarians were defeated outsideSimbach,by Charles of Lorraine.[50]

In mid-June, thePragmatic Armyarrived atAschaffenburg,on the north bank of the riverMain.Here they were joined byGeorge II,who was attending the enthronement of a newElector of MainzinWiesbaden.[50]By late June, the Allies were running short of supplies and withdrew towards the nearest supply depot atHanau,the road to which ran through Dettingen, now a part ofKarlstein am Main,where 23,000 French troops blocked the road. Despite a strong position, mistakes made by their commanderGramont,allowed the Allies to win a narrowvictory.[51]This was the last time a British monarch would personally lead troops in battle.

While the Pragmatic Army were able to continue their retreat, they had to abandon their wounded, and although reinforced by Charles of Lorraine were unable to agree what to do next. Charles later described Allied headquarters as a 'republic', whileAdrien Maurice de Noaillestold Louis XV he was 'heavily indebted to the irresolutions of George II.' They ended by doing nothing, and in October, took up winter quarters in the Netherlands.[52]

Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia,who entered the war by the SeptemberTreaty of Worms

Frederick had responded to Dettingen by renewing his search for allies, and building up his army once again. In July, the Russian court discovered an allegedplotto overthrow EmpressElizabeth,and restore three-year oldIvan VI,with his mother Grand DuchessAnna Leopoldovnaas his regent.[53]Whether this amounted to anything more than drunken gossip is disputed; one suggestion is that it was a fabrication by Frederick, designed to remove anti-Prussian opponents, chieflyChancellor Bestuzhev-Ryumin.[54]

Anna Bestuzhev, wife of his brother Mikhail, and her friendNatalia Lopukhina,confessed to the plot after 25 days of torture; they were publicly flogged, and had their tongues removed before being exiled toSiberia.Fredrick's supporters referred to it as the "Botta Conspiracy", alleging the involvement of Austrian envoyAntoniotto Botta Adorno.[55]When Tsarina Elizabeth demanded Botta be punished, Maria Theresa refused, and the episode poisoned the relationship between Austria and Russia. Frederick managed to divide his two main opponents, butAlexey Bestuzhev-Ryuminremained in place, leaving the overall position unchanged.[54]

On 13 September,Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia,Maria Theresa and Britain agreed theTreaty of Worms,intended to expelSpainfrom Italy. In return for Sardinian support inLombardy,the Austrians ceded all their territories west of the riverTicinoandLake Maggiore,along with lands south of thePo.In return, Charles Emmanuel renounced his claim to the strategicDuchy of Milan,guaranteed the Pragmatic Sanction, and provided 40,000 troops, paid for by Britain.[56]

France and Spain responded with theSecond Pacte de Famillein October, and Louis XV began plans to invade theAustrian Netherlands.The year ended with Saxony agreeing a pact of mutual defence with Austria, leaving Prussia isolated, and facing a renewed offensive as Maria Theresa sought to regain Silesia.[57]

Campaign of 1744

[edit]
Louis XV of FrancebyMaurice Quentin de La Tour

Under the 1743 Treaty of Fontainebleau, Louis XV and his uncle,Philip V of Spainagreed on joint action against Britain. This includeda proposed invasion of Britain,aimed at restoring the exiledStuarts,and over the winter, 12,000 French troops and transports were assembled atDunkirk.[58]

In the February 1744Battle of Toulon,a combined Franco-Spanish fleet fought an indecisive action with a British naval force commanded byAdmiral Mathews.Although Mathews prevented them exiting the Mediterranean and supporting the invasion attempt, he was forced to retreat, which led to his dismissal.[59]Success allowed Spain to land troops in Northern Italy, and in April they captured the important port ofVillefranche-sur-Mer,then part ofSavoy.[60]

However, storms sank or severely damaged many French ships, while most of Louis' ministers opposed what they considered an expensive and futile diversion of resources. The invasion was cancelled on 11 March, Louis formally declared war on Britain, and in May, a French army invaded theAustrian Netherlands.[61]As in 1744, they were greatly helped by divisions between the Pragmatic Allies, making it very difficult to formulate a consistent strategy. The British and Hanoverians detested each other, Austrian resources were focused inAlsace,while theDutchwere reluctant to declare war on France, and unsuccessfully tried to persuade Louis to withdraw.[62]The Dutch however did want to protect theirBarrier fortressesandIsaac Cronströmthus argued to engage the French in the open field.George Wade,supreme commander of the allied army, disagreed. He was under strict orders of the British government to not risk losing his connection toOstendand not to risk British or Hanoverians troops becoming prisoners of war, which also meant that he refused to put them on garrison duty. The British feared anotherJacobiteuprising and therefore wanted to be able to send their troops home in time.[63]

As a result, the French made rapid progress, quickly capturing most of the Dutch-held Barrier fortresses along the border, includingMenenandYpres.When an Austrian army under Prince Charles of Lorraine invaded Alsace in early June, Louis went on the defensive in theSouthern Netherlands,and travelled toMetzto meet this threat. In early August, he fell dangerously ill withsmallpox,a disease often fatal at the time; although he later recovered, this temporarily paralysed the French command system.[64]

With the bulk of the Austrian army occupied in Eastern France, Frederick launched theSecond Silesian Waron 15 August, and by the end of the month, all 80,000 of his troops were in Bohemia.[65]Although Maria Theresa's main objective was to regain Silesia, the speed of the Prussian advance took the Austrians by surprise. On 23 August, Prince Charles withdrew from Alsace to defend Bohemia, with little interference from the French due to Louis' illness.[66]

Frederick the Great, byWilhelm Camphausen;his position at the end of 1744 was extremely precarious

By mid-September, Frederick had captured Prague,Tabor,BudweisandFrauenberg;he now advanced up the riverMoldau,hoping to catch the Austrians between his forces, and the Franco-Bavarian army he assumed was in pursuit. However, the Bavarians contented themselves with re-occupying Munich, while the French settled down to besiegeFreiburg im Breisgau,a town of far less importance to Maria Theresa than Bohemia.[67]

Frederick was left dangerously exposed, a situation worsened in early October when Saxony joined the coalition against him as an active belligerent. Under pressure from Charles of Lorraine and a combined Austro-Saxon force under CountTraun,the Prussians were forced to retreat; by the time they entered Silesia in late November, Frederick's army was reduced to 36,000, half of whom then died of dysentery.[68]

Despite the surrender of Freiburg and French advances in the Southern Netherlands, Austria seemed well-positioned at the end of 1744. Frederick's retreat damaged his reputation and weakened his army, but the most significant impact was on Franco-Prussian relations, with Louis accused of failing to support Prussia.[69]

In Italy, an Austrian attack on theKingdom of Napleswas unsuccessful, largely due to the incompetence of their commanders. In the north, arguments over strategy, and Spanish accusations of French cowardice atToulonprevented them from taking full advantage of their victories earlier in the year. This was offset by similar divisions among their opponents; Charles Emmanuel was reluctant to see the Bourbons expelled from Italy, leaving the Habsburgs as the dominant power, while his territorial ambitions could only be achieved at Austrian expense. As a result, neither side could make significant progress in this area.[70]

Campaign of 1745

[edit]
Maria Theresa's husband,Francis I,elected Holy Roman Emperor on 13 September 1745

Frederick's position continued to deteriorate; on 8 January, Austria, Britain, the Dutch Republic and Saxony signed theTreaty of Warsaw,which was clearly aimed at Prussia.[71]This was accompanied by ominous signs of Russian military activity inLivonia,followed by the death of Emperor Charles VII on 20 January. Since Maria Theresa's husband, Grand Duke Francis, was the best-supported candidate to replace him, this was a major setback for the Franco-Prussian alliance.[72]

Charles' son and heir,Maximilian III Josephmade one last effort to drive the Austrians out of Bavaria, but his demoralised and ill-equipped army was out-manoeuvered byCount Batthyány,while a Franco-Bavarian army was defeated atPfaffenhofenon 15 April.[73]With most of his electorate once again occupied, on 22 April he signed theTreaty of Füssen,in which he agreed to vote for Francis Stephen as Emperor, and made peace with Austria.[74]Prussia was now isolated; attempts by Frederick to divide his opponents by supportingFrederick Augustus of Saxonyfor Emperor were unsuccessful, while neither Britain or Russia was willing to mediate for him with Austria.[75]

Bavaria's exit allowed France to focus on the Low Countries, which Saxe persuaded Louis XV provided the best opportunity of defeating Britain, whose financial backing was crucial to the Pragmatic Alliance. He proposed to attackTournai,a vital link in the trading network for Northern Europe, and strongest of the DutchBarrier Forts,this forcing the Allies to fight on ground of his own choosing.[76]On 11 May, he won a hard-fought victory atFontenoy,a success that established French dominance in the Netherlands, and caused bitter disputes between the British and Dutch.[77]

On 4 June, Frederick won a major victory atHohenfriedberg,but despite this, Austria and Saxony continued the war. Prussian requests for French support were ignored; Louis had been warned by his ministers state finances were increasingly strained, making it important to focus their efforts. One area was the Netherlands, particularly after British troops were recalled to deal with theJacobite rising of 1745.The other was Italy, where a Franco-Spanish army underMailleboisand InfantePhilipdefeated the Sardinians atBassignanoon 27 September, then capturedAlessandria,ValenzaandCasale Monferrato.[78]

Victory atFontenoyin May 1745 re-established French confidence

As a result, France made no effort to block the election of Duke Francis, who was proclaimed Emperor Francis I on 13 September.[79]Bolstered by this significant political victory, Maria Theresa continued her attempts to regain Silesia, only to be defeated once again at theBattle of Sooron 30 September.[80]On 15 December, the Prussians forced Saxony out of the war with victory in theBattle of Kesselsdorf,leading to theTreaty of Dresdenon 25th. Austria accepted Frederick's ownership of Silesia, while Saxony paid him an indemnity of one million crowns; in return, Prussia accepted the Pragmatic Sanction, acknowledged Francis as Emperor, and evacuated Saxony.[81]

After 1745, Germany ceased to be an active military theatre; although Frederick knew Maria Theresa still intended to regain Silesia, both sides needed a period of peace in order to re-organise. French objectives were less clear; for centuries, the central plank of its foreign policy was weakening theHabsburgs,but it began the war due to concern at British commercial growth post-1713. Since the war in Northern Italy was largely fought to support Spanish aims, this left the Netherlands as the only remaining theatre where France could achieve strategic victory.[82]

Another significant development was the start of the realignment of alliances that became theDiplomatic Revolutionin 1756. Under the August 'Convention of Hanover', Frederick and George II mutually guaranteed the borders of Hanover and Prussia to each other, and British diplomats tried to persuade Austria to end the Second Silesian War. Franco-Prussian relationships were marked by mutual distrust, while Maria Theresa resented British attempts to persuade her to accept the loss of Silesia.[83]

Italian Campaigns, 1741–1747

[edit]
Philip V of Spain's family byLouis-Michel van Loo

In central Italy an army of Spaniards andNeapolitanswas collected for the purpose of conquering theDuchy of Milan.In 1741, the allied army of 40,000 Spaniards and Neapolitans under the command of theDuke of Montemarhad advanced towardsModena,Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modenahad allied himself with them, but the vigilant Austrian commander, CountOtto Ferdinand von Traunhad out-marched them, captured Modena and forced the Duke to make a separate peace.[36]

The aggressiveness of the Spanish in Italy forced Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and King Charles Emmanuel of Sardinia into negotiations in early 1742.[84]These negotiations were held at Turin. Maria Theresa sent her envoyCount Schulenburgand King Charles Emmanuel sent theMarquis d'Ormea.On 1 February 1742, Schulenburg and Ormea signed theConvention of Turinwhich resolved (or postponed resolution) many differences and formed an alliance between the two countries.[85]In 1742, field marshal Count Traun held his own with ease against the Spanish and Neapolitans. On 19 August 1742, Naples was forced by the arrival of a British naval squadron inNaples' own harbour, to withdraw her 10,000 troops from the Montemar force to provide for home defence.[86]The Spanish force under Montemar was now too weak to advance in thePo Valleyand a second Spanish army was sent to Italy via France. Sardinia had allied herself with Austria in the Convention of Turin and at the same time neither state was at war with France and this led to curious complications, combats being fought in theI sắc revalley between the troops of Sardinia and of Spain, in which the French took no part.[87]At the end of 1742, the Duke of Montemar was replaced as head of the Spanish forces in Italy byCount Gages.[88]

In 1743, the Spanish on thePanarohad achieved a victory over Traun atCampo Santoon 8 February 1743.[89]However, the next six months were wasted in inaction andJohann Georg Christian, Prince of Lobkowicz,joining Traun with reinforcements from Austria, drove back the Spanish toRimini.Observing fromVenice,Rousseauhailed the Spanish retreat as "the finest military manoeuvre of the whole century".[90]The Spanish-Savoyard War in theAlpscontinued without much result, the only incident of note being the firstBattle of Casteldelfino(7–10 October 1743), when an initial French offensive was defeated.[87]

In 1744, the Italian war became serious. Prior to theWar of the Spanish Succession(1701–1714) Spain and Austria had been ruled by branches of the same (Habsburg) royal house. Consequently, the foreign policies of Austria and Spain in regards to Italy had a symmetry of interests and these interests were usually opposed to the interests ofBourboncontrolled France.[91]However, since theTreaty of Utrechtand the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, the childless last Habsburg monarch (Charles II) had been replaced by the Bourbon grandson of the French kingLouis XIVPhilip of Anjou,who became Philip V in Spain. Spain's dominance of Italy and Italian territories subsequently passed to Austria. Now the symmetry of foreign policy interests in regards to Italy existed between Bourbon France and Bourbon Spain with Habsburg Austria usually in opposition.[92]King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia had followed the long-established foreign policy of Savoy of opposing Spanish interference in northern Italy.[93]Now in 1744, Savoy was faced with a grandiose military plan of the combined Spanish and French armies (called theGallispanarmy) for conquest of northern Italy.

However, in implementing this plan, the Gallispan generals at the front were hampered by the orders of their respective governments. For example, the commander of the French army in the field, thePrince of Conti,could not get along with, or even reason with, theMarquis de La Mina,the Supreme commander of all Spanish forces.[94]The Prince of Conti felt that the Marquis "deferred blindly to all orders coming from Spain" without any consideration of the realities on the ground.[94]In preparation for the military campaign the Gallispan forces sought to cross the Alps in June 1744 and regroup the army inDauphinéuniting there with the army on the lower Po.[95]

Charles III of SpainbyAnton Raphael Mengs

The support ofGenoaallowed a road into central Italy.[94]While the Prince of Conti stayed in the north, CountGagesfollowed this road to the south. But then the Austrian commander, Prince Lobkowitz took the offensive and drove the Spanish army of the Count de Gages further southward towards the Neapolitan frontier near the small town ofVelletri.From June through August 1744, Velletri became the scene of extensive military maneuvering between the French-Spanish army under the command of the Count Gages and the Austrian forces under the command of Prince Lobkowitz[96]The King of Naples (the futureCharles III of Spain) was increasingly worried about the Austrian army operating so close to his borders and decided to assist the Spaniards. Together a combined army of French, Spanish and Neapolitans surprised the Austrian army on the night of 16–17 June 1744. The Austrians were routed from three important hills around the town of Velletri during the attack.[97]This battle is sometimes called the "Battle of Nemi" after the small town of Nemi located nearby. Because of this surprise attack, the combined army was able to take possession of the town of Velletri. Thus, the surprise attack has also been called the "firstBattle of Velletri".

In early August 1744, the King of Naples paid a visit in person to the newly captured town of Velletri.[97]Hearing about the presence of the King, the Austrians developed a plan for a daring raid on Velletri. During the predawn hours of 11 August 1744, about 6,000 Austrians under the direct command ofCount Brownestaged a surprise raid on the town of Velletri. They were attempting to abduct the King of Naples during his stay in the town. However, after occupying Velletri and searching the entire town, the Austrians found no hint of the King of Naples. The King had become aware of what was happening and had fled through a window of the palace where he was staying and rode off half-dressed on horseback out of the town.[98]This was the second Battle of Velletri. The failure of the raid on Velletri meant that the Austrian march toward Naples was over. The defeated Austrians were ordered north where they could be used in the Piedmont of northern Italy to assist the King of Sardinia against the Prince of Conti. Count de Gages followed the Austrians north with a weak force. Meanwhile, the King of Naples returned home.

ThePrince of Contiby Alexis Simon Belle

The war in the Alps and theApennineshad already been keenly contested before the Prince of Conti and the Gallispan army had come down out of the Alps. First, theFort de VillefrancheandFort du mont AlbannearNicehad been stormed by Conti on 20 April 1744. After coming down out of the Alps, Prince Conti began his advance into Piedmont on 5 July 1744.[99]On 19 July 1744, the Gallispan army engaged the Sardinian army in some desperate fighting atPeyre-Longueon 18 July 1744.[100]As a result of the battle, the Gallispan army took control ofCasteldelfinoin the secondBattle of Casteldelfino.Conti then moved on toDemontewhere on the night of 8–9 August 1744, (a mere 36 hours before the Spanish army in south of Italy fought the second Battle of Velletri, [as noted above]) the Gallispan army took the fortress of Demonte from the Sardinians in theBattle of Demonte.[101]The King of Sardinia was defeated yet again by Conti in a great Battle atMadonna dell'Olmoon 30 September 1744 near Coni (Cuneo).[102]Conti did not, however, succeed in taking the huge fortress at Coni and had to retire into Dauphiné for his winter quarters. Thus, the Gallispan army never did combine with the Spanish army under Count of Gages in the south and now the Austro-Sardinian army lay between them.

The campaign in Italy in 1745 was also no mere war of posts. The Convention of Turin of February 1742 (described above), which established a provisional relationship between Austria and Sardinia had caused some consternation in theRepublic of Genoa.However, when this provisional relationship was given a more durable and reliable character in the signing of theTreaty of Worms (1743)signed on 13 September 1743,[103]the government of Genoa became fearful. This fear of diplomatic isolation had caused the Genoese Republic to abandon its neutrality in the war and join the Bourbon cause.[104]Consequently, the Genoese Republic signed a secret treaty with the Bourbon allies of France, Spain and Naples. On 26 June 1745, Genoa declared war on Sardinia.[104]

The Genoese charge during theBattle of Bassignanoin 1745

Empress Maria Theresa was frustrated with the failure of Lobkowitz to stop the advance of Gages. Accordingly, Lobkowitz was replaced with Count Schulenburg.[105]A change in the command of the Austrians, encouraged the Bourbon allies to strike first in the spring of 1745. Accordingly, Count de Gages moved from Modena towardsLucca,the Gallispan army in the Alps under the new command ofMarshal Maillebois(Prince Conti and Marshal Maillebois had exchanged commands over the winter of 1744–1745[106]) advanced through theItalian Rivierato theTanaro.In the middle of July 1745, the two armies were at last concentrated between theScriviaand the Tanaro. Together Count de Gages's army and the Gallispan army composed an unusually large number of 80,000 men. A swift march onPiacenzadrew the Austrian commander thither and in his absence the allies fell upon and completely defeated the Sardinians atBassignanoon 27 September 1745, a victory which was quickly followed by the capture ofAlessandria,ValenzaandCasale Monferrato.Jominicalls the concentration of forces which effected the victory "Le plus remarquable de toute la Guerre".[107]

Infante Philip of Spainby Laurent Pécheux

The complicated politics of Italy, however, are reflected in the fact that Count Maillebois was ultimately unable to turn his victory to account. Indeed, early in 1746, Austrian troops, freed by the Austrian peace with Frederick II of Prussia, passed through the Tyrol into Italy,capturing Genoaafter a siege. The Gallispan winter quarters atAsti,Italy, were brusquely attacked and a French garrison of 6,000 men at Asti was forced to capitulate.[108]At the same time,Maximilian Ulysses Brownewith an Austrian corps struck at the allies on the Lower Po, and cut off their communication with the main body of the Gallispan army in Piedmont. A series of minor actions thus completely destroyed the great concentration of Gallispan troops and the Austrians reconquered the Duchy of Milan and took possession of much of northern Italy. The allies separated, Maillebois coveringLiguria,the Spaniards marching against Browne. The latter was promptly and heavily reinforced and all that the Spaniards could do was to entrench themselves at Piacenza, Philip, the SpanishInfanteas supreme commander calling up Maillebois to his aid. The French, skilfully conducted and marching rapidly, joined forces once more, but their situation was critical, for only two marches behind them the army of the King of Sardinia was in pursuit, and before them lay the principal army of the Austrians. The pitchedBattle of Piacenzaon 16 June 1746 was hard-fought but ended in an Austrian victory, with the Spanish army heavily mauled. That the army escaped at all was in the highest degree creditable to Maillebois and to his son and chief of staff. Under their leadership the Gallispan army eluded both the Austrians and the Sardinians and defeated an Austrian corps in theBattle of Rottofreddoon 12 August 1746.[109]Then the Austrian army made good its retreat back toGenoa.[110]

Although the Austrian army was a mere shadow of its former self, when they returned to Genoa, the Austrians were soon in control of northern Italy. The Austrians occupied the Republic of Genoa on 6 September 1746.[111]But they met with no success in their forays towards the Alps. Soon Genoa revolted and drove out the Austrians on 5–11 December 1746. As an Allied invasion ofProvencestalled, and the French, now commanded byCharles Louis Auguste Fouquet, duc de Belle-Isle,took the offensive (1747).[112]Genoa held out against a secondAustrian siege.[113]As usual the plan of campaign had been referred to Paris and Madrid. A picked corps of the French army under theChevalier de Belle-Isle(the younger brother of Marshal Belle-Isle[112]) was ordered to storm thefortified pass of Exilleson 10 July 1747. However, the defending army of the Worms allies (Austria and Savoy) handed the French army a crushing defeat at this battle, which became known as the (Colle dell'Assietta).[114]At this battle, the chevalier, and with him much of the elite of the French nobility, were killed on the barricades.[114]Desultory campaigns continued between the Worms allies and the French until the conclusion of peace atAix-la-Chapelle.[115]

The Low Countries, 1745–1748

[edit]
Map of the Low Countries;Bergen op Zoom,upper center

The Dutch, British and Austrians withdrew from Fontenoy in good order but Tournaifell to French forcesand through a swift advance,Ghent,Oudenarde,Bruges,andDendermondesoon followed. By the end of July, the French stood on the threshold ofDutch Flanders,the south-western corner of the Dutch Republic.[116]The French-backedJacobite risingof August, 1745 forced the British to transfer troops from Flanders to deal with it. This prompted the French to seize the strategic ports ofOstendandNieuwpoort,threatening Britain's links to mainland Europe.[117]

William IV,becamestadtholderof all the Dutch provinces after the bloodlessOrangist revolution

During 1746, the French continued their advance into the Austrian Netherlands, takingAntwerpand then clearing Dutch and Austrian forces from the area betweenBrusselsand theMeuse.After defeating the Jacobite Rebellion atCullodenin April, the British launched a diversionaryraid on Lorientin an unsuccessful attempt to divert French forces, while the new Austrian commander, Prince Charles of Lorraine, was defeated by Saxe at theBattle of Rocouxin October.[118]

TheDutch Republicitself was now in danger. In April 1747, the French began reducing theBarrier Fortressesalong the border with the Austrian Netherlands and invaded Dutch Flanders, which they swiftly captured. Ageneral anger and panicbroke out under the Dutch population, who still remembered theFrench invasion of 1672,and they demanded thatWilliam IVshould be appointedstadtholder.TheregentsofZeelandandHolland,fearing violence against them, soon appointed William stadtholder. The remaining provinces followed and by 10 May theSecond Stadtholderless Periodhad ended. William was also appointed head of all the Dutch armed forces.[119]The strategic situation, however, failed to change and atLauffeldon 2 July 1747, Saxe won another victory over a British and Dutch army under thePrince of Waldeckand Cumberland; the French then besiegedMaastrichtandBergen op Zoom,which fell in September.[118]Although theDutch States Navywas in the poorest condition it had ever been in, its positioning in the estuaries and rivers of Zeeland and Holland, however, prevented French incursions into those provinces.[120]

The French advance lent greater urgency to ongoing peace talks at theCongress of Breda,which took place to the sound of French artillery firing on Maastricht. Following their 1746 alliance with Austria, an army of30,000 Russiansmarched fromLivoniato the Rhine, but arrived too late to be of use. Maastricht surrendered on 7 May and on 18 October 1748, the war ended with the signing of thePeace of Aix-la-Chapelle.[121]

The Peace of 1748

[edit]
Main article:Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)

Negotiations between Britain and France had been taking place atBredasince June 1746; the terms they agreed were then imposed on the other parties at Aix-la-Chapelle. Despite their victories in Flanders, French Finance MinisterMachaultrepeatedly warned of the impending collapse of their financial system. The British naval blockade led to the collapse of French customs receipts and caused severe food shortages, especially among the poor; afterCape Finisterrein October, theFrench Navycould no longer protect their colonies or trade routes.[122]

The surrender ofMaastricht,7 May 1748

This was followed in November by a convention between Britain and Russia; in February 1748, aRussian corps of 37,000 arrived in the Rhineland.[123]Although the Dutch city ofMaastrichtsurrendered to French forces in May 1748, ending the war was increasingly urgent. Louis XV therefore agreed to return the Austrian Netherlands, whose acquisition had cost so much. Few of his countrymen understood this decision; combined with the lack of tangible benefits for helping Prussia, it led to the phrase "as stupid as the Peace".[124]

A commission to negotiate competing territorial claims in North America was set up, but made very little progress. Britain regainedMadras,in return for restoringLouisbourg, in Nova Scotia,much to the fury of British colonists. Neither of the two main protagonists appeared to have gained much for their investment and both viewed the Treaty as an armistice, not a peace.[125]

Europe in the years after the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748

In Austria, reactions were mixed; Maria Theresa was determined to regain Silesia and resented British support for Prussia's occupation.[126]On the other hand, the Treaty confirmed her right to the Monarchy, while the Habsburgs had survived a potentially disastrous crisis, regained the Austrian Netherlands without fighting and made only minor concessions in Italy.[127]Administrative and financial reforms made it stronger in 1750 than 1740, while its strategic position was strengthened through installing Habsburg allies as rulers of key territories in Northwest Germany, theRhinelandand Northern Italy.[128]

Of the other combatants, Spain retained its predominance inSpanish Americaand made minor gains in Northern Italy, gaining theDuchy of Parma and Piacenzafor Infante Philip. With French support, Prussia doubled in size with the acquisition of Silesia but twice made peace without informing their ally; Louis XV already disliked Frederick and now viewed him as untrustworthy.[129]In the Dutch Republic the signing of the peace terms, the elevation of the Prince of Orange and the birth ofhis soncaused great joy, but dissatisfaction towards the ruling regime remained. William IV had changed little, did not reckon with his political opponents and, like them, was accused of French sympathies. Many began to think that improvements would not be obtained unless they were violently demanded; and soriots arose.[130]The war confirmed the decline of the Dutch Republic, and the dismantlement of the Barrier fortresses marked the end of its period as a great power; combined with a sense they received little value for the subsidies paid to Maria Theresa, Britain moved toalign itself with Prussia,rather than Austria, in order to protect Hanover from French aggression.[129]

These factors led to the realignment known as the 1756Diplomatic Revolutionand the 1756 to 1763Seven Years' War,which was even grander in scale than its predecessor.

North America

[edit]
Main article:King George's War

The war was also conducted in North America and India. In North America the conflict was known in theBritish coloniesasKing George's War,and did not begin until after formal war declarations of France and Britain reached the colonies in May 1744. The frontiers betweenNew Franceand the British colonies ofNew England,New York,andNova Scotiawere the site of frequent small scale raids, primarily by French colonial troops and their Indian allies against British targets, although several attempts were made by British colonists to organise expeditions against New France. The most significant incident wasthe captureof the FrenchFortress of LouisbourgonCape Breton Island(Île Royale) by an expedition (29 April – 16 June 1745) of colonial militia organised byMassachusettsGovernorWilliam Shirley,commanded byWilliam PepperrellofMaine(then part of Massachusetts), and assisted by a Royal Navy fleet.A French expeditionto recover Louisbourg in 1746 failed due to bad weather, disease, and the death of its commander. Louisbourg was returned to France in exchange forMadras,generating much anger among the British colonists, who felt they had eliminated a nest of privateers with its capture.

India

[edit]
Flag of theEast India Company(founded in 1600)
British Admiral Edward Boscawenbesieged Pondicherryin the later months of 1748.

The war marked the beginning of a powerful struggle betweenBritainandFranceinIndiaand of European military ascendancy and political intervention in the subcontinent. Major hostilities began with the arrival of a naval squadron underMahé de la Bourdonnais,carrying troops from France. In September 1746 Bourdonnais landed his troops nearMadrasand laid siege to the port. Although it was the main British settlement in theCarnatic,Madras was weakly fortified and had only a small garrison, reflecting the thoroughly commercial nature of the European presence in India hitherto. On 10 September, only six days after the arrival of the French force, Madras surrendered. The terms of the surrender agreed by Bourdonnais provided for the settlement to be ransomed back for a cash payment by theBritish East India Company.However, this concession was opposed byDupleix,the governor general of the Indian possessions of theCompagnie des Indes.When Bourdonnais was forced to leave India in October after the devastation of his squadron by a cyclone Dupleix reneged on the agreement. TheNawab of the CarnaticAnwaruddin Muhammed Khanintervened in support of the British and advanced to retake Madras, but despite vast superiority in numbers his army waseasily and bloodilycrushed by the French, in the first demonstration of the gap in quality that had opened up between European and Indian armies.[131]

The French now turned to the remaining British settlement in the Carnatic,Fort St. DavidatCuddalore,which was dangerously close to the main French settlement ofPondichéry.The first French force sent against Cuddalore was surprised and defeated nearby by the forces of the Nawab and the British garrison in December 1746. Early in 1747 a second expedition laid siege to Fort St David but withdrew on the arrival of a British naval squadron in March. A final attempt in June 1748 avoided the fort and attacked the weakly fortified town of Cuddalore itself, but was routed by the British garrison.

With the arrival of a naval squadron under AdmiralEdward Boscawen,carrying troops and artillery, the British went on the offensive, laying siege to Pondichéry. They enjoyed a considerable superiority in numbers over the defenders, but the settlement had been heavily fortified by Dupleix and after two months the siege was abandoned.[132]

The peace settlement brought the return of Madras to the British company, exchanged for Louisbourg in Canada. However, the conflict between the two companies continued by proxy during the interval before the outbreak of theSeven Years' War,with British and French forces fighting on behalf of rival claimants to the thrones of Hyderabad and theCarnatic.[133]

[edit]

The navaloperationsof this war were entangled with theWar of Jenkins' Ear,which broke out in 1739 in consequence of the long disputes between Britain and Spain over their conflicting claims in America.[115]The war was remarkable for the prominence of privateering on both sides. It was carried on by the Spaniards in the West Indies with great success, and actively at home. The French were no less active in all seas. Mahé de la Bourdonnais's attack on Madras partook largely of the nature of a privateering venture. The British retaliated with vigour. The total number of captures by French and Spanishcorsairswas in all probability larger than the list of British—as the French witVoltairedrolly put it upon hearing his government's boast, namely, that more British merchants were taken because there were many more British merchant ships to take; but partly also because the British government had not yet begun to enforce the use ofconvoyso strictly as it did in later times.[134]

Further information:War of Jenkins' Ear

West Indies

[edit]
Vice-AdmiralEdward Vernon

War on Spain was declared by Great Britain on 23 October 1739, which has become known as theWar of Jenkins' Ear.A plan was laid for combined operations against the Spanish colonies from east and west. One force, military and naval, was to assault them from theWest Indiesunder AdmiralEdward Vernon.Another, to be commanded by CommodoreGeorge Anson,afterwards Lord Anson, was to roundCape Hornand to fall upon the Pacific coast of Latin America. Delays, bad preparations,dockyardcorruption, and the squabbles of the naval and military officers concerned caused the failure of a hopeful scheme. On 21 November 1739, Admiral Vernon did, however, succeed in capturing the ill-defended Spanish harbour ofPorto Belloin present-dayPanama.When Vernon had been joined by SirChaloner Oglewith massive naval reinforcements and a strong body of troops, an attack was made onCartagena de Indiasin what is nowColombia(9 March – 24 April 1741). The delay had given the Spanish underSebastián de EslavaandBlas de Lezotime to prepare. After two months of skilful defence by the Spanish, the British attack finally succumbed to a massive outbreak of disease and withdrew having suffered a dreadful loss of lives and ships.[135]

The war in the West Indies, after two other unsuccessful attacks had been made on Spanish territory, died down and did not revive until 1748. The expedition under Anson sailed late, was very ill-provided, and less strong than had been intended. It consisted of six ships and left Britain on 18 September 1740. Anson returned alone with hisflagshiptheCenturionon 15 June 1744. The other vessels had either failed to round the Horn or had been lost. But Anson had harried the coast ofChileandPeruand had captured a Spanish galleon of immense value near thePhilippines,completing acircumnavigation of the world.His cruise was a great feat of resolution and endurance.[134]

After the failure of the British invasions and a Spanishcounter invasionofGeorgiain 1742, belligerent naval actions in the Caribbean were left to theprivateersof both sides. Fearing great financial and economic losses should atreasure fleetbe captured, the Spanish reduced the risk by increasing the number of convoys, thereby reducing their value. They also increased the number of ports they visited and reduced the predictability of their voyages.[citation needed]

In 1744, a British force of 300 men accompanied by twoprivateersfromSaint Kittssuccessfully captured the French half of neighbouringSaint Martin,occupying it until the 1748Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.In late May 1745 two French royal frigates of 36 and 30 guns respectively under Commodore La Touché, plus three privateers in retaliation sailed fromMartiniqueto invade and capture the British colony ofAnguillabut were repelled with heavy loss in theBattle of Anguilla.

The last year of the war saw two significant actions in the Caribbean. A second Britishassault on Santiago de Cubawhich also ended in failure and a naval action which arose from an accidental encounter between two convoys. Theactionunfolded in a confused way with each side at once anxious to cover its own trade and to intercept that of the other. Capture was rendered particularly desirable for the British by the fact that the Spanish homeward-bound fleet would be laden withbullionfrom the American mines.[134]The advantage lay with the British when one Spanish warship ran aground and another was captured but the British commander failed to capitalise and the Spanish fleet took shelter inHavana.

Mediterranean

[edit]
The Franco-Spanish fleet commanded by DonJuan José Navarrodrove off the British fleet underThomas MathewsnearToulon in 1744.

While Anson was pursuing hisvoyage round the world,Spain was mainly intent on the Italian policy of the king. A squadron was fitted out atCádizto convey troops to Italy. It was watched by the British admiralNicholas Haddock.When the blockading squadron was forced off by want of provisions, the Spanish admiral DonJuan José Navarroput to sea. He was followed, but when the British force came in sight of him Navarro had been joined by a French squadron underClaude-Élisée de Court de La Bruyère(December 1741). The French admiral told Haddock that he would support the Spaniards if they were attacked and Haddock retired. France and Great Britain were not yet openly at war, but both were engaged in the struggle in Germany—Great Britain as the ally of the Queen of Hungary, Maria Theresa; France as the supporter of the Bavarian claimant of the empire. Navarro and de Court went on toToulon,where they remained until February 1744. A British fleet watched them, under the command of AdmiralRichard Lestock,until SirThomas Mathewswas sent out as commander-in-chief and as Minister to the Court ofTurin.[135]

Sporadic manifestations of hostility between the French and British took place in different seas, but avowed war did not begin until the French government issued its declaration of 30 March, to which Great Britain replied on 31 March. This formality had been preceded byFrench preparations for the invasion of England,and by theBattle of Toulonbetween the British and a Franco-Spanish fleet. On 11 February, a most confused battle was fought, in which the van and centre of the British fleet was engaged with the Spanish rear and centre of the allies. Lestock, who was on the worst possible terms with his superior, took no part in the action. Mathews fought with spirit but in a disorderly way, breaking the formation of his fleet, and showing no power of direction, while Navarro's smaller fleet retained cohesion and fought off the energetic but confused attacks of its larger enemy until the arrival of the French fleet forced the heavily damaged British fleet to withdraw. The Spanish fleet then sailed to Italy where it delivered a fresh army and supplies that had a decisive impact upon the war. The mismanagement of the British fleet in the battle, by arousing deep anger among the people, led to a drastic reform of the British navy.[135]

Northern waters

[edit]

The French scheme to invade Britain was arranged in combination with theJacobiteleaders, and soldiers were to be transported fromDunkirk.In February 1744, a French fleet of twenty sail of the line entered theEnglish ChannelunderJacques Aymar, comte de Roquefeuil,before the British force under AdmiralJohn Norriswas ready to oppose him. But the French force was ill-equipped, the admiral was nervous, his mind dwelt on all the misfortunes which might possibly happen, and the weather was bad. De Roquefeuil came up almost as far asThe Downs,where he learnt that Sir John Norris was at hand with twenty-five sail of the line, and thereupon precipitately retreated. The military expedition prepared at Dunkirk to cross under cover of De Roquefeuil's fleet naturally did not start. The utter weakness of the French at sea, due to long neglect of the fleet and the bankrupt state of the treasury, was shown during the Jacobite rising of 1745, when France made no attempt to profit by the distress of the British government.[135]

The Dutch, having by this time joined Great Britain, made a serious addition to the naval power opposed to France, though the Dutch Republic was compelled by the necessity for maintaining an army in Flanders to play a very subordinate part at sea. Not being stimulated by formidable attack, and having immediate interests both at home and in Germany, the British government was slow to make use of its latest naval strength. Spain, which could do nothing of an offensive character, was almost neglected. During 1745 theNew Englandexpedition which took Louisburg (30 April – 16 June) was covered by a British naval force, but little else was accomplished by the naval efforts of any of the belligerents.[135]

In 1746, a British combined naval and military expedition to the coast of France—the first of a long series of similar ventures which in the end were derided as "breaking windows with guineas" —was carried out during August and October. The aim was the capture of theFrench East India Company's dockyard atLorient,but it was not attained.[136][135]

From 1747 until the close of the war in October 1748, the naval policy of the British government, without reaching a high level, was more energetic and coherent. A closer watch was kept on the French coast, and effectual means were taken to intercept communication between France and her American possessions. In the spring information was obtained that an important convoy for the East and WestIndieswas to sail fromLorient.[135]The convoy was intercepted by Anson on 3 May, and in theFirst Battle of Cape Finisterre,British admiral George Anson's fourteen ships of the line wiped out the French escort of six ships of the line and three armed Indiamen, although in the meantime the merchant ships escaped.

On 14 October, another French convoy, protected by a strong squadron, was intercepted by a well-appointed and well-directed squadron of superior numbers—the squadrons were respectively eight French and fourteen British—in theBay of Biscay.In theSecond Battle of Cape Finisterrewhich followed, the French admiral,Henri-François des Herbiers, Marquis de l'Estenduère,succeeded in covering the escape of most of the merchant ships, butHawke's British squadron took six of his warships. Most of the merchantmen were later intercepted and captured in the West Indies. This disaster convinced the French government of its helplessness at sea, and it made no further effort.[135]

Indian Ocean

[edit]
Main article:First Carnatic War

In the East Indies, attacks on French commerce by a British squadron underCurtis Barnettin 1745 led to the despatch of a French squadron commanded byMahé de la Bourdonnais.Afteran inconclusive clashoffNegapatnamin July 1746,Edward Peyton,Barnett's successor, withdrew to Bengal, leaving Bourdonnais unopposed on theCoromandel Coast.He landed troops nearMadrasandbesieged the portby land and sea, forcing it to surrender on 10 September 1746. In October the French squadron was devastated by a cyclone, losing four ships of the line and suffering heavy damage to four more, and the surviving ships withdrew. French land forces went on to make several attacks on the British settlement atCuddalore,but the eventual replacement of the negligent Peyton byThomas Griffinresulted in a return to British naval supremacy which put the French on the defensive. Despite the appearance of another French squadron, the arrival of large-scale British reinforcements underEdward Boscawen(who considered but did not make an attack onÎle de Franceon the way) gave the British overwhelming dominance on land and sea, butthe ensuing siegeofPondichéryorganised by Boscawen was unsuccessful.

Military methods and technologies

[edit]

European warfare in theearly modern periodwas characterised by the widespread adoption offirearmsin combination with more traditionalbladed weapons.Eighteenth-century European armies were built around units of massedinfantryarmed withsmoothboreflintlockmusketsandbayonets.Cavalrymenwere equipped withsabresandpistolsorcarbines;light cavalrywere used principally forreconnaissance,screeningandtactical communications,whileheavy cavalrywere used astactical reservesand deployed forshock attacks.Smoothboreartilleryprovidedfire supportand played the leading role insiege warfare.[137]Strategic warfare in this period centred around control of keyfortificationspositioned so as to command the surrounding regions and roads, with lengthy sieges a common feature of armed conflict. Decisive field battles were relatively rare, though they played a larger part in Frederick's theory of warfare than was typical among his contemporary rivals.[138]

The War of the Austrian Succession, like most European wars of the eighteenth century, was fought as a so-calledcabinet warin which disciplinedregular armieswere equipped and supplied by the state to conduct warfare on behalf of the sovereign's interests. Occupied enemy territories were regularly taxed and extorted for funds, but large-scale atrocities against civilian populations were rare compared with conflicts in the previous century.[139]Military logisticswas the decisive factor in many wars, as armies had grown too large to support themselves on prolonged campaigns by foraging and plunder alone. Military supplies were stored in centralisedmagazinesand distributed bybaggage trainsthat were highly vulnerable to enemy raids.[140]Armies were generally unable to sustain combat operations during winter and normally establishedwinter quartersin the cold season, resuming their campaigns with the return of spring.[137]

Strength of armies, 1740

[edit]
Belligerent Foot Horse
Dragoons 		Artillery Engineers Others Militia Sources
Austria 76,000 32,000 2,600 150 0 .. [141]
Bavaria 36,000 4,000 200 0 0 .. [142]
France 111,000 19,000 3,000 .. 0 30,000 [143]
Great Britain 19,000 7,000 2,000 .. 6,000[g] 130,000 [144]
Hanover 18,000 5,000 360 23 0 0 [145]
Hesse-Kassel 18,000 4,000 900 .. .. 0 [146]
Cologne 1,000 0 0 0 0 0 [147]
Palatinate 9,000 1,000 200 15 0 0 [148]
Prussia 76,000 22,000 1,200 43 0 0 [149]
Sardinia 41,000 5,000 .. .. 0 0 [150]
Saxony 20,000 8,800 600 0 0 0 [151]
  1. ^The amount of British troops on the Continent however never reached above 48,000 men[4]
  2. ^Authorised strength in 1747, actual closer to 90,000 men[5]
  3. ^Naval losses: 20 ships of the line, 16 frigates, 20 minor ships, 2,185 merchant ships and 1,738 naval guns[2]
  4. ^Naval losses: 17 ships of the line, 7 frigates, 1,249 merchant ships and 1,276 naval guns[2]
  5. ^Naval losses: 14 ships of the line, 7 frigates, 28 minor ships, 3,238 merchant ships and 1,012 naval guns[2]
  6. ^‹See Tfd›German:Österreichischer Erbfolgekrieg
  7. ^Royal Marines
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[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdeVan Nimwegen 2002,p. 403.
  2. ^abcdClodfelter 2017,p. 78.
  3. ^Dwyer 2001,p. 14.
  4. ^Van Nimwegen 2002,p. 102.
  5. ^Van Nimwegen 2002,p. 12 & 103.
  6. ^Hanlon 1997,p. 120.
  7. ^abcdefgStatistics of Wars, Oppressions and Atrocities of the Eighteenth Century
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Sources

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