The War of the Austrian Succession

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The War of the Austrian Succession

The War of the Austrian Succession, 1740-1748, also known as “King George’s War” In the Americas, this war began as a conflict between Spain and Britain, known as the War of Jenkins’ Ear, after an English sailor who had lost an ear to a Spanish soldier. The first British engagement, which was against Porto Bello in Panama, ended disastrously for Britain. Britain nevertheless used Georgia as a base for launching raids on St. Augustine. When France entered the war in 1744, there were more border raids on the northern frontiers. An expedition under Governor William Shirley of Massachusetts went to French Canada and captured Fort Louisbourg on Cape Breton. The European War of the Austrian Succession actually began when Frederick II of Prussia seized the Austrian province of Silesia (in eastern Germany) in December, 1740. Frederick’s move upset the balance of power in Europe, at least as it had been defined by the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), which had ended the War of the Spanish Succession. The Hapsburg Empress Maria Theresa responded with a strategic move: she chose the moment to recognize the crown of Hungary as the most important one of her crowns, and she promised the Magyars (the dominant ethnic group) a fair amount of autonomy. Central European problems could have remained distinct from the escalating commercial conflicts between Great Britain and Spain. However, France intervened in support first of Prussia, which was rapidly becoming a new, consolidated state. France then moved to support Spain in the conflicts with Great Britain in the New World. Great Britain, in turn, moved to protect the Low Countries (the Netherlands) from France. The result was that France’s military capacity and resources were severely strained. The war ended in yet another stalemate in 1748, with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle. Under its terms, Prussia was to retain Silesia, and Spain was to renew it previous commercial agreements with Great Britain.

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