War of the Austrian Succession, 1740–48

Most of the European powers had promised to respect the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, a royal pronouncement of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI declaring that if he had no direct male heir, his Austrian domains would go to his eldest daughter upon his death. But when Maria Theresa (Charles' eldest daughter) succeeded her father in 1740, the sanction was ignored by three other claimants—Elector Charles Albert of Bavaria, Augustus III of Saxony and Poland, and Philip V of Spain. Frederick II (the Great) of Prussia offered to aid Maria Theresa against the claimants in return for the Austrian possession of Silesia. She refused, and a general European war was precipitated when Prussia seized Silesia in 1740.

Prussia entered an alliance with France, Spain, and Bavaria. Austria was supported by Hungary, Great Britain, Saxony, and the Netherlands. In 1742 Austria persuaded Prussia to drop out of the war by ceding it Silesia. Prussia, however, fearing growing Austrian power, reentered the conflict in 1744. In Europe, the war was fought in the Netherlands, Germany, Bohemia, and Italy. The hostilities between France and Great Britain in North America are referred to as King George's War. France and Great Britain also fought in India.

The conflict was ended in 1748 by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. The Pragmatic Sanction was upheld and nearly all conquests on both sides were returned. Prussia, however, retained Silesia. (