Europe's the Great War for Empire

Europe's The Great War for Empire

The Great War for Empire was one of the most important factors in

shaping the economic and political futures for all of Europe in the

eighteenth century and for all time to come. In this essay I will discuss

the causes, the events, and finally the results of this important war,

which consisted of the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.

The War of the Austrian Succession began as King Frederick II gained

the throne to Prussia, and in less than a year ordered his troops to take

and occupy the large Austrian province of Silesia. The leader of Austria

was Maria Theresa; Although she was an inexperienced leader, she was

capable of arousing other groups (like the Magyars of Hungary) to help her

not re-take Silesia, but to maintain the Hapsburg dynasty as a major

political power. France was also one of these powers to fight, they did not

want a powerful army to emerge in Prussia and to ever become an strong

enemy (ironically, that's just what happens). The wealthy British

merchants pushed England to financially assist the Prussian aggressors, in

the hope of weakening France and winning other fights off-continent.

The causes which led up to the Seven Years' War, were very similar to

those just eight years previously. King Frederick invaded another province,

Saxony, and this triggered another alliance between Austria and France with

the goal to totally destroy Prussia. There was also a growing conflict

facing France and Great Britain that would continue to increase in

momentum. This war was the prelude to what American would call "The French

and Indian War" in which these two European countries would fight for land

in the Americas.

The events of the War of Austrian Succession, fortuitously for France,

worked out exactly as Great Britain planned it. The French resources of

war were divided between the Americas and the fight against Prussia. The

eight year war was a fight between the superior army and resources of Great

Britain and the strategic mastery of French generals, like Marshal Maurice

de Saxe, who led many successful battles. The war eventually ended in a

stalemate, with Austria