HIS103Y1 Lecture Notes - Maurice De Saxe
Document Summary
Operation of the balance of power: the war of the austrian succession. King charles vi of austria failed to produce a male heir. So he created the pragmatic sanction, which was essentially a diplomatic agreement between the signatories (the quadruple alliance) to female inheritance of the austrian throne. Frederick the great of prussia succeeded the prussian throne in may 1714. Frederick the great said, the balance of power was a mere name. October 1740, maria theresa acceded to the austrian throne. 1740, frederick the great surprisingly seized silesia and increased their territorial and demographic strength, thereby proving their worth as a growing power. It is interesting that after this attack, frederick apologized to maria theresa for the obvious wrong that he did to her. He offered her military and financial compensation as well as support in the election of her husband, francis of tuscany, as the holy roman emperor.
