Austria vs. Prussia

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Austria vs. Prussia

• Mrs. Huff
• Change Revolution
• Spring Semester

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The Thirty Years War

• The Habsburgs lost territory. But. . .
• Gained
• Land in Central Europe (Turks)
• Territories received as a result of Treaty of
  Utrecht
• Habsburg Austria is now an empire that
• Extended into Austria, the Balkans and the
  Italian Peninsula.

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Problems with a Patriarchal Society

• In 1740 the HRE, Charles VI died leaving no male
  heir.
• His daughter, Maria Theresa inherited Austria and
  the Hapsburg lands . But. . .
• The law in some lands required the inheritance to
  go to a male.

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Solution?

• The Pragmatic Sanction
• Statement organized by Charles VI that encouraged
  the other European leaders to allow Maria Theresa
  to inherit his lands.
• Empress?
• The laws prohibited M.T. from being elected
  Empress on her own. She only became Empress when
  her husband, Francis became Emperor.

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Marias Empire. . .

• Contained Germans, Hungarians, Italians,
  Belgians, Romanians, Poles, Bohemians, Serbs,
  Croatians and Slovenes
• Conflicts Language, Religion, Culture,
  Nationality

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Austrias Rivals

• The German states were envious of Austria power.
  
• Particularly Brandenburg-Prussia, a state in
  Northern Germany.

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The Hohenzollerns

• Powerful family that ruled parts of Germany.
• By the end of the Thirty Years War they also
  controlled Prussia, a strategic state along the
  Baltic Sea.

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Frederick William The Great Elector

• In power during the last years of the Thirty
  Years War.
• Post-war Goal rebuild and further strengthen
  Brandenburg-Prussia.
• Positives Reorganized the army, improved tax
  collection, encouraged agriculture, industry and
  transportation.

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Frederick I

• All Hohenzollern possessions became called
  Prussia.
• First leader to take title King of Prussia.
• Tried to imitate Louis XIV (one of the many).

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Frederick William I (even though he seems to be
the II)

• Got rid of the luxury that his father so enjoyed.
• Used the saved to strengthen Prussia.
• Doubled the size of the military.
• Most efficient fighting force in Europe.
• Specifically spent money to hire TALL soldiers
  (between 6 and 7) to form a regiment of
  giants.

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Frederick William I

• Created an efficient governmental bureaucracy.
• Tax collecting and governmental spending were
  carefully planned.
• Encouraged trade and development of new
  industries.
• Developed compulsory (mandatory) education for
  children.

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Frederick II (the Great)

• Son of F.W.I didnt show much interest in
  ruling Prussia, but proved to be an even stronger
  ruler than his father.
• Became king the same year that Maria Theresa was
  becoming ruler of Austria.
• Highly intelligent and dedicated to expanding
  Prussian prestige territory.

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Austria vs. Prussia

• Frederick II invaded Silesia (territory of Maria
  Theresa).
• Prussia had no legal right to claim this
  territory, but wanted it because it had rich
  farmland and large iron deposits.
• Prussias conquest of Silesia began the War of
  Austrian Succession.

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War of Austrian Succession- 1740 - 1748

• Side A - Hows that for creative?

• Side B Even more creative!

• Austria
• Great Britain
• The Netherlands
• Russia

• Prussia
• Bavaria
• Spain
• France

Austria and its allies lost the war, and Silesia
was ceded to Prussia.
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Diplomatic Revolution 1756

• Side A

• Side B

• Great Britain
• Prussia

• France
• Austria
• Russia

Diplomatic Revolution is a major reversal of
alliances. This was done b/c of GBs desire to
gain greater security and the French responding
to curb Prussian power.
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Seven Years War (1754-1763)Aka French
Indian War

• Caused by the rivalries that developed during the
  Diplomatic Revolution.
• Who? Involved most of Europe at one time or
  another.
• Where? Fighting took place in Europe (GB/F),
  India and North America.
• What? Prussia had only one ally GB and seemed
  to be on the brink of defeat.

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Prussia is saved (but barely)

• Prussia had a bit of luck when Empress Elizabeth
  of Russia died and Peter III (watch out, rats!)
  came to power.
• Peter admired Frederick II and made peace with
  him.
• From what you saw in the DVD why might this
  have happened?

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Peace?

• A pair of treaties. . .
• Treaty of Hubertusburg (1763)
• Prussia kept Silesia
• Treaty of Paris, 1763
• France lost most of its North American colonies.
• British gained Canada and control of LA east of
  the MS River.
• British also remained dominant in India.
• Despite all of this, there was no clear victor.

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Freddy the Greats Domestic Policies

• Was a genius for organization and administration.
• Expanded and improved public education.
• Improved the civil service system.
• Made legal and judicial reforms.
• Encouraged trade and manufacturing.
• Committed to religious toleration.
• As a result, Prussia recovered the prosperity it
  had lost through over 23 years of war.

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More Freddy the Great This time International
Policy (again)

• Frederick II was involved in the Partition of
  Poland (w/Russia).
• This linked Prussia East Prussia.
• When he died in 1786, he left a greatly enlarged
  prosperous nation. Prussia and Austria were
  established as rivals and from this point
  forward, Prussia would be the strongest of the
  H.R.E/German states.

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The End! Hows that for a conclusion!