Wars and Other Conflicts of the 18th Century
AP European History
Mid 18th Century Wars1715-1739/1740 = time of peace
War of Jenkins’ Ear, 1739 (England v. Spain) & War of Austrian Succession, 1740 (Prussia v. Austria) ushers in new wave of conflict
World-wide conflict from 1739-1815
Armed conflict often overrides diplomacy
Periods of peace ≠ Stability RATHER time to recoup strength to fight again
Why war?
Rulers interested inPrinciple of self-interest
Balance of power (in their favor, of course)
Increase territory
Disrupt another’s trade monopoly
Diplomacy advocates two ideasProtection of dynastic line
Maintenance of national dominance
Armies & Navies of the 18th CenturyExpansion of military = taxation = more efficient & effective centralization of gov’t.France, Prussia, Austria and Russia all double, triple, or quadruple military forces!Officers = landed aristocracy; middle ranks = middle class; rank-and-file soldiers = lower classesPrussia & Russia conscript peasants; others use foreignersEngland – Standing army fluctuates in size – Parliament doesn’t want a king w/ a large army! BUT powerful navyAustria & France consist of volunteers and vagabonds/unemployed
Nature of Warfare
Don’t waste resources! Therefore…Battles of limited objectivesTactical maneuvers over direct confrontationStrict rules of engagement; defeat ≠ capture or destruction
“The art of surrendering strongholds honorably after certain conventional formalities.”
War of Jenkins’ Ear, 1739
British / Spanish rivalry over the West Indies
Spanish practiced search and seizure of contraband on English ships
British merchants lobbied Parliament in 1738
Robert Walpole (1st British PM) declared war vs. Spain in 1739
Opened door to ~100 years of world-wide European warfare
War of Austrian Succession, 1740-1748
Remember Charles VI’s Pragmatic Sanction? – WELL upon Charles’ death Frederick the Great violates PS!
1742 Austria cedes Silesia to Prussia = Prussian population doublesDraws in France, Spain, and Great Britain
France (Prussia’s ally) occupies Netherlands and takes Madras in India (from GB)
Mistake? – Prussia becomes more powerful state; GB now involved vs. France
War of Austrian Succession, 1740-1748
Maria Theresa maintains Habsburg empire BUT at what cost?
Magyar nobility now have local authority in HungaryHungary = trouble area for Habsburgs
Maria Theresa allies w/ Great BritainGreat Britain takes Louisbourg at St. Lawrence River in North America (from France)Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748
All land returned to original “owners” except Silesia Spain renewed Treaty of Utrecht w/ Britain so they could import slaves from Spanish colonies
Diplomatic Revolution - European Square Dancing – Ally Swapping
Retaliation after loss of Silesia Three NEW areas of conflict = 3 names
Europe = Seven Years’ War, 1756-1763India = Great War for Empire, 1756-1763North America = French and Indian War, 1755-1763
Great Britain allies with PrussiaConvention of Westminster, Jan. 1756= prevent foreign troops into German states
MT w/ Count Wenzel von Kaunitz allies with France, May 1756
Hope is to break PrussiaSpring 1757 Russia, Sweden and several smaller German states join alliance
Seven Years’ War, 1756-1763
Prussia & Great Britain vs. France, Russia, and Austria
Prussia under attack on three sides!
Saved by Tsar Peter III’s admiration for Frederick the Great
Peace of Hubertusburg, 1762 – all territory returned / Prussia keeps Silesia
French and Indian War, 1755-1763
Greatest conflict of 7 Years’ WarGulf of the Saint Lawrence Ohio River Valley
French threatening British expansionFrench ally with Native Americans & Spain William Pitt the Elder – British must stop French in order to build empire = colonial war more important French Navy succumbs to British NavyGen. Wolfe vs. Gen. Montcalm at Quebec, 1759
North America before and after the Treaty of Paris, 1763
Great War for Empire, 1756-1763
Great Britain vs. France in IndiaFrance doesn’t offer enough financial support to troopsRobert Clive (Great Britain), small British force & band of sepoys defeat huge Mughal army at Battle of Plassey, 1757GB controls Bengal (area around Calcutta) = movement into the interior of the India
Seven Years’ War
Results of Treaty of Paris, 1763
GB PM earl of Bute brokers Treaty
GB receives: all of Canada (from France)
Ohio River Valley, eastern half of Mississippi River valley (from France)
British East India Co growing stronger in India
trying to better organize NA territories
increased taxes to cover costs of warfare
Results of Treaty of Paris, 1763
France receivesPondicherry & Chandernagore in India
Guadeloupe and Martinique in West Indies BUT no longer great colonial empire
France in great need of political and financial reform
Increased taxation to cover cost of warfare
Results of Treaty of Paris, 1763
Prussia permanently holds Silesia
Habsburgs less powerful – dependent on Hungarian nobility
Spanish Empire intact BUT GB intent on breaking it.
Receives Louisiana Territory (from France)
ALL COUNTRIES increase taxation to cover the cost of warfare