Austro-Prussian rivalry
Austria and Prussia were the most powerful states in the Holy Roman Empire by the 18th and 19th centuries and had engaged in a struggle for supremacy among smaller German kingdoms. The rivalry was characterized by major territorial conflicts and economic, cultural, and political aspects. Therefore, the rivalry was an important element of the so-called German question in the 19th century.
Both opponents first met in the Silesian Wars and Seven Years' War during the middle 18th century until the conflict's culmination in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.
The German term is Deutscher Dualismus (literally German dualism), which does not cover only rivalry but also cooperation, for example in the Napoleonic Wars. Indeed, both powers did jointly dominate the German Confederation which functioned only in times of cooperation (1815–1848 and 1851–1859). They still fought on the same side (against Denmark) in the Second Schleswig War (1864).
After 1866 (North German Confederation) and 1871, the new German nation state was dominated by Prussia. As Austria (or Austria-Hungary, since 1867) no longer struggled over the hegemony in Germany, the term Deutscher Dualismus became meaningless. Germany and Austria-Hungary soon became close allies, as proven by the Zweibund of 1879. Both countries were the main Central Powers during World War I (1914–1918). After that war, Austria-Hungary fell apart, and Germany became a republic.
Background
The
The centuries-long rise of the Austrian
After the
History
The rivalry is largely held to have begun upon the death of the Habsburg Emperor Charles VI in 1740, King Frederick the Great of Prussia launched an invasion of Austrian-controlled Silesia, starting the First Silesian War (of three Silesian Wars to come) against Maria Theresa. Frederick had broken his promise to acknowledge the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 and the indivisibility of the Habsburg territories, whereby he sparked off the pan–European War of the Austrian Succession. He decisively defeated the Austrian troops at the 1742 Battle of Chotusitz, whereafter Maria Theresa, by the Treaties of Breslau and Berlin, had to cede the bulk of the Silesian lands to Prussia.[4]
At the time, Austria still claimed the mantle of the Empire and was the chief force of the
Maria Theresa, still chafing under the loss of the most beautiful gem of my crown, took the opportunity of the breathing space to implement several civil and military reforms within the Austrian lands, like the establishment of the
Nevertheless, the conquest of Prague failed and moreover, the king had to deal with Russian forces attacking East Prussia while Austrian troops entered Silesia. His situation worsened when Austrian and Russian forces united to inflict a crushing defeat on him at the 1759 Battle of Kunersdorf. Frederick, on the brink, was saved by the discord among the victors in the "Miracle of the House of Brandenburg", when Empress Elizabeth of Russia died on 5 January 1762 and her successor Peter III concluded peace with Prussia. By the 1763 Treaty of Hubertusburg, Austria, for the third time, had to acknowledge the Prussian annexations. The usurper kingdom had prevailed against the European great powers and would play a vital future role in the "Concert of Europe".[8]
Austria and Prussia both would fight France in the
See also
- German question
- War of the Austrian Succession
- War of the Bavarian Succession
- Fürstenbund
- German confederation
- Erfurt Union
- Punctation of Olmütz
- Austro-Prussian War
- Unification of Germany
References
- ISBN 978-1-317-88703-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-873101-6.
- ISBN 0-691-00796-9.
- ISBN 978-1-78303-479-6.
- ^ "25. Dezember 1745 – Friede zu Dresden sichert erneut schlesischen Besitz". RBB Preußen-Chronik. 21 May 2008. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
- ^ "Friedens-Tractat, Welcher Zwischen Jhro Majestät Der Römischen Kaiserin, Zu Hungarn und Böheim Königin, Ertz-Hertzogin zu Oesterreich, etc. Und Jhro Majestät Dem König in Preussen – Treaty of Dresden, full text". Uni Heidelberg, historic literature – digitized. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
- ^ "Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
- ISBN 0-253-21707-5.
- ISBN 978-3-631-58111-7.
- ISBN 978-1-317-87202-3.