Synopsis

The apparent vulnerability of the Habsburg Empire at the time of Maria Theresa's accession destabilised the whole of Europe and, with Frederick the Great's invasion of Silesia, a cycle of violence was initiated that lasted for eight years and ravaged much of the continent. The vast conflict, which involved almost all the European powers and their empires, is the subject of Reed Browning's remarkable book. The War of the Austrian Succession provides a highly readable narrative of a complex period that fundamentally shaped the European state system. The author explores the often changing war aims of the major belligerents - Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, Piedmont-Sardinia, and Spain-and links diplomatic and military events to the political and social context from which they arose.
 

ISBN 0-7509-1068-2