Background
In 1740, upon the death of her father, Maria Theresa of the Hapsburg Monarchy attempted to seize the throne as Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, Duchess of Parma and Archduchess of Austria. Her husband, Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, was to become the Holy Roman Emperor. According to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, it was legal for a woman to succeed to the Austrian throne. However, Prussia's King Frederick II, laid claim to the Silesian region, traditionally controlled by the Hapsburgs.
This gave way to an alliance between the Hapsburgs, Russia, the Dutch, the British and the Hanoverians. France, Bavaria and Sweden came to the aid of Prussia. With the sides set for another European conflict, Frederick II used dynastic claims on Silesia to invade the region.
Initial Invasion
Prussia had developed a small but modern army of well-trained and well-equipped soldiers. Their cavalry and artillery were of the highest quality. Its recent experience in the War of the Polish Succession, modernized the country's forces into a professional standing-army.
Comparatively, Austria's forces were large but unprepared. The country was forced to establish a draft of forces in order to properly defend itself. Austria had the financing available to raise a large army, but not the training or experience.
On December 16, 1740, the Prussian army amassed along the Oder River and, without a declaration of war, crossed into Silesia. The Austrian army was forced to fall back to the mountain frontier, leaving small garrisons in fortresses scattered around the region. Prussia consolidated its power by attempting to win the hearts and minds of the local population. Traditional brutality of occupying forces was abandoned for more modern means. Frederick II established an industrial growth plan to aid Silesia. In one short military victory, Austria doubled its population.
War Expands
The Austrian army was placed in the command of Count Neipperg in February of 1941. After making preparations to retake Silesia, Neipperg rode in to reform the remaining Austrians. The garrisons of Neisse and Brieg held through the winter, however Glogau was overrun on March 9. The Austrian army, angered by the defeat, took the field in Moravia when Frederick was attempting to consolidate Upper Silesia. Neipperg relieved Neisse and cut off the Prussian army from its supply lines into its own country.
Soon, the two armies maneuvered into position for the Battle of Mollwitz on April 10. The right wing of Prussian cavalry was routed immediately, but the remaining forces held their ground. During the battle, Frederick II was forced to flee by his own Field Marshal Schwerin, who worried the king would be captured.
The Austrians fell back to Neisse and the Prussians secured Brieg. The rest of Europe looked at the situation as a renewed continental conflict. Through the system of alliances, the sides were being mobilized, with Silesia at the front of the conflict. France sent Marshal Belle-Isle as envoy to Frederick II. The two nations worked out an agreement that involved French troops coming to the aid of the Prussian forces. The First Silesian War had now become the War of the Austrian Succession.
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