| Copyright | ||
|
Home Foreign Affairs and the Empire, 1714-1763 Empire, 1714-1763; Part 3 |
Empire, 1714-1763; Part 3The year 1739 ushered in a new and prolonged period of conflict. The war with Spain, somewhat discreditable to our honour in its origin, was discreditable to our arms in its conduct. An attempt on Cartagena, in Spanish America, was a miserable failure, and our only success was a voyage round the world undertaken by Anson, who captured an enormous amount of treasure on the west coast of South America (Anson succeeded in capturing the great treasure-ship that sailed every year from Manila to Acapulco. The treasure he secured, worth some, £500,000, was paraded through the city, on its way to the Bank of England, in a procession of thirty-two wagons, the ship's company marching alongside with colours flying and band playing). But meanwhile, in 1740, another Succession War broke out. This had to do with Austria. Charles VI, the emperor and ruler of the vast Austrian dominions-known to us already, in the Spanish Succession War, as the Archduke Charles - had one child, a daughter, Maria Theresa. He persuaded nearly all the European powers to recognize an arrangement known as the Pragmatic Sanction, by which, in spite of the custom which forbade succession to females, this daughter was to inherit his dominions, But on Charles's death, in 1740, the Elector of Bavaria, with some show of reason, claimed the Austrian dominions. The King of France supported him, and sent two armies across the Rhine. Meanwhile Frederick II, who had just succeeded to the Prussian throne, and was to prove himself a great if somewhat unscrupulous monarch, disregarded his promise to Charles to recognize his daughter, and seized Silesia, which belonged to Austria.Feelings of chivalry impelled Great Britain to assist Maria Theresa. Moreover, the Electors of Hanover were traditionai allies of the House of Hapsburg, and therefore George II was her keen supporter. Hence, once again, England and France, though they did not declare formal war till 1744, found themselves engaged in hostilities. The military operations in which we took part were at the outset somewhat complicated and not very interesting. It is sufficient to say that the position of Maria Theresa was at first very precarious, but that the loyalty of her subjects, and especially of the Hungarians, saved her. |
Chronology |
| free ads for property | copyright by www.uuo-ununoctium.info |