FC.103 BALANCE OF POWER POLITICS IN EUROPE (1715-89)

1. FC.103 BALANCE OF POWER POLITICS IN EUROPE (1715-89) Peaceful recovery in Eur. for several years after Louis XIV’s wars (FC.95) Frederick Wm I builds up Prussian army & bur. Austria suffering econ. & military problems Frederick II of Pr., joined by France, Bavaria, Sweden, & Saxony gang up. vs Maria Theresa of Austria, who allies with Great Britain War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48)  Maria Theresa keeps her throne, but but loses Silesia to Prussia Wanting revenge vs. Pr., Austria renews alliance w/Russia Threatens Pr. w/2-front war DIPLOMATIC REVOLUTION OF 1756 DIPLOMATIC REVOLUTION OF 1756 Prussia allies w/Br. for two reasons: To get $ from Britain To deny Br. $ to Russia Fr. does two things. to counter Prussia’s move: Allies with its former enemy, Austria vs. Prussia & Britain Provides $ to Russia It can afford to fight Frederick II of Pr., seeing war as inevitable, invades Saxony for its resources Seven years War (1756-63) Great Britain vs. France Austria & Russia vs. Prussia Frederick clears one border of invaders Exposes another border to attack Superior Br. navy & finances Victories Fr. trade declines & Br. trade grows By 1763, everyone is worn out & ready for peace Treaty of Paris : Br. Becomes the main colonial power France is broke & its prestige damaged Russia emerges as a Eur. Power Austria kept status as a major power Prussia kept Silesia & big power status 3 partitions of Poland by Rus., Aus.,& Pr. (1772, 1793, 1795) Pol. at foreign powers’ mercy for 200 yrs France, in debt from this & helping Amer. Rev. vs. Br. French Revolution (FC.105)

3. Diplomatic maneuvering (1715-1740) 28m.

4. The period from 1715-1789 was one of transition between the religious wars (c.1560-1650) and the wars of nationalism and starting with the French Revolution. This was also an era of balance of power politics where Europe operated as an integrated system, so that one state's actions would trigger reactions from all the other states. As a result, it was hard for one state to gain an overwhelming position in Europe without everyone else, in particular Britain, ganging up to restore the balance. Finally, it was a period of intense competition between European states, a competition that would launch Europe into the two bloodiest centuries in all human history.

5. The death of Louis XIV in 1715 ended the bloodiest and most exhausting period of warfare up to that point in European history. The scale of bloodshed and expenditure was so massive that it would take several decades before Europe’s mothers could replenish the ranks of its armies. However, mutual distrust kept the various powers suspiciously eyeing each other & constantly maneuvering to maintain a stable or superior position in case of war.

6. Much of the concern at this time was aggression by the Spanish king, Philip V, against his young cousin, Louis XV of France. Therefore when Spain & Austria conspired to take Gibraltar from Britain, France and Britain allied to stop this plot.

7. Britain, Austria, and Holland signed the Barrier Treaty in 1718, by which Austria got the Spanish (now Austrian) Netherlands (modern Belgium) in return for manning the barrier fortresses against any future French aggression. Spanish Netherlands

8. Britain, Austria, and Holland signed the Barrier Treaty in 1718, by which Austria got the Spanish (now Austrian) Netherlands (modern Belgium) in return for manning the barrier fortresses against any future French aggression. Because of this maneuvering (or maybe in spite of it) peace ruled over most of Europe for nearly two decades. Austrian Netherlands

9. The first major disturbance was the War of the Polish Succession (1733-39). The death of the Polish king led to rival claims by French and Austrian candidates, and these claims led to war.

10. The first major disturbance was the War of the Polish Succession (1733-39). The death of the Polish king led to rival claims by French and Austrian candidates, and these claims led to war. Austria and its ally, Russia, being closer to Poland, emerged victorious over France and Spain. The only compensation was that the Spanish Bourbons got control of Southern Italy and Sicily as long as they weren’t united with Spain.

11. The first major disturbance was the War of the Polish Succession (1733-39). The death of the Polish king led to rival claims by French and Austrian candidates, and these claims led to war. Austria and its ally, Russia, being closer to Poland, emerged victorious over France and Spain. The only compensation was that the Bourbons got control of Southern Italy and Sicily as long as they weren’t united with Spain. The War of the Polish Succession symbolized the growing importance of Eastern and Central Europe in diplomatic affairs. In fact, events surrounding two of these states, Prussia and Austria, would dominate European affairs for much of the eighteenth century.

12. Prussia (1688-1740) "No reasoning. Obey orders”--Frederick William I of Prussia "Salvation belongs to the lord. Everything else is my business.” --Frederick William I of Prussia

13. Since the late 1600's, Prussia had been quietly but steadily gaining strength. Under Frederick William the Great Elector (1640-88) and his grandson, Frederick William I (1713-40), Prussia evolved from a small war ravaged principality to a highly centralized independent kingdom whose two pillars of strength were a highly disciplined and efficient army and bureaucracy. Prussia was a poor country, and Frederick William I did a masterful job of making the most from the least. He did this through a combination of intense economizing, severe discipline and regimentation of virtually every aspect of Prussian society.

14. Since the late 1600's, Prussia had been quietly but steadily gaining strength. Under Frederick William the Great Elector (1640-88) and his grandson, Frederick William I (1713-40), Prussia evolved from a small war ravaged principality to a highly centralized independent kingdom. The two pillars of Prussian strength were a highly disciplined and efficient army and bureaucracy. Prussia was a poor country, and Frederick William I did a masterful job of making the most from the least. He did this through a combination of intense economizing, severe discipline and regimentation of virtually every aspect of Prussian society. History has seen few skinflints of Frederick William I's caliber. He cut his bureaucracy in half, cut the salaries of the remaining civil servants in half, dismissed most of his palace staff, and sold much of his furniture & crown jewels. However, he expected no more of his subjects than of himself as first servant of the state, probably a legacy of his Calvinist upbringing.

15. Frederick William's main expense was the army, which is not surprising since Prussia was surrounded by Austria, Russia, and France, all with large armies of at least 90,000 men. By his death in 1740, Prussia’s army numbered some 80,000 men.

16. Frederick William's main expense was the army, which is not surprising since Prussia was surrounded by Austria, Russia, and France, all with large armies of at least 90,000 men. By his death in 1740, Prussia’s army numbered some 80,000 men. The king’s pride and joy was his regiment of grenadiers, all of them over six feet tall (a remarkable height back then). His friends would give him any six-foot tall recruits they could find, while he kidnapped most of the rest.

17. Frederick William's main expense was the army, which is not surprising since Prussia was surrounded by Austria, Russia, and France, all with large armies of at least 90,000 men. By his death in 1740, Prussia’s army numbered some 80,000 men. The king’s pride and joy was his regiment of grenadiers, all of them over six feet tall (a remarkable height back then). His friends would give him any six-foot tall recruits they could find, while he kidnapped most of the rest. One time his agents kidnapped a British ambassador, but Frederick had to give him back. When Frederick-William was depressed, his servants would march his grenadiers through his bedroom to cheer him up.

18. Frederick William's main expense was the army, which is not surprising since Prussia was surrounded by Austria, Russia, and France, all with large armies of at least 90,000 men. By his death in 1740, Prussia’s army numbered some 80,000 men. The king’s pride and joy was his regiment of grenadiers, all of them over six feet tall (a remarkable height back then). His friends would give him any six-foot tall recruits they could find, while he kidnapped most of the rest. One time his agents kidnapped a British ambassador, but Frederick had to give him back. When Frederick-William was depressed, his servants would march his grenadiers through his bedroom to cheer him up. In parades, he would have his grenadiers join hands over the top of his carriage

19. In spite of his military buildup, Frederick William I followed a peaceful foreign policy and left his son, Frederick II, both a large army and full treasury.

20. Prussian military discipline: flogging (top) & running the gauntlet. The Prussian army was notorious for its harsh discipline. While it was the most efficient army in Europe, it also had the highest desertion rate.

21. Frederick William I at a drinking party with friends, some of them unusually small, and one of them apparently a rabbit.

22. Self portrait of Frederick William I with some of his giant grenadiers

23. Frederick-William’s son, Frederick, presents a fascinating contrast to his father. The old king detested anything that suggested France. and culture. (He even dressed condemned criminals in French clothing before executing them.

24. Frederick-William’s son, Frederick, presents a fascinating contrast to his father. The old king detested anything that suggested France. and culture. (He even dressed condemned criminals in French clothing.) By contrast, Frederick treasured those very things. Therefore his early life was torn between having to live the life of a military officer and taking every possible chance to learn music and philosophy, speak French, and curl his hair and dress in French fashion

25. Frederick-William’s son, Frederick, presents a fascinating contrast to his father. The old king detested anything that suggested France. and culture. (He even dressed condemned criminals in French clothing.) By contrast, Frederick treasured those very things. Therefore his early life was torn between having to live the life of a military officer and taking every possible chance to learn music and philosophy, speak French, and curl his hair and dress in French fashion. He even had to post a lookout to warn him of his father’s approach so he could change from his French clothes into a Prussian military uniform.

26. Frederick, age 2, & Wilhemine his older sister, age 4. Frederick’s love of culture infuriated Frederick-William who often beat his son in fits of rage. The king's chronic illness and bad temper did not help the situation.

27. Frederick, age 2, & Wilhemine his older sister, age 4. Frederick’s love of culture infuriated Frederick-William who often beat his son in fits of rage. The king's chronic illness and bad temper did not help the situation. Neither did the tendency for Frederick and his sister to tease their father and see how far they could push him. At one point, Frederick tried to escape from Prussia. Unfortunately, he was captured, court-martialed for desertion, condemned to death, and finally released after a lengthy imprisonment, but only after being forced to watch his best friend and accomplice be executed.

28. Frederick-William would beat his son in fits of rage. Once he threw a dinner plate at him. On another occasion, he tried to strangle Frederick with a window shade cord & was only stopped by his servants.

29. Frederick-William would beat his son in fits of rage. Once he threw a dinner plate at him. On another occasion, he tried to strangle Frederick with a window shade cord & was only stopped by his servants. The king even said that if his father had treated him as he treated Frederick, he would at least have been man enough to commit suicide.

30. Frederick-William would beat his son in fits of rage. Once he threw a dinner plate at him. On another occasion, he tried to strangle Frederick with a window shade cord & was only stopped by his servants. The king even told his son that if his (Frederick-William’s) father had treated him as he treated Frederick, he would at least have been man enough to commit suicide. It is a wonder that one of them did not kill the other. However, when Frederick William I died in 1740, father and son had been reconciled and Frederick, now Frederick II, embarked on his own path.

31. Frederick the Great’s daily routine Frederick’s day started at 4AM, although he hated it. If he wouldn’t wake up, he told his servants to throw a cloth soaked in cold water on his head. If, out of pity, they let him sleep, he would put them in the army. Frederick, like his father, suffered from a chronic stomach illness and was in constant pain, but hardly mentioned it. He also had little patience with others complaining of sickness, since he drove himself so relentlessly.

32. Frederick the Great’s daily routine Frederick’s day started at 4AM, although he hated it. If he wouldn’t wake up, he told his servants to throw a cloth soaked in cold water on his head. If, out of pity, they let him sleep, he would put them in the army. Frederick, like his father, suffered from a chronic stomach illness and was in constant pain, but hardly mentioned it. He also had little patience with others complaining of sickness, since he drove himself so relentlessly. His court at Potsdam had neither family, court etiquette, religious holidays, nor other distractions to impair the government's efficiency. The court and government resembled a barrack and were run with military precision. Similarly, he had no time for fancy uniforms, usually being dressed in a dirty and shabby uniform.

33. Frederick the Great’s daily routine Frederick’s day started at 4AM, although he hated it. If he wouldn’t wake up, he told his servants to throw a cloth soaked in cold water on his head. If, out of pity, they let him sleep, he would put them in the army. Frederick, like his father, suffered from a chronic stomach illness and was in constant pain, but hardly mentioned it. He also had little patience with others complaining of sickness, since he drove himself so relentlessly. His court at Potsdam had neither family, court etiquette, religious holidays, nor other distractions to impair the government's efficiency. The court and government resembled a barrack and were run with military precision. Similarly, he had no time for fancy uniforms, usually being dressed in a dirty and shabby uniform. His one luxury was a collection of 1500 snuffboxes, all of them full, which proved a torture for the English ambassador who was allergic and sneezed constantly.

34. Once out of bed, Frederick composed music while his hair was curled. He also practiced the flute at least four times a day, claiming that was when political ideas came to him. Frederick was an accomplished composer, whose compositions are still performed and recorded.

35. Once out of bed, Frederick composed music while his hair was curled. He also practiced the flute at least four times a day, claiming that was when political ideas came to him. Frederick was an accomplished composer, whose compositions are still performed and recorded. After that he examined his mail. The king had a vast knowledge of coats of arms, so he could save time by throwing the letters of people who bored him into the fire unopened. Personal friends' letters he answered personally, the rest going into one of three baskets: granted, refused, or consult further on it. At breakfast, the royal secretary came for the letters, for each of which Frederick gave a summarized answer in one sentence. There were three secretaries who had to have all the letters ready by 4PM.

36. At 10AM the king either directed military exercises, wrote personal letters, or walked in his garden with a book. His constant companions were two or three Italian greyhounds, who even slept with him. It was one of these dogs he named after the French king’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, arousing so much ire in the woman that it helped lead to the the Seven Years War.

37. At 10AM the king either directed military exercises, wrote personal letters, or walked in his garden with a book. His constant companions were two or three Italian greyhounds, who even slept with him. It was one of these dogs he named after the French king’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, arousing so much ire in the woman that it helped lead to the the Seven Years War. The king would then dine at noon with various writers, wits, and soldiers. Despite his stomach condition, he liked highly spiced food and drank lots of coffee and champagne. This would last until 3 PM, unless it was sunny (which he loved), in which case he would bolt his food so he could go for his afternoon walk. Frederick’s walks were not popular with those who attended since he liked to amuse himself at their expense.

38. From 3PM to 10PM, Frederick was engaged in administrative work. After that came supper and then a concert. Besides being a composer, Frederick was also a good flautist, but had erratic timing, making it hard to accompany him. One of his personal highlights was when the composer Johann Sebastian Bach visited him.

39. For a brief time, Voltaire visited Frederick at his Sans Souci palace. However the huge intellects and egos of the two men led to a falling out.

40. For a brief time, Voltaire stayed with Frederick at his Sans Souci Palace. However the huge intellects and egos of the two men led to a falling out. Frederick claimed he had squeezed the juice from the orange and thrown away the peel, apparently meaning he got all the wisdom he needed from Voltaire before kicking him out.

41. Voltaire got his revenge in Candide by describing the abuses of the Prussian army, thinly disguised as the Bulgarian army.

42. The room at Sans Souci where Voltaire supposedly stayed

43. To further tighten his strict governance of officials, Frederick also made an annual tour of the kingdom from May to August, personally examining officials, interviewing private citizens, inspecting local conditions, and gathering immense amounts of information. There were few things of importance that escaped his notice for long.

44. The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48)

45. Charles VI of Austria had a large family. However, he had no sons to succeed him, only a daughter, Maria Theresa, whose right to the throne was likely to be challenged when Charles died. Therefore, he had various rulers sign the Pragmatic Sanction, by which they recognized Maria Theresa’s right to the throne.

46. Charles VI of Austria & his family. Charles had no sons to succeed him. He did have a daughter, Maria Theresa, whose right to the throne was likely to be challenged when Charles died. Therefore, he had various rulers sign the Pragmatic Sanction, by which they recognized Maria Theresa’s right to the throne. However, after Charles’ death in 1740 the Pragmatic Sanction became a meaningless piece of paper as Austria’s neighbors closed in to eliminate Maria Theresa.

47. Maria Theresa’s coronation as Queen of Bohemia

48. Emperor Francis I of Austria, Maria Theresa’s husband and father of her 16 children

49. To the south and east of Prussia lay the rich province of Silesia, then under Hapsburg rule. In 1740, Frederick moved in to take this land.

50. To the south and east of Prussia lay the rich province of Silesia, then under Hapsburg rule. In 1740, Frederick moved in to take this land. The timing could not have been worse for Austria, which was in pitiful shape to fight a war, having just lost a disastrous struggle with the Ottoman Turks. Also, its generals and ministers were old men past their prime, while the administration was full of corruption and confusion.