Sparks Commentary: The War of the Austrian Succession was fought on four different continents

Note: The “War of the Austrian Succession” included several different conflicts within it. Thus, many of my blog’s mentions of these related conflicts are instead directed to this post, which helps to put many of these conflicts (and sub-conflicts) into context.

Anecdote about the “War of Jenkins’ Ear,” and how that conflict got its strange name

In 1731, a British ship called the “Rebecca” was stopped by a Spanish ship. As Wikipedia puts it, “Under the 1729 Treaty of Seville, the Spanish were allowed to check British vessels trading with the Americas for contraband.” (see source) Thus, the Spaniards searched the ship thoroughly, and found that it was indeed carrying smuggled sugar. The captain of the “Rebecca” was a man named Robert Jenkins. Captain Jenkins later alleged that, during this incident, the Spaniards had removed part of his ear. The British government was then looking for a pretext for a war against Spain. Thus, they brought Captain Jenkins into Parliament, as evidence that his ear had been cut off by Spanish officials. But Captain Jenkins was wearing a cap, which concealed how many ears he had. Moreover, Captain Jenkins was never forced to remove this cap. Thus, there was a suspicion that, underneath his cap, there were two perfectly normal ears – each of which was firmly attached to his head in the normal way. But the war seemed too desirable to the British to bother with such “trivialities” as verification of the story. Thus, the “War of Jenkins’ Ear” soon began in 1739. This may be among the strangest names ever given to any conflict in history. The majority of the conflict took place in New Granada and the Caribbean Sea. However, it would also involve some fighting in Havana, Cuba – and in Central America, at a city called Cartagena (not to be confused with the city back in Spain). North America would also see some related fighting in Spanish Florida and British Georgia, which was part of the “War of Jenkins’ Ear.” This would later become a part (arguably) of the “War of the Austrian Succession.”

Capture of Portobelo (Central America, 1739) – part of the “War of Jenkins’ Ear”

Battle of Havana (Cuba, 1748) – another part of the “War of Jenkins’ Ear”

Origins of the War of the Austrian Succession: A struggle for the Austrian throne

At that time, Austria was ruled by the Habsburg monarchy. The nation was then known as the “Holy Roman Empire.” But, as Voltaire would later say, “This body which was called and which still calls itself the Holy Roman Empire was in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.” (Source: Comment from 1773) Regardless, the Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph the First, had died back in 1711. He had then been succeeded by his brother Charles the Sixth. But, under the terms of the 1703 Mutual Pact of Succession, it was Joseph’s children (not those of Charles) who were still next in line for the throne. Crucially, this agreement had also stated that female children would be allowed to inherit the throne. And Joseph’s only surviving children were daughters – two of them, to be precise. Charles had no problem with the female inheritance part, since his only surviving children were also daughters. In the case of Charles, there were actually three of these daughters. But Charles managed to get the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713. This provided that his own children, rather than those of his late brother Joseph, would be the next in line for the throne. But there were also controversies about whether a woman could exercise certain powers, which were associated with the Austrian throne. Austria had previously been involved in the War of the Polish Succession, which was from 1733 to 1735. Austria had also been involved in the Russo-Turkish War, which was from 1735 to 1739. Various European nations had a stake in who would get the Austrian throne. Thus, the war soon exploded into an international conflict in 1740. It was simply called the “War of the Austrian Succession,” because it was partially about the Austrian throne. Various European nations soon lined up on both sides of the struggle. For example, the British and the Austrians were major players on the one side, while the French and the Spaniards were major players on the other. The “War of Jenkins’ Ear,” which had begun the previous year in 1739, was now arguably becoming a part of this “War of the Austrian Succession.”

Battle of Fontenoy (Modern Belgium, 1745) – part of the War of the Austrian Succession

Battle of Bassignano (Italy, 1745) – another part of the War of the Austrian Succession

The First Silesian War, a Russo-Swedish War, and “King George’s War” in North America

On the same day that the “War of the Austrian Succession” formally began, the First Silesian War also began in 1740. The Prussians invaded Habsburg Silesia in 1740. Thus, the First Silesian War soon ended with a Prussian victory in 1742. But there was also a related Russo-Swedish War, which went from 1741 to 1743. Incidentally, the British monarch was then King George the Second. Thus, in May 1744, another war began in North America. It was called “King George’s War.” It was arguably a part of the “War of the Austrian Succession.” As Wikipedia puts it, King George’s War “took place primarily in the British provinces of New York, Massachusetts Bay (which included Maine as well as Massachusetts at the time), New Hampshire (which included Vermont at the time), and Nova Scotia. Its most significant action was an expedition organized by Massachusetts Governor William Shirley that besieged and ultimately captured the French fortress of Louisbourg, on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, in 1745.” (Source: Their page on “King George’s War”) However, Louisbourg was later returned to the French in the postwar peace treaty. (More about that treaty later on in this post.) This was how this great European war spilled over into North America, affecting both Canada and the present-day United States of America.

Battle of Hohenfriedberg (Modern Poland, 1745) – part of the Second Silesian War

British soldiers guarding Halifax (Canada, 1749) – part of King George’s War

The Second Silesian War, the Jacobite rising in Scotland, and a First Carnatic War in India

King George’s War had begun in May 1744. In August 1744, a Second Silesian War broke out. Prussia was again fighting against the Holy Roman Empire (Austria), which was now allied with Saxony. When the war began, Prussia invaded Habsburg Bohemia in 1744. Thus, the Austrians again sued for peace. The Treaty of Dresden soon ended the Second Silesian War in 1745. In 1745, there was a Jacobite rising in Scotland. In Scotland, it is sometimes simply called “the Forty-Five.” It was a revival of some prior Scottish revolts, whose background I have explored here. Suffice it to say here that the rebellion was utterly crushed by 1746. But there is more controversy about when yet another related conflict began. In distant India, there was a European war in India’s coastal Carnatic region. It was called the “First Carnatic War,” and it began sometime around 1744 or 1746. This, too, became a part of the “War of the Austrian Succession.” Little changed in India with the First Carnatic War, although it foreshadowed some further conflicts in India. (More about those in a later post.) Incidentally, the “War of the Austrian Succession” also involved some fighting in South America. Thus, this conflict seems to have been fought on four different continents. But, by 1748, the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was finally being signed. This finally ended the War of Jenkins’ Ear, “King George’s War” in North America, and (most importantly) the larger “War of the Austrian Succession” itself. The end of the First Carnatic War is somewhat harder to date, but it was also sometime in the year 1748.

Battle of Culloden (Scotland, 1746) – part of the Jacobite rising that began in 1745

British siege of Pondicherry (India, 1748) – part of the First Carnatic War

Ripple effects included further conflicts in India and America, and the Seven Years’ War

So what was the larger importance of the war? Most importantly, these conflicts included a number of ripple effects. These arguably included “Father Le Loutre’s War” in North America, which was from 1749 to 1755. The ripple effects also arguably included the Second Carnatic War in India – also from 1749 to 1755. Incidentally, in North America, the “French and Indian War” (as it is now known to Americans) would later break out in 1754. This would later lead to the outbreak of the larger “Seven Years’ War” in Europe. The Seven Years’ War arguably included one more Carnatic War in India, and one more Silesian War in Europe itself. Both of these seem to have been further ripple effects from the “War of the Austrian Succession.” Most importantly, these wars seem to have led to a strategic realignment. It was called the “Diplomatic Revolution.” This may have been a sort of backdrop for the upcoming Seven Years’ War, which began in 1756. (More about that in this post.)

Footnote to this blog post:

The British patriotic song “Rule, Britannia!” was released in August 1740. This was during the War of Jenkins’ Ear, and only four months before the beginning of the War of the Austrian Succession. And the song “God Save the King” (alternatively, “God Save the Queen”) was made the national anthem of Great Britain in 1745. Thus, it was definitely adopted during the War of the Austrian Succession.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

The English Empire: The predecessor of the British Empire

Piracy played a role, early in the “Second” Hundred Years’ War

A review of “The War That Made America” (the French and Indian War)

The Seven Years’ War was a massive worldwide conflict

A review of “Liberty! The American Revolution” and “The Revolution”

A review of “Rebels & Redcoats: How Britain Lost America”

The British Empire: From the Acts of Union to the Battle of Waterloo

A review of “The War of 1812” (PBS program)

Part of a series about

British military history

Wars of the Roses 1455-1487
English Civil War 1642-1651