Seven Years War

Seven Years' War, THE (1756-63), was due to the alarm occasioned in Europe by the aggressive designs of Frederick II. (the Great) of Prussia and the desire of the Empress Maria Theresa to recover Silesia from that monarch. Louis XV. of France, the Czarina Elizabeth, and Augustus, King of Poland, who was also Elector of Saxony, ranged themselves on the side of Austria, whilst England; already at war with France in the colonies, aided Frederick with money, placed an army in Hanover at his disposal, and promised him further assistance. In his first campaign Frederick overran Saxony, defeated the Austrians (who were marching to its relief under Marshal Browne) at Lobositz, and forced the Saxon army to surrender. In 1757 Frederick invaded Bohemia and invested the Austrian army in Prague, but received a crushing defeat at the hands of Marshal Daun (June 18). Five weeks later the Duke of Cnmberland, in Hanover, was defeated at Hastenbeck by Marshal d'Estrees, and agreed by the Convention of Closter-Seven to disband nearly the whole of his army; but at Rossbach Frederick was successful against an army composed of Imperialists and French troops under Soubise, and Silesia, which had meanwhile been seized by the Austrians, was reoccupied after his victory at Leuthen (December 5). These successes were followed by the withdrawal of the Russians from East Prussia. In 1758 the fortune of Frederick varied considerably. His inroad into Bohemia was cut short by a Russian invasion, and, although he was successful against these foes at Zorndorf, he was surprised and severely defeated by Marshal Daun at Hochkirch; yet, before the year closed, the Prussians had regained Saxony and Silesia. Frederick's fourth Campaign (1759) was a series of disasters. He himself suffered a terrible reverse at Kunersdorf, and the surrender of Finck to Daun was followed by the Austrian occupation of Saxony. Against the ill-fortune of Prussia was to be set the almost unvarying Success of Ferdinand of Brunswick in Hanover and Westphalia. He had been placed at the head of a new army by the British Government, who refused to recognise the Convention of Closter-Seven, and by his victory at Minden (August 1, 1759) finally drove the French behind the Rhine. English aid and his own indomitable energy enabled Frederick to resume the struggle in 1760, notwithstanding his impoverished condition. In spite of his Success at Liegnitz (August 15), Berlin was captured by the allies in October, but the fierce battle of Torgau (November 3) drove the enemy from Silesia and saved Prussia from destruction. During the next year the war was carried on in a desultory fashion, owing to the exhaustion on both sides, Frederick's position being rendered more difficult by the withdrawal of the English subsidy after the death of George II. But in 1762 he pursued the struggle so vigorously - aided by his brother Prince Henry, and in the west by the Duke of Brunnswick - that the French withdrew from the conflict, entering into treaties with Britain and Prussia, which culminated in the Peace of Paris (February 10, 1763). Maria Theresa, left to carry on the war alone, had already found herself forced to conclude the Peace of Hubertsburg (February 15, 1763), in which she abandoned her claim to Silesia. The main result of the war, so far as England was concerned, was a great accession to her dominion and power in India and North America.