. European history : an outline of its development. efore the close of his reign it was plain to all Europe thatthere were two great powersin Germany of fairly equalstrength. 387. The Pragmatic Sanc-tion of Charles VI. —The op-portunity for which everythingwas prepared came in the veryyear of Fredericks emperor, Charles VL, wasthe last male descendant of thehouse of Hapsburg. In thelast years of his reign it hadbeen the chief object of his])oUcy to provide against thejKirtition of the Austrian ter-ritories and to secure the un-divided inheritance to hisdaughter Maria Theresa. Thi
. European history : an outline of its development. efore the close of his reign it was plain to all Europe thatthere were two great powersin Germany of fairly equalstrength. 387. The Pragmatic Sanc-tion of Charles VI. —The op-portunity for which everythingwas prepared came in the veryyear of Fredericks emperor, Charles VL, wasthe last male descendant of thehouse of Hapsburg. In thelast years of his reign it hadbeen the chief object of his])oUcy to provide against thejKirtition of the Austrian ter-ritories and to secure the un-divided inheritance to hisdaughter Maria Theresa. Thishe had sought to accomplishby the Pragmatic Sanction, anew law of succession in herfavor, to which he had securedthe consent of most of thestates of Europe by treaties. His death in October, 1740,revealed at once the worth-lessness of these treaties. AllEurope seemed to considerthe time arrived to bring Aus-tria to an end. The electors ofBavaria and Saxony advancedclaims to the and France showed themselves ready to assist. But. Gigantic Grenadier ofFrederick William I. §§ 3^8, 389] Maria Theresa and Frederick 395 Frederick was first in the field. Before the end of 1740,without waiting for an answer from Maria Theresa to hisclaims, and without a declaration of war he marched hisarmy into the Austrian province of Silesia. 388. The War of the Austrian Succession. 1740-1748.—His success was rapid. The Austrians were defeated atMollwitz. An alliance was formed with France. The electorof Bavaria was recognized as Emperor. Moravia was in-vaded and another victory gained, and in June, 1742, MariaTheresa was ready to make peace with Frederick, that shemight use all her strength against her other enemies. Thepeace of Breslau gave to Prussia the province of Silesia witha million and a half of inhabitants. But it was not yet insecure possession. The tide which had been running against Maria Theresanow turned in her favor. She threw herself on the devotionof the Hun
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