Anglo-Austrian Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Anglo-Austrian Alliance connected the Kingdom of Great Britain
and the Habsburg monarchy
during the first half of the 18th century. It was largely the work of the British statesman Duke of Newcastle, who considered an alliance with Austria crucial to prevent the further expansion of French
power.
It lasted from 1731 to 1756 and formed part of the stately quadrille
by which the Great Powers of Europe continually shifted their alliances to try to maintain the balance of power in Europe. Its collapse during the Diplomatic Revolution
ultimately led to the Seven Years' War
.
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In 1725 Austria had signed the Treaty of Vienna
offering material support to the Spanish in their efforts to try to take back Gibraltar
from the British. Britain was at the time allied to France
, although their relationship was slowly declining and by 1731 they would be considered enemies once more. When in 1727 the Spanish besieged Gibraltar
during the Anglo-Spanish War
, British diplomats persuaded the Austrians not to assist the Spanish, offering a number of concessions. A humiliated Spain was forced to break off the siege and make peace.
A number of prominent Austrophiles had for some time been advocating a British alliance with Austria, as the Austrians were seen as the only country with land forces that could match the French on the continent. They received a boost when the greatest opponent of Austria, Lord Townshend
was forced to resign from office in 1730. It cleared the way for a full rapprochement between London and Vienna and gave the Duke of Newcastle
increasing control over British foreign policy. He was strongly convinced that an alliance with Austria was essential.
, whose overseas trading had been a constant source of tension with the British. This laid the groundwork for the Treaty of Vienna
which instituted a formal alliance between the two powers. It was signed on 16 March 1731 by Count Zinzendorf and the Earl of Chesterfield. One immediate result was the complete disbandment of the Ostend Company, which delighted the British government. Britain and Austria gave each other a repricocal guarantee against aggression.
The British gave material support to the Austrians in the War of the Austrian Succession
in the form of British troops and providing large financial subsidies
. This allowed Maria Theresa
to secure the Austrian throne in defiance of the Salic Law
. By 1745 Austria had appeared to be in serious danger of being completely overrun and partitioned by Prussia and France, but a British campaign against the French in Flanders
drew away crucial French manpower, allowing the Austrians to counter-attack. The British had also applied diplomatic pressure to persuade Prussia's Frederick the Great to agree a ceasefire at the Treaty of Dresden
, meaning the Austrians could turn their full attention against the French
.
The Alliance was at times severely strained. The Austrians believed the British had done little to prevent France from occupying Brussels
in 1746, and this led to a further increase of conflicts. No more so than during the Congress of Breda
which was aimed at negotiating an end to the war and led to the eventual settlement at Aix-la-Chapelle
in 1748. The British hoping for a swift conclusion were annoyed by Austria's slow progress in agreeing the terms. They eventually threatened to sign the treaty alone if Austria hadn't agreed to it within three weeks. Austria reluctantly then signed the treaty. They were particularly disturbed to have little material gains for their efforts in the war, though the British considered the terms they had received from the French to be very generous.
In spite of this the omens looked good for the alliance. The Austrians had an enthusiastic supporter in Newcastle, and they apparently had no other major ally to turn to. The British regarded the alliance as part of the Newcastle System by which they maintained the security of Germany by creating an alliance between Britain, Hanover, Austria and the Dutch Republic
.
and its failure to insist on a return of Silesia
to Austria at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
as a sign of Britain's bad faith. Essentially, they believed, Britain was interested in the alliance only when it suited their own goals. One of the leading anti-British influences was Wenzel Anton Graf Kaunitz, who in 1753 became Minister for Foreign Affairs.
In 1756, suspecting that Prussia
was about to launch an invasion of Bohemia - and fearing that the British would do nothing to help them (concerned as they were with a dispute with France over the Ohio Country
), Austria concluded an alliance
with their traditional enemies France. Britain, left out in the cold, made a hasty alliance with Prussia
- hoping that the new balance of power
would prevent war.
Unable to control their Prussian ally Frederick the Great who attacked Austria in 1756, Britain honoured its commitment to the Prussians and forged the Anglo-Prussian Alliance
. Although Britain and Austria did not declare war against each other, they were now aligned in opposing coalitions in a major European war. During the Capture of Emden in 1758 British and Austrian forces came close to open warfare. In spite of their efforts during the war, Austria was ultimately unable to retake Silesia and the 1763 Treaty of Paris
confirmed Prussian control of it.
. Austria was by now seen as increasingly autocratic, and resistant to the spread of British liberal democracy
.
In 1778 when France entered the American War of Independence to try to assist the American colonists to gain their independence, Britain sought to gain Austrian support for their efforts to put down the rebellion. Austria's entry into the war, it was believed, would have drawn off French troops that were sent to America. However, Austria refused even to consider the proposal seriously.
Britain and Austria did later again become allies during the Napoleonic Wars
, but they were both part of a broader anti-French coalition and the relationship was nowhere near as close as it had been during the era of the Alliance. Once again British subsidies became crucial to putting Austrian armies in the field such as during the Flanders campaign
of 1793-94 when they received £1 million.
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
and the Habsburg monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
during the first half of the 18th century. It was largely the work of the British statesman Duke of Newcastle, who considered an alliance with Austria crucial to prevent the further expansion of French
Early Modern France
Kingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...
power.
It lasted from 1731 to 1756 and formed part of the stately quadrille
Stately quadrille
The stately quadrille is a term popularly used to describe the constantly shifting alliances between the Great Powers of Europe during the 18th century. The ultimate objective was to maintain the balance of power in Europe, and to stop any one alliance or country becoming too strong...
by which the Great Powers of Europe continually shifted their alliances to try to maintain the balance of power in Europe. Its collapse during the Diplomatic Revolution
Diplomatic Revolution
The Diplomatic Revolution of 1756 is a term applied to the reversal of longstanding diplomatic alliances which were upheld until the War of the Austrian Succession and then reversed in the Seven Years' War; the shift has also been known as "the great change of partners"...
ultimately led to the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
.
Background
Treaty of Vienna (1725)
The Treaty of Vienna was signed on April 30, 1725 between Emperor Charles VI of Austria and King Philip V of Spain.The treaty guaranteed the Pragmatic Sanction of the Habsburgs, which was first declared in 1713. Based on the terms of the treaty, the Austrian Empire relinquished all claims to the...
offering material support to the Spanish in their efforts to try to take back Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
from the British. Britain was at the time allied to France
Anglo-French Alliance
This article covers the Anglo-French Alliance between 1716 and 1731. For the alliance that has existed since 1904 see Entente CordialeThe Anglo-French Alliance is the name for the alliance between Great Britain and France between 1716 and 1731...
, although their relationship was slowly declining and by 1731 they would be considered enemies once more. When in 1727 the Spanish besieged Gibraltar
Siege of Gibraltar (1727)
The Siege of Gibraltar of 1727 saw Spanish forces besiege the British garrison of Gibraltar as part of the Anglo-Spanish War. Depending on the sources, Spanish troops were between 12,000 and 25,000. British defenders were 1,500 at the beginning of the siege, increasing up to about 5,000...
during the Anglo-Spanish War
Anglo-Spanish War (1727)
The Anglo-Spanish War of 1727–1729 was a limited war that took place between Great Britain and Spain during the Eighteenth Century, and consisted of a failed British attempt to blockade Porto Bello and a failed Spanish attempt to capture Gibraltar...
, British diplomats persuaded the Austrians not to assist the Spanish, offering a number of concessions. A humiliated Spain was forced to break off the siege and make peace.
A number of prominent Austrophiles had for some time been advocating a British alliance with Austria, as the Austrians were seen as the only country with land forces that could match the French on the continent. They received a boost when the greatest opponent of Austria, Lord Townshend
Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend
Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend Bt, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman. He served for a decade as Secretary of State, directing British foreign policy...
was forced to resign from office in 1730. It cleared the way for a full rapprochement between London and Vienna and gave the Duke of Newcastle
Duke of Newcastle
Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a title which has been created three times in British history while the title of Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne has been created once. The title was created for the first time in the Peerage of England in 1664 when William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
increasing control over British foreign policy. He was strongly convinced that an alliance with Austria was essential.
Alliance
In 1727 the Austrians had agreed to suspend the Ostend CompanyOstend Company
The Imperial Ostend Company was an Austrian private trading company established in 1717 to trade with the East and West Indies. For a few years it provided strong competition to the traditional colonial trading companies...
, whose overseas trading had been a constant source of tension with the British. This laid the groundwork for the Treaty of Vienna
Treaty of Vienna (1731)
The Treaty of Vienna was first signed on 16 March 1731 by Count Finzendorf and the Earl of Chesterfield. This treaty marked the collapse of the Anglo-French Alliance , the beginning of the Anglo-Austrian Alliance and the birth of the legend of the natural enmity between the Kingdom of France and...
which instituted a formal alliance between the two powers. It was signed on 16 March 1731 by Count Zinzendorf and the Earl of Chesterfield. One immediate result was the complete disbandment of the Ostend Company, which delighted the British government. Britain and Austria gave each other a repricocal guarantee against aggression.
The British gave material support to the Austrians in the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
in the form of British troops and providing large financial subsidies
Golden Cavalry of St George
The Golden Cavalry of St George was the colloquial name of subsidies paid out by the British government to other European states in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, through particularly during the Napoleonic Wars...
. This allowed Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
to secure the Austrian throne in defiance of the Salic Law
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
. By 1745 Austria had appeared to be in serious danger of being completely overrun and partitioned by Prussia and France, but a British campaign against the French in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
drew away crucial French manpower, allowing the Austrians to counter-attack. The British had also applied diplomatic pressure to persuade Prussia's Frederick the Great to agree a ceasefire at the Treaty of Dresden
Treaty of Dresden
The Treaty of Dresden was signed on 25 December 1745 at the Saxon capital of Dresden between Austria, Saxony and Prussia, ending the Second Silesian War....
, meaning the Austrians could turn their full attention against the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The Alliance was at times severely strained. The Austrians believed the British had done little to prevent France from occupying Brussels
Siege of Brussels
The Siege of Brussels took place between January and February 1746 during the War of the Austrian Succession. A French army under the overall command of Maurice de Saxe besieged and captured the city of Brussels, which was then the capital of the Austrian Netherlands, from its Austrian garrison.The...
in 1746, and this led to a further increase of conflicts. No more so than during the Congress of Breda
Congress of Breda
The Congress of Breda often also known as the Breda peace talks were a series of negotiations between representatives of Great Britain and France in the Dutch city of Breda that took place between 1746 and 1748. They were designed to bring an end to the Austrian War of Succession and laid the...
which was aimed at negotiating an end to the war and led to the eventual settlement at Aix-la-Chapelle
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession following a congress assembled at the Imperial Free City of Aachen—Aix-la-Chapelle in French—in the west of the Holy Roman Empire, on 24 April 1748...
in 1748. The British hoping for a swift conclusion were annoyed by Austria's slow progress in agreeing the terms. They eventually threatened to sign the treaty alone if Austria hadn't agreed to it within three weeks. Austria reluctantly then signed the treaty. They were particularly disturbed to have little material gains for their efforts in the war, though the British considered the terms they had received from the French to be very generous.
In spite of this the omens looked good for the alliance. The Austrians had an enthusiastic supporter in Newcastle, and they apparently had no other major ally to turn to. The British regarded the alliance as part of the Newcastle System by which they maintained the security of Germany by creating an alliance between Britain, Hanover, Austria and the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
.
Collapse of the Alliance
In Austria there remained amongst some nagging suspicion that the British were not fully committed to the alliance. They highlighted Britain's absence from the War of the Polish SuccessionWar of the Polish Succession
The War of the Polish Succession was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests...
and its failure to insist on a return of Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
to Austria at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession following a congress assembled at the Imperial Free City of Aachen—Aix-la-Chapelle in French—in the west of the Holy Roman Empire, on 24 April 1748...
as a sign of Britain's bad faith. Essentially, they believed, Britain was interested in the alliance only when it suited their own goals. One of the leading anti-British influences was Wenzel Anton Graf Kaunitz, who in 1753 became Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
was about to launch an invasion of Bohemia - and fearing that the British would do nothing to help them (concerned as they were with a dispute with France over the Ohio Country
Ohio Country
The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
), Austria concluded an alliance
Franco-Austrian Alliance
The Franco-Austrian Alliance was a diplomatic and military alliance between France and Austria that was first established in 1756 following the First Treaty of Versailles which lasted for much of the remainder of the century until it was abandoned during the French Revolution.The Alliance had its...
with their traditional enemies France. Britain, left out in the cold, made a hasty alliance with Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
- hoping that the new balance of power
Balance of power in international relations
In international relations, a balance of power exists when there is parity or stability between competing forces. The concept describes a state of affairs in the international system and explains the behavior of states in that system...
would prevent war.
Unable to control their Prussian ally Frederick the Great who attacked Austria in 1756, Britain honoured its commitment to the Prussians and forged the Anglo-Prussian Alliance
Anglo-Prussian Alliance
The Anglo-Prussian Alliance was a military alliance created by the Westminster Convention between Great Britain and Prussia which lasted formally between 1756 and 1762 during the Seven Years' War. It allowed Britain to concentrate the majority of its efforts against the colonial possessions of the...
. Although Britain and Austria did not declare war against each other, they were now aligned in opposing coalitions in a major European war. During the Capture of Emden in 1758 British and Austrian forces came close to open warfare. In spite of their efforts during the war, Austria was ultimately unable to retake Silesia and the 1763 Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
confirmed Prussian control of it.
Aftermath
Britain had been growing increasingly less favourable to Austria, and the Austrophiles in Britain saw their influence decrease during and after the Seven Years' WarSeven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. Austria was by now seen as increasingly autocratic, and resistant to the spread of British liberal democracy
Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
.
In 1778 when France entered the American War of Independence to try to assist the American colonists to gain their independence, Britain sought to gain Austrian support for their efforts to put down the rebellion. Austria's entry into the war, it was believed, would have drawn off French troops that were sent to America. However, Austria refused even to consider the proposal seriously.
Britain and Austria did later again become allies during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, but they were both part of a broader anti-French coalition and the relationship was nowhere near as close as it had been during the era of the Alliance. Once again British subsidies became crucial to putting Austrian armies in the field such as during the Flanders campaign
Flanders Campaign
This feature refers to the conflict that took place during the Wars of the French Revolution 1792–1801.For the Low Countries campaigns of the War of the Grand Alliance 1688–97 see Nine Years' War...
of 1793-94 when they received £1 million.
See also
- UK-Austrian relations
- Anglo-French AllianceAnglo-French AllianceThis article covers the Anglo-French Alliance between 1716 and 1731. For the alliance that has existed since 1904 see Entente CordialeThe Anglo-French Alliance is the name for the alliance between Great Britain and France between 1716 and 1731...
- Anglo-Prussian AllianceAnglo-Prussian AllianceThe Anglo-Prussian Alliance was a military alliance created by the Westminster Convention between Great Britain and Prussia which lasted formally between 1756 and 1762 during the Seven Years' War. It allowed Britain to concentrate the majority of its efforts against the colonial possessions of the...
- Great Britain in the Seven Years' War