Treaty of Berlin (1742)
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Berlin between the Habsburg archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, who was also Queen of Bohemia
, and the Prussian
king Frederick the Great was signed on July 28, 1742 in Berlin
. It was the formal peace treaty
that confirmed the preliminary agreement achieved with English mediation by the 11 June Treaty of Breslau
, and officially ended the First Silesian War
.
Based on article 5 of the treaty,
Maria Theresa ceded most of Silesia
with the County of Kladsko
to Frederick, except for those districts of the Duchy of Troppau
that were located south of the Opava river, including the southern part of the former Duchy of Jägerndorf
, the possession of which had been one pretext for Frederick's invasion. The Duchy of Neisse
held by the Breslau bishops was also partitioned, with the fortress-city of Nysa
and the larger northern portion of the territory falling to Prussia. Austria retained the entire Upper Silesian Duchy of Teschen, ruled by Maria Theresa's husband, Francis Stephen of Lorraine
, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The remaining Habsburg territories were incorporated into the crown land of Austrian Silesia
.
Prussia in turn left the anti-Habsburg coalition it had forged with France
, Spain
, Sweden, Naples
and the Electorates of Bavaria
, Saxony
and Cologne. It also assumed debts of about 1.7 million gulden
which Austria had contracted with her ally Great Britain
. King George II of Great Britain
acted as guarantor.
With his territorial gain, Frederick enlarged the Prussian territory by one third, achieving the status of a European great power
and initiating the hundred-year Austria–Prussia rivalry. However, Prussia's former ally King Louis XV of France
was upset by this peace agreement that gave the united Austrian, British and Hanoverian forces a free hand to oust the French troops at the 1743 Battle of Dettingen
- an alienation that ultimately led to the Diplomatic Revolution
of 1756. Maria Theresa's Wittelsbach rival Emperor Charles VII
, deserted and humiliated, had to stay at his Frankfurt
exile while his Bavarian electorate remained under Austrian occupation.
The peace reached was short-lived, as both sides prepared for the Second Silesian War, opened by Frederick marching against Prague
in August 1744.
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
, and the Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
king Frederick the Great was signed on July 28, 1742 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. It was the formal peace treaty
Peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a state of war between the parties...
that confirmed the preliminary agreement achieved with English mediation by the 11 June Treaty of Breslau
Treaty of Breslau
The Treaty of Breslau was a preliminary peace agreement signed on 11 June 1742 following long negotiations at the Silesian capital Wrocław by emissaries of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria and King Frederick II of Prussia ending the First Silesian War....
, and officially ended the First Silesian War
Silesian Wars
The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria for control of Silesia. They formed parts of the larger War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War. They eventually ended with Silesia being incorporated into Prussia, and Austrian recognition of this...
.
Based on article 5 of the treaty,
Maria Theresa ceded most 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...
with the County of Kladsko
County of Kladsko
The County of Kladsko was a historical administrative unit in the Kingdom of Bohemia and later in the Kingdom of Prussia with its capital at Kłodzko on the Nysa river...
to Frederick, except for those districts of the Duchy of Troppau
Duchy of Troppau
The Principality or Duchy of Troppau or Opava was based for centuries around the Upper Silesian city of Troppau . In the final four centuries of its existence, the Duchy belonged to the Austrian Habsburg dynasty, and it was dissolved with the Habsburg Empire in 1918...
that were located south of the Opava river, including the southern part of the former Duchy of Jägerndorf
Duchy of Krnov
Duchy of Krnov was one of the Duchies of Silesia, with its capital in Krnov, present-day Czech Republic.-History:The duchy was created in Upper Silesia in 1377 by partition from the Duchy of Opava , on lands which until 1269 had been part of Moravia...
, the possession of which had been one pretext for Frederick's invasion. The Duchy of Neisse
Duchy of Nysa
The Duchy of Nysa , or Duchy of Neisse was one of the duchies of Silesia with its capital at Nysa in Lower Silesia. Alongside the Duchy of Siewierz, it was the only ecclesiastical duchy in the Silesian region, as it was ruled by a bishop of the Catholic Church...
held by the Breslau bishops was also partitioned, with the fortress-city of Nysa
Nysa, Poland
Nysa is a town in southwestern Poland on the Nysa Kłodzka river with 47,545 inhabitants , situated in the Opole Voivodeship. It is the capital of Nysa County. It comprises the urban portion of the surrounding Gmina Nysa, a mixed urban-rural commune with a total population of 60,123 inhabitants...
and the larger northern portion of the territory falling to Prussia. Austria retained the entire Upper Silesian Duchy of Teschen, ruled by Maria Theresa's husband, Francis Stephen of Lorraine
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty...
, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The remaining Habsburg territories were incorporated into the crown land of Austrian Silesia
Austrian Silesia
Austrian Silesia , officially the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia was an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Empire, from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
.
Prussia in turn left the anti-Habsburg coalition it had forged with France
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...
, Spain
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
, Sweden, Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
and the Electorates of Bavaria
Electorate of Bavaria
The Electorate of Bavaria was an independent hereditary electorate of the Holy Roman Empire from 1623 to 1806, when it was succeeded by the Kingdom of Bavaria....
, Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
and Cologne. It also assumed debts of about 1.7 million gulden
Austro-Hungarian gulden
The Gulden or forint was the currency of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1754 and 1892 when it was replaced by the Krone/korona as part of the introduction of the gold standard. In Austria, the Gulden was initially divided into 60 Kreuzer, and in Hungary, the...
which Austria had contracted with her ally Great Britain
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...
. King George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
acted as guarantor.
With his territorial gain, Frederick enlarged the Prussian territory by one third, achieving the status of a European great power
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
and initiating the hundred-year Austria–Prussia rivalry. However, Prussia's former ally King Louis XV of France
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
was upset by this peace agreement that gave the united Austrian, British and Hanoverian forces a free hand to oust the French troops at the 1743 Battle of Dettingen
Battle of Dettingen
The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle...
- an alienation that ultimately led to 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"...
of 1756. Maria Theresa's Wittelsbach rival Emperor Charles VII
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VII Albert a member of the Wittelsbach family, was Prince-elector of Bavaria from 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 until his death in 1745...
, deserted and humiliated, had to stay at his Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
exile while his Bavarian electorate remained under Austrian occupation.
The peace reached was short-lived, as both sides prepared for the Second Silesian War, opened by Frederick marching against Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in August 1744.