!!!Siebenjähriger Krieg

Seven Years´ War, name for the Third Silesian War and the war 
waged between France and Great Britain in the American colonies at the 
same time. When Great Britain formed an alliance with Prussia on 
January 16, 1756, Austria and France also entered into an alliance 
(Treaty of Versailles of May 1, 1756); by means of this 
"renversement des alliances" (reversal of alliances) 
W. A.  Kaunitz hoped to reconquer Silesia. When Russia and Sweden 
also joined the alliance, King Friedrich II of Prussia invaded 
the Electorate of Saxony on August 19, 1756, whereupon the committees 
of the Imperial Diet (Reichstag) decided to proceed Prussia. Friedrich 
forced the Saxons to surrender near Lobositz on October 1, 1756, won 
against the Austrians near Prague on May 6, 1757, was defeated near 
Kolín by Count L.  Daun on June 18, 1757, and had to leave 
Bohemia, Lower Silesia and Lusatia (Lausitz). The Russians invaded 
East Prussia, the Swedish troops invaded Pomerania and an Austrian 
corps was deployed before Berlin. Friedrich´s victories against 
France and the Imperial troops near Rossbach (November 5, 1757) and 
against the Austrians near Leuthen (December 5, 1757), helped him to 
avert defeat; he invaded Moravia in 1758, but was defeated by the 
Russians near Zorndorf on August 15, 1758, by the Austrians near 
Hochkirch on October 14, 1758, and by the Russians near Kunersdorf on 
August 12, 1759; he won against the Austrians near Liegnitz on August 
15, 1760 and near Torgau on November 3, 1760. The death of Czarina 
Elisabeth II on January 5, 1762 was the turning point in the war: 
Russia made peace and formed an alliance with Prussia, and Sweden also 
concluded peace. After France and Great Britain had concluded peace, 
Maria Theresia agreed upon the peace accord which had been worked out 
and signed on February 15, 1763 at Hubertusburg Palace (Saxony). 
Prussia retained Silesia but undertook to consent to the coronation of 
Joseph II as King of Rome.

!Literature
W. Baumgart, Der Ausbruch des Siebenjaehrigen Krieges, 
1972; D. E. Bangert, Die russisch-oesterreichische militaerische 
Zusammenarbeit im Siebenjaehrigen Krieg in den Jahren 1758/59, 1971.


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