WI No War of the Austrian Succession?

Nicole

What if Frederick II of Prussia had decided not to begin what would become the War of the Austrian Succession by invading the Austrian possesion of Silesia?
Is this a viable POD on its own, or would this require a larger change, such as a male Maria Theresa?
 

fortyseven

I was thinking of posting this. I'm studying the period in school. Frederick II is going to want Silesia no matter what. No Maria Theresa would mean no war then. There's other possibilities too.
 

Nicole

fortyseven said:
I was thinking of posting this. I'm studying the period in school. Frederick II is going to want Silesia no matter what. No Maria Theresa would mean no war then. There's other possibilities too.
Click to expand...
Well, Frederick will want Silesia, but Austria wanted Bavaria, and we know how that turned out...
 

Max Sinister

Banned
Before he started the war, Frederick made Maria Theresia an offer: He'd buy at least parts of Silesia and accept her on the throne of Austria, or even support her (not sure). She declined.
If instead of Fredrick his not that bright brother Frederick Wilhelm had been in power... he either wouldn't have asked for Silesia, or if he had, she might've said "well, your house has some old rights for Silesia... let the court decide" and until a decision at the court has made, years have passed and she's won against everyone else who dares to attack her.
Could work... Frederick is killed by his father because of his homosexuality (the Soldier king had a bad temper...), and his brother becomes king.
 

fortyseven

I'd like to see Silesia stay Austrian. No WAS would be good. Question is; there'll be at least one war before the F Rev (assuming it happens), who'd be on which side in such a conflict?
 

Matthew Craw

Well, the War of jenkins' Ear was already breaking out in 1739 and without continental distractions France will intervene openly on Spain's side in that conflict. This leads to An Anglo-Bourbon maritime war which probably ends indecisively, setting up the two sides for a rematch a few years later. If a large scale continental war is avoided France will probably end up doing at least aomewhat better than in OTL.

IIRC there was also a Russo-Swedish war in the erarly 1740s, and there's always potential for trouble over Russia's urge to expand into the Ottoman Empire, but it's likely that there will be much less warfare in Europe in an ATL where Frederick doesn't seize Silesia, and possible that full scale great power war is avoided altogether for several decades, at least.
 
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