The Eagle Never Fails TL: Prussia loses the War of Austrian Succession
The War of Austrian Succession (1740-5):
The War of Austrian Succession began in 1740 as Prussia objected to the Pragmatic Sanction and the succession of Maria Theresa. Austria was supported by the naval powers of Great Britain and the Dutch Republic. The first action of the war was the Prussian invasion of Silesia.
The Prussian forces swiftly advanced across Silesia and by winter had occupied the majority of the Silesian fortresses. The Austrian counter-offensive under General Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg relieved the siege of Neisse and marched on Brieg threatening to encircle the Prussians and cut them off from their homeland. On the 10th April 1741 the Prussian forces under Frederick II met the Austrians at the snow covered fields of Mollwitz. The Austrian forces were, conveniently, lined up in the correct formation even before the Prussian army was sighted. The Austrian cavalry charge decimated their Prussian counterparts and captured Frederick II. Unaware of his King’s capture General von Schwerin attempted to hold the Prussian infantry line against the General Rommer’s cavalry. They succeeded in driving the cavalry back, but suffered heavy losses which were increased by the Austrian artillery. Neipperg then ordered the Austrian infantry to advance, the Prussian infantry surrounded by the Austrians and suffering heavy losses surrendered after Schwerin was killed by an Austrian shell. The Battle of Mollwitz had ended in a resounding Austrian victory. The capture of Frederick II and death of the Prussian Chief of Staff von Schwerin would result in the defeat of the Prussian Silesia Campaign. After the battle Neipperg reported that he had been inspired by the efforts of a white-tailed eagle in its seemingly fruitless hunt for food, to find the Prussians, despite the mass of snow. He was then quoted with saying to his second-in-command "See that, the eagle never fails and nor must we." This became the Hapsburg Military's motto.
The Austrian forces have suffered 5300 men dead, but had destroyed the Prussian army and captured their king. After reinforcements arrived from Bohemia (freed up by the lack of France forces in Bavaria unlike OTL) Neipperg mopped up the remaining Prussian garrisons who were heavily demoralised by the capture of their king. Frederick William II had been appointed regent, but did not inspire confidence among the troops in their current state. Thus 2 of the garrisons surrendered with a fight.
The Austrian Army under Neipperg then marched into Saxony, and swiftly captured Dresden with the assistance of British-Hanoverian forces. Meanwhile Bavaria was beginning to regret their decision to declare war on Austria in support of Prussia and on the 5th October Elector Charles Albert surrendered to the Austrians. Frederick Augustus II of Saxony followed suit on 17th. France was left with only Spain as an ally and harassed by the Royal Navy.
Saxony, Bavaria, Prussia and Austria signed the Treaty of Vienna on the 5th November. Austria was the undisputed master of Germany.
Under the Treaty of Vienna:
1. The Prussian territories in western Germany are partitioned between Austria, Hanover, the Palatine and Hesse. (In exchange for Minden, the Palatine agrees to vote for Maria Theresa/ her husband in the up coming imperial election.)
2. Saxony awarded a strip of land to connect Saxony with Poland.
3. Prussia forced to vote for Maria Theresa/husband in the imperial election.
France was left regretting its decision to join Prussia against Austria, Germany was now dominated by Austria, who were also allied with a long time French enemy the British. What would happen next? Only time would tell.
Europe after the Treaty of Vienna 1742:
OOC: Hope you guys enjoy my new TL. Feel free to offer constructive criticism and advice.
I never noticed it before, but man, that is a imprecise base map.
Another thing: Please don't get me wrong, I really really like that you take advise in such a good and constructing way. But retroactively changing the OP makes reading this thread weird for newcomers, as there are posts objecting to statements you have edited out since. I am sorry I have no good idea how to handle that.
Anyway, on to the facts:
I guess you have just changed the part with the terms of the treaty of Vienna? The remainder of the post still refers to the WoAS lasting to 1745, with Bavaria and axony declaring war on Austria, which is not reflected by the earlier discussion nor the terms of the treaty.
Of the western possessions, Minden is actually the part that benefits the Palatinate theleast. In the map, you gave it together with Ravensberg and Lingen-Tecklenburg (and somthing south of Bentheim???) to Hanover.
In the map, neither Hesse-Cassel not Hesse-Darmstadt has received anything (and I am not clear why they should, anyway).
Giving Mark to Julich-Berg and thus to the Palatinate is fine, but did you intend to give Cleve to the Austrian Netherlands? I guess that you wanted to give Prussian Geldern back to the ANL, and the fact that Geldern and Cleve are neighbors and their border does not show up on the basemap tripped yo.
Neufchatel in NW Switzerland seems to have the Austrian color. There is one problem: The estates of Neufchatel wanted a protestant prince, period. They accepted that Brandenburg had a claim on the inheritance because they Hohenzollern were protestant. Even if F2 cedes this possession by treaty, you can expect that Neufchatel will not accept an Austrian catholic as their prince, and Austria really cannot make them obey.
And a really tiny thing: Erfurt (a possession of the Archbishop of Mayence) is given to Saxony on the map. Especially because Saxony badly wanted it, but no one would gain anything by alienating the Archchancelleor of the HRE who after all is a close supporter of Austrian interests and the guy who runs imperial elections.
