On This Day

Prussian army occupies Saxony, beginning the Second Silesian War

The Second Silesian War (German: Zweiter Schlesischer Krieg) was a war between Prussia and Austria that lasted from 1744 to 1745 and confirmed Prussia's control of the region of Silesia (now in...

The Second Silesian War (German: Zweiter Schlesischer Krieg) was a war between Prussia and Austria that lasted from 1744 to 1745 and confirmed Prussia's control of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland). The war was fought mainly in Silesia, Bohemia, and Upper Saxony and formed one theatre of the wider War of the Austrian Succession. It was the second of three Silesian Wars fought between Frederick the Great's Prussia and Maria Theresa's Austria in the mid-18th century, all three of which ended in Prussian control of Silesia.

The conflict has been viewed as a continuation of the First Silesian War, which had concluded only two years before.

Historical Significance

The Second Silesian War (German: Zweiter Schlesischer Krieg) was a war between Prussia and Austria that lasted from 1744 to 1745 and confirmed Prussia's control of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland).

Events Before

  1. George Frideric Handel's oratorio "Messiah" is performed for the first time at the New Music Hall in Dublin

    Messiah (HWV 56) is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel. The text was compiled from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter by Charles Jennens.

  2. First indoor swimming pool opens in Goodman's Fields, London

    First indoor swimming pool opens in Goodman's Fields, London

  3. HMS Tyger runs aground on coral reefs near Garden Key, Florida, (rediscovered 1993 and identified 2024) [1]

    HMS Tyger runs aground on coral reefs near Garden Key, Florida, (rediscovered 1993 and identified 2024) [1]

  4. German leaders elect Charles VII, Prince Elector of Bavaria, Holy Roman Emperor

    German leaders elect Charles VII, Prince Elector of Bavaria, Holy Roman Emperor

  5. Sardinia and Austria sign military alliance Convention of Turin

    The Convention of Turin was a 1742 agreement between Austria and Sardinia signed in the Sardinian capital of Turin.

Events After

  1. English astronomer James Bradley announces the discovery of Earth's nutation, or wobble

    English astronomer James Bradley announces the discovery of Earth's nutation, or wobble

  2. French and Spanish fleet leave Toulon

    The Battle of Toulon took place on 21 and 22 February 1744 NS near the French Mediterranean port of Toulon.

  3. Battle at Toulon (French/Spanish vs English fleet of Adm Matthews)

    Battle at Toulon (French/Spanish vs English fleet of Adm Matthews)

  4. Battle of Toulon [Battle of Cape Sicié]: Spanish naval fleet supported by France's Levant fleet breaks through a two-yea

    Battle of Toulon [Battle of Cape Sicié]: Spanish naval fleet supported by France's Levant fleet breaks through a two-year-old British blockade of Italy, allowing the Spanish to go on the offensive against Savoy

  5. English auction house Sotheby's holds its first ever auction (of books) in London

    Sotheby's ( SUDH-ə-beez) is a British-founded multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City.

More from the 1740s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 14, 1743?
The Second Silesian War (German: Zweiter Schlesischer Krieg) was a war between Prussia and Austria that lasted from 1744 to 1745 and confirmed Prussia's control of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland). The war was fought mainly in Silesia, Bohemia, and Upper Saxony and formed one theatre of the wider War of the Austrian Succession. It was the second of three Silesian Wars fought between Frederick the Great's Prussia and Maria Theresa's Austria in the mid-18th century, all three of which ended in Prussian control of Silesia.
Why is Prussian army occupies Saxony, beginning the Second Silesian War significant?
The Second Silesian War (German: Zweiter Schlesischer Krieg) was a war between Prussia and Austria that lasted from 1744 to 1745 and confirmed Prussia's control of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland).

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