Important Historical Events between 1700 and 1792

This historical survey is meant to help the reader with eventual difficulties in understanding peculiarities in the texts offered in the decade 1782 to 1792. Most of the data were taken from W. Stein: Kulturfahrplan. Die wichtigsten Daten der Kulturgeschichte von Anbeginn bis 1795. F. A. Herbig Verlagsbuchhandlung, München-Berlin-Wien, 1976. The symbols * and \ mean birth respectively death.

1700

Charles II, King of Spain since 1665 (* 1661). The Habsburg Dynasty becomes extinct.

1701

England, the Netherlands, and Austria wage war (``War of the Spanish Succession") against France, Bavaria, Cologne for the sake of the French predominance in Europe (until 1713).
Prince Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg crowns himself Frederick I ``King of Prussia" against the protest of the Pope.

1704

Prince Eugene, Imperial Fieldmarshal since 1693 (1663-1736), and Marlborough overcome the French and Bavarian troops in Bavaria, which is occupied by the Austrians.
England dethrones the Austrian Archduke Charles, the Spanish counter-king ???, in Barcelona.

1705

Leopold I, Roman-German Emperor since 1658 (* 1640).
Joseph I becomes Roman-German Emperor ( 1711).

1706

Prince Eugene conquers Turin.

1708

Prince Eugene and Marlborough overcome French troops in the Spanish Netherlands.

1711

Defeat of the Hungarian independence movement against Habsburg under Francis II Rakoczi (since 1703).
Joseph I, Roman-German Emperor since 1705 (* 1678).
Archduke Charles VI becomes Roman-German Emperor ( 1740).

1713

Charles VI tries to secure the indivisibility of the Habsburg possession by succession also in the female line (``Pragmatic Sanction").
Friedrich I, ``King of Prussia" since 1701 (* 1657).
Frederick William I (``King of Soldiers"????) becomes King of Prussia ( 1740).

1714

another war against the Turks. (until 1718)

1715

Prussia enters the ``Northern War" against Sweden.

1716

Prince Eugene overcomes the Turks at Peterwardein (Croatia).

1717

Prince Eugene conquers Belgrad.

1718

Austria wins North Bosnia, Serbia, and Little Walachia???? in the war against the Turks (since 1714).

1719

King Frederick William I of Prussia makes attempts to abolish bondage, without success.

1720

Eastern Vorpommern, Stettin included, is yielded from Sweden to Prussia.

1721

End of the ``Northern War" (since 1700).
Prussia prohibits emigration.

1723

General Directory established as highest Prussian Court of Administration; strict obeyance towards the state as ideal for civil servants.

1730

Frederick II, Crownprince of Prussia, flees from his father and is punished with arrest in a fortress ????; his friend Katte is executed.

1731

The Imperial Trade Statute ???? abolishes the autonomy of the guilds and places them under the control of the state. In the immediate???? towns this statute does not win through.

1733

Frederick August I (``the Strong One"), Prince Elector of Saxonia??? since 1694 and King of Polonia as August II since 1697 (* 1670).
Beginning of the ``War of the Polish Succession" (until 1738).

1734

Prince Elector Frederick August II of Saxonia????, Roman Catholic since 1712, later opponent of Frederick II of Prussia, becomes King of Polonia as August III ( 1763) (* 1696) with Russian aid.

1736

Prince Eugene of Savoy (* 1663).
Maria Theresia marries Duke Francis Stephen of Lorraine.

1738

End of the ``War of the Polish Succession" (since 1733); Austria yields Naples-Sicily to the Spanish Bourbons in exchange for Parma and Piacenza.

1739

End of the war between Austria-Russia and Turkey (since 1735); Austria yields the territories conquered in 1718.

1740

Charles VI, Roman-German Emperor since 1711 and King of Hungaria (* 1685).
Charles VII Albrecht of Bavaria becomes Roman-German Emperor ( 1745).
Maria Theresia becomes Queen of Hungaria and Archduchess of Austria ( 1780).
Frederick William I (``King of Soldiers"????), King of Prussia since 1713 (* 1688).
Frederick II (``the Great") becomes King of Prussia ( 1786); sovereign of the ``enlightened absolutism", adherent to French culture; he reforms administration, administration of justice????, social order, and economy; abolishes torture etc.; begins the ``First Silesian War" (until 1742) against Maria Theresia.

1741

Maria Theresia defends her succession in common with England and the Netherlands against France, Spain, Prussia, and Bavaria: ``War of the Austrian Succession" until 1748; French-Bavarian troops conquer Prag.

1742

Prussia, in alliance with France, wins the County Glatz, Upper and Lower Silesia from Austria.
Maria Theresia wins back Bohemia and occupies Bavaria.

1744

King Frederick of Prussia begins the ``Second Silesian War" in alliance with France against Austria (until 1745).
Eastern Frisia comes to Prussia.

1745

In the peace treaty of Dresden Prussia wins the whole of????? Silesia from Austria and acknowledges Emperor Francis I.
France conquers the main part of the Austrian Netherlands.
Emperor Charles VII Albrecht of Bavaria (* 1697).
In the peace treaty of Füssen Bavaria resigns on the heritage and the Imperial crown.
Francis I of Lorraine, consort of Maria Theresia, becomes Roman-German Emperor ( 1765).

1746

Alliance between Austria and Russia.

1748

The peace treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends the Austrian War of Succession (since 1741) for the benefit of Maria Theresia with military aid from Russia.
Beginning of the first reform period under Maria Theresia. Nobility and clergy are no longer exempt from taxation ; establishment of various areas of administration; instalment of the land register etc.

1753

Wenzel Anthony of Kaunitz (1711-1794) becomes Austrian State Chancellor (until 1792), achieves the great coalition with Prussia in 1755; promotes reforms, the arts, and sciences in the interior.

1756

Frederick II begins the ``Seven Years' War" with Austria, Russia, France, Electoral Saxonia????, and Silesia.

1757

The Prussians are victorious at Leuthen.

1759

Austrians and Russians overcome Frederick II at Kunersdorf; severe crisis of the Prussian State.

1760

The Russians occupy Berlin.

1761

The Prussians win the battle at Langensalza.

1762

Peter III (1728-1762), insane, becomes Czar and makes peace with Frederick II, so that Prussia avoids a defeat.

1763

Peace treaty at Hubertusburg between Austria, Saxonia???? and Prussia which keeps Silesia. Prussia suffers severely with the consequences of the war.
Beginning of the second period of reforms under Maria Theresia (until 1780): centralization of the administration; health system????, universities, educational system are reformed; abolition of torture; establishment of a penal code; protection of farmers against encroachment of landowners etc.

1764

coin law???? and prohibition of buying up farms in Prussia.

1765

Francis I of Lorraine, Roman-German Emperor since 1745 (* 1708); his son Joseph II becomes Roman-German Emperor.
Monopoly of state on salt in Prussia, privileges for the nobility.

1766

Lorraine comes to France by heritage.

1767

End of the ``Rhein Alliance".

1770

Louis XVI, 1754-1793, King of France (1774-1792), marries Mary Antoinette of Austria.

1772

First partition of Poland between Austria, Prussia, and Russia. Prussia monopolizes overseas trade by the foundation of the ``Seehandlung".

1775

Bucovina comes to Austria.

1778

War of the Bavarian Succession with Austria: King Frederick II against Emperor Joseph II who wants to acquire Bavaria to strengthen the power of the Empire; this is prevented by Prussia with support from Russia.

1779

Peace treaty of Teschen: Austria receives the Bavarian Innviertel????

1780

Maria Theresia, sovereign of Austria-Hungaria since 1740, consort of Emperor Francis I, ERBdaughter???? of Emperor Charles VI (* 1717).
Joseph II becomes Austrian sovereign ( 1790); Roman-German Emperor since 1765.

1781

Reforms of Emperor Joseph II: abolition of bondage and torture, reform of church, freedom of religion, dissolution of 740 monasteries, permission of immigration into Austria also for non-Catholics, establishment of welfare-institutions, relief of censoring.

1784

Austria issues a prohibition of emigration.

1785

Frederick II founds a confederacy of princes to prevent the Emperor from acquiring Bavaria.
Commercial treaty between Prussia and the USA.

1786

Frederick II (``the Great"), King of Prussia since 1740 (* 1712).
Frederick William II becomes King of Prussia ( 1797).

1790

Emperor Joseph II, sovereign of the ``enlightened absolutism" (* 1741). His brother Leopold II (1747-1792) becomes Roman-German Emperor (until 1792).

1792

France declares war to Austria; Prussia supports Austria.
Leopold II, Roman-German Emperor since 1790 (* 1747).
Francis II, grandson of Maria Theresia, becomes Roman-German Emperor (until 1806), Emperor of Austria (since 1804) ( 1835); re-introduction of severe censoring.