Maria Theresa had survived the War of the Austrian Succession with British and Russian help but lost wealthy Silesia to Frederick. Recovering that province became a central Austrian objective after 1748. Her diplomacy assembled a coalition strong enough that Frederick concluded negotiation would not protect his position and chose attack instead. Britain could treat the Prussian move as outside a defensive commitment, but France's invasion of Hanover pulled the competing strategies together into war.
Chapter · 45:40-51:23
Maria Theresa, Silesia, and the diplomatic revolution
Austria's determination to recover Silesia reorganized old alliances and helped turn defensive agreements into a general European war.