WI Frederick the Great captured by Austrians in 1741

marcinL

So I read that in March 1741, when travelling with few companions to Neisse, King Fritz was noticed by an Austrian patrol, but some miller hid him, and he avoided capture. So, WI if he didn't and the Austrians discovered him, and brought him to their own forces?
 

mrmandias

If he agrees to a peace deal where Austria keeps its stuff, will he keep the deal once he's let go? I don't know if the Austrians can trust him for anything.

Probably they try to keep him awhile why they try to smash the Prussians in the field.
 

Jürgen

mrmandias said:
If he agrees to a peace deal where Austria keeps its stuff, will he keep the deal once he's let go? I don't know if the Austrians can trust him for anything.

Probably they try to keep him awhile why they try to smash the Prussians in the field.
Click to expand...

Maybe a peace deal where Frederick gives up his claims to territory in Silesia against getting the Bohemian claim to Lusatia. This gives Fredrick some incentive to keep his agreement with the Habsburgs and a lot of incentive to start a war with Saxony. Lusatia is of course a inferior territory to Silesia, but it's not worthless and it's easy to make part of Brandenburg, and taking it significant weakens Saxony, strengthen Brandenbuyrg's position as the main north German power.
 

mrmandias

Yeah, that could work. This was the era of dealmaking and where everybody assumed that treaties would be kept, even though that wasn't necessarily a good assumption.
 

Jürgen

mrmandias said:
Yeah, that could work. This was the era of dealmaking and where everybody assumed that treaties would be kept, even though that wasn't necessarily a good assumption.
Click to expand...

Honestly if you look at it without hindsight, I think taking Lusatia makes a lot more sense than Silesia, yes Silesia is richer and more populated, but it was also clear that Austria would try to retake it. Lusatia on the other hand would strengthen Prussia on the expense of the Saxons, it would also allow them to keep a friendly relationship with Vienna. Beside that the Spree river (the main river of Brandenburg) run into Lusatisa connecting it to Berlin and Lusatia have large amount of lignite.

So if Prussia get Lusatia instead of Silesia, they avoid the 7YW and the destruction it caused. As for Austria if they keep Silesia it radical change the foreign policy objectives of Maria Theresa. Yes she still have interest in the Diplomatic Revolution, but here it would gear her toward expansion in the Balkans. Fundamental the 7YW stay a French-British Colonial War with Austria using the opportunity to attack the Turks and regain Serbia and maybe gain control over the Vlach principalities. Next crisis the Bavarian Succession Crisis, I could see the Austrian Netherland being traded for Bavaria, while Prussia gain Jülich-Berg to keep everyone who matters happy (France is happy because Austria no longer have territories west of the Rhine).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Top