The War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714) was pivotal for the Habsburg monarchy as it set the stage for Austria’s rise in European power politics. When the Spanish Habsburg line died out, leaving the throne in question, both the French Bourbon Philip, Duke of Anjou, and Leopold I’s son, Archduke Charles (later Charles III), laid claim to Spain. The Austrians and their British, Dutch, and Catalan allies fought against the French to prevent a Franco-Spanish union under the Bourbons. Although Austria did not secure Spain, they did gain significant territory in Europe through the Treaty of Rastatt in 1714, including the Spanish Netherlands, Milan, Naples, and Sardinia. These acquisitions further consolidated Austria’s influence in European affairs, though they also stretched Habsburg resources.
After Emperor Joseph I’s death in 1711, Charles III ascended the throne, inheriting the newly expanded Habsburg territories. Faced with his own succession issues—he had only daughters—Charles issued the Pragmatic Sanction in 1713. This edict established that Habsburg lands were indivisible and could pass to a female heir, securing the right of his daughter, Maria Theresa, to inherit the throne. Charles spent years negotiating for European powers to recognize this arrangement, offering territorial concessions in exchange for their acceptance, a task that strained Austria’s finances and diplomacy.
Charles’s reign also saw conflicts in Italy and with the Ottoman Empire. The Treaty of Passarowitz (1718) brought gains in Serbia and Wallachia, but the later war against the Ottomans in 1737–1739 led to losses at the Treaty of Belgrade. Domestically, Austria experienced economic expansion and a flourishing cultural scene in the Baroque style, though financial struggles persisted, compounded by a rigid social structure and religious intolerance, as seen in the expulsion of Protestants from Salzburg in 1731 and restrictions on Jews in Bohemia.
By the time of Charles’s death in 1740, Austria had achieved significant territorial growth and established the Pragmatic Sanction’s recognition. However, his death left Austria vulnerable, with a fragile economy and a question looming over whether his carefully secured succession plan would withstand the ambitions of Europe’s rival dynasties.