The HRE, previously one of the strongest nations, if not the strongest, in Europe at the time had been struggling with a wide variety of problems disuniting the previously fairly united states in the HRE*. Most impactful being the ban on any other family besides the Habsburgs inheriting the throne. This all culminated in 1741. The Emperor, Charles IV, passed away. Charles hadn't left any male heirs, but rather, left a female heir who was supported by HRE law, the Pragmatic Sanction. This, however, hadn't been supported by many, leaving what would become a power struggle, or rather a race-to-power.
While France publically supported the law, they had allied themselves secretly with the claimant ruling Bavaria. Prussia's King Frederick had plans to unite what he deemed to be his lands under one flag. Austria itself was divided between three potential heirs, Maria Theresa (the rightful inherent), Maria Josepha, and Maria Amalia. Self-Proclaimed King Carl Frederick of Wurttemberg-Oels saw Austrian rule as humiliating and set out to liberate his people, the Swadians, from the rule of the Eugen and Habsburg families. The British had set out to take whatever side the French were opposed to in order to counter the humiliation dealt in the American War of Independence. The Hanoverians simply aligning themselves with the British king, George II. The Swedes were set out to take any side if the Russians decided to take a side. The Dutch Republic was split in two, with the Orangists {Royalists}, who were in power, supporting the British, and the Republicans simply anti-Orangists. Genoa was set on supporting the secretly brewing Republican revolt in the Netherlands. While Sardinia was prepared to support Maria Theresa, in word, yet not prepared to in sword.
Everyone in Europe knew what was coming, and when it finally happened that Maria Theresa was crowned to the throne of Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, war broke. France declared war following Emperor Charles VII and his wife Maria Josepha declaring war on Austria. The British declared war on France following the French declaration of war. The Russians joined sides with Austria, who had previously supported them in the Russo-Ottoman War two years prior. The Swedes declared war on Russia, and Austria following.
The first offensive being the Prussian Campaign of Silesia in February 2nd, 1741, nearly a week after the breakout of the war, without a formal declaration by the Prussians. King Frederick was convinced that he had to move as quickly as possible, due to the concern over Maria Amalia's armies would invade Silesia to unite her Husband's Kingdoms of Saxony and Poland-Lithuania. In what could only be described as an Eighteenth Century Blitzkrieg. The Austrian armies had only numbered in around 6,000, and the Prussian force was able to capitulate all Austrians with their combined occupying forces consisting of nearly 40,000, 40% of their entire military. The last remaining Austrian foothold in Silesia was Breslau, which would continue to fight hard against Prussian sieges for nearly four months, until the Prussian forces decided to allow them to continue their occupation in hopes that the Austrian government would accept their proposal of Silesia in exchange for recognition of the Austrian government and Empress Maria Theresa.
Maria refused, and launched the Austrian offensive of Silesia, in hopes of scaring the Prussians, who had signed a treaty of cooperation with the French a month prior on June 18th, 1741. This offensive resulted in the Battle of Mollowitz** which ended in a Prussian victory, pushing the region out of formal Austrian influence for the coming years.
Meanwhile, on August 27th, 1741, the French marched their army across the Rhine, in hopes of meeting with the Bavarian army in order to march straight for Vienna. The combined forces met on the Danube and started to make their way towards Vienna, but upon capturing Linz, the plan was averted in favor of a two-prong march towards Prague. The French would advance through the Amberg-Pilsen path towards Prague, and the Bavarians would march through Budweis, via the newly captured region of Silesia by the Prussians. This became wildly successful, the French had split in two, with one army prepared to siege Vienna, and the other continuing with the Bavarian armies and capturing Prague (November 21st, 1741), which was not able to be reinforced in time, given the placement of the Austrian forces in the Hungarian/Italian/Polish regions. Charles VII now naming himself Emperor of the Holy Roman Emperor, sent for the coalition of French and Prussian troops to crush the remaining main Austrian army outside of Innsbruck. Charles moved to march on the city of Vienna.
The Combined French and Bavarian armies captured the city of Vienna after a brief siege (January 20th - 29th, 1742) and proceeded to imprison Francis Stephen, the Husband of Maria Theresa. They proclaimed the war was over and called upon the rest of the remaining Holy Roman armies to surrender themselves along with Maria Theresa.
But the true war had only just begun!
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Austrian_Succession Much of the beginning is based on actual history!
**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mollwitz
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