The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, a legal mechanism designed to ensure that the Austrian throne and Habsburg lands would be inherited by Emperor Charles VI's daughter, Maria Theresa. The Pragmatic Sanction is part of the law of the house of Austria. A pragmatic sanction is a sovereigns solemn decree on a matter of primary importance and has the force of fundamental law. ... // Events April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession: Treaty of Utrecht June 23 - French residents of Acadia given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia Canada first Orrery built by George Graham Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713... Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI Charles VI of Austria (October 1, 1685 – October 20, 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1711 to 1740 and the second son of Leopold I with his third wife, Eleonore-Magdalena of Pfalz-Neuburg, came first to the throne with the name Charles III of... H.I.M. Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, Archduchess of Austria, Duchess of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla Maria Theresa, or German Maria Theresia (May 13, 1717 – November 29, 1780) was the first and only female head of the Habsburg dynasty. ...

Events leading to the Pragmatic Sanction

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor was the most powerful member of the Habsburg dynasty. On his abdication in 1556, he divided his lands, with one portion (consisting of Spain, the Low Countries, and the Americas) to his son Philip II of Spain, and the other portion, consisting of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire, to his brother, Ferdinand I of Germany. This created two branches of the Habsburg house, the Spanish branch and the Austrian branch. Charles V Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain Charles V (Spanish: Carlos I, Dutch: Karel V, German: Karl V.) (24 February 1500–21 September 1558) is considered (the first) King of Spain though in fact his son was the first to use that title. ... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... Events January 16 - Abdication of Emperor Charles V. His son, Philip II becomes King of Spain, while his brother Ferdinand becomes Holy Roman Emperor January 23 - The Shaanxi earthquake, the deadliest earthquake in history, occurs with its epicenter in Shaanxi province, China. ... The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ... The Americas (sometimes referred to as America) is the area including the land mass located between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, generally divided into North America and South America. ... Philip II of Spain Philip II (Spanish: Felipe II de Habsburg; Portuguese: Filipe I) (Born: May 21, 1526; Died: September 13, 1598) was the first official King of Spain from 1556 until 1598, king of Naples and Sicily from 1554 until 1558, and King of Portugal (as Philip I) from... Coats of arms of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire This page is about the Germanic empire. ... Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor (March 10, 1503 - July 27, 1564) was one of the Habsburg emperors that at various periods during his life ruled over Austria, Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary. ...

By the end of the 17th century, King Charles II was the head of the House of Habsburg. He had no sons nor daughters, and with no explicit laws of succession governing the House of Habsburg, there were several possible heirs, including Louis, the Grand Dauphin of France, Maximilian II, the prince of Bavaria, and Victor Amadeus II, the duke of Savoy. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Charles II of Spain. ... The Grand Dauphin Louis, the Grand Dauphin (le Grand Dauphin in French) (1 November 1661 - 14 April 1711) was the eldest son and heir of King Louis XIV of France and Queen consort Maria Theresa of Spain, hence dauphin. His paternal grandparents were Louis XIII of France and Anna of... Maximilian II of Bavaria (November 28, 1811 - March 10, 1864) was king of Bavaria from 1848 until 1864. ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Victor Amadeus II (b. ... This article is about the historical region of Savoy. ...

A succession crisis was clearly looming, and negotiations to avoid it began years before Charles II's death. England and the Netherlands opposed the uniting of the French and Spanish dominions, which would make France the leading world power, while France, England and Holland were united in their opposition to Charles II's position, which would reunite the Spanish and Austrian branches of the Habsburg family. Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ...

By the Treaty of the Hague, also known as the First Partition Treaty, in 1698, Charles II's Habsburg inheritance would be split between his two nephews, with Joseph Ferdinand, prince of Bavaria, son of Maximilian II, getting the larger share, while the dauphin of France, son of Louis XIV, obtained Naples and Sicily. Emperor Leopold's younger son Charles of Austria was to receive Milan. Events January 4 - Palace of Whitehall in London is destroyed by fire. ... Duke Joseph Ferdinand Leopold of Bavaria (28 October 1692 - 6 February 1699) was the son of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria (1679-1705, 1714-1726) and his first wife, Marie Antonie of Austria, daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, maternal granddaughter of King Felipe IV of Spain. ... Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ... Location within Italy Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek Νέα Πόλις - Néa Pólis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region. ... Sicilian disambiguates here; see also Sicilian language or Sicilian Defence. ... Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I Habsburg (June 9, 1640 – May 5, 1705), Holy Roman emperor, was the second son of the emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife Maria Anna, daughter of Philip III of Spain. ... Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI Charles VI of Austria (October 1, 1685 – October 20, 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1711 to 1740 and the second son of Leopold I with his third wife, Eleonore-Magdalena of Pfalz-Neuburg, came first to the throne with the name Charles III of... Location within Italy Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese dialect: Milán) is the main city in northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ...

The prince of Bavaria, however, unexpectedly died in 1699, and a new arrangement was negotiated between potential claimants in the Treaty of London, also known as the Second Partition Treaty. It was proposed that the dauphin of France would get Naples, Sicily, and Tuscany; Charles of Austria would get Spain, the Low Countries and the Indies, and Leopold, the duke of Lorraine, would take Milan, in turn ceding Lorraine and Bar to the dauphin. The emperor refused this arrangement, as it would divide the Spanish Empire. Charles' will left all his possessions to the dauphin's second son, Philip, the duke of Anjou. On his death, the will was contested by force, and a long and costly war involving all of Europe, the War of the Spanish Succession was begun in 1701 and resolved by the peace treaties of Utrecht and Rastatt in 1713. Events January 26 - Treaty of Karlowitz signed March 30 - the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa. ... The Treaty of London, agreed in 1700 and sometimes known as the Second Partition Treaty, was an attempt to restore the Pragmatic Sanction following the death of Duke Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria, which had undermined the First Partition Treaty (the Treaty of the Hague, 1698). ... The Treaty of London, agreed in 1700 and sometimes known as the Second Partition Treaty, was an attempt to restore the Pragmatic Sanction following the death of Duke Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria, which had undermined the First Partition Treaty (the Treaty of the Hague, 1698). ... Tuscany (Italian Toscana) is a region in central Italy, bordering on Latium to the south, Umbria and Marche to the east, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria to the north, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ... The Indies, on the display globe of the Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term used to describe lands of South and Southeast Asia, occupying all of the former British India, the present Indian Union, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Maldives... Leopold Joseph (September 11, 1679 – March 27, 1729), was Duke of Lorraine from 1697 to 1702, and again, from 1714 to his death. ... Lorraine coat of arms Lorraine (French: Lorraine; German: Lothringen) is a historical area in present-day northeast France. ... In the middle of the 10th century, the territory of Bar (Barrois) formed a dependency of the Holy Roman Empire. ... King Philip V of Spain (December 19, 1683 – July 9, 1746) or Philippe of Anjou was king of Spain from 1700 to 1746, the first of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain. ... Charles II was the last Habsburg King of Spain. ... Events January 18 - Frederick I becomes King of Prussia. ... The Treaty of Utrecht was series of peace treaties signed in Utrecht in 1713, helped end the War of the Spanish Succession (Queen Annes War) By its provisions, Louis XIVs grandson Philip V of Spain was recognized as King of Spain, but Spains European empire was divided... The Treaty of Rastatt, in March 7, 1714, was essentially part of the Treaty of Utrecht. ... // Events April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession: Treaty of Utrecht June 23 - French residents of Acadia given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia Canada first Orrery built by George Graham Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713...

As the war was in progress, Emperor Leopold tried to establish an explicit law of succession within the Habsburg house. Leopold I, and his two sons Joseph and Charles signed a succession pact (Pactum mutuae successionis) on 12 September 1703. Joseph I. Joseph I (July 26, 1678 – April 17, 1711), Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, was the elder son of the emperor Leopold I and his third wife, Eleanora, Countess Palatine, daughter of Philip William of Neuburg, Elector Palatine. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Events February 2 - Earthquake in Aquila, Italy February 4 - In Japan, the 47 samurai commit seppuku (ritual suicide) February 14 - Earthquake in Norcia, Italy April 21 - Company of Quenching of Fire (ie. ...

This pact specified that females could succeed only when all male lines had become extinct, and further specified the priorities of the then living Habsburgs.

Leopold died in 1705, and was succeeded by his son Joseph I as Emperor. Joseph I died in 1711 leaving two daughters, who were at the time of his death unmarried. He was succeeded as Emperor by his brother Charles VI, who wrote a will specifying an order of succession different from that specified in the Pactum of 1703, giving precedence to his own daughters, moving them ahead of the daughters of his elder brothers in the succession. Because of this conflict a convocation of the Privy Council and the Ministers of the Emperor in Vienna was called, the Pactum was read aloud, and Charles VI's modifications announced. This declaration of 19 April 1713 is called the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713. Events Construction begins on Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, England. ... // Events February 24 - The London premiere of Rinaldo by George Friderich Handel, the first Italian opera written for the London stage. ... Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]; Hungarian: Bécs, Czech: Vídeň, Slovak: Viedeň, Romany Vidnya; Serbian: Beč) is the capital of Austria, and also one of Austrias nine states (Land Wien). ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... // Events April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession: Treaty of Utrecht June 23 - French residents of Acadia given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia Canada first Orrery built by George Graham Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713...

Events following the Pragmatic Sanction

Hungary, which had an elective kingship, had accepted the Habsburgs as hereditary kings in the male line without election in 1687, but had not accepted semi-Salic inheritance. The Emperor agreed that if the Habsburg male line became extinct, Hungary would once again have an elective monarchy. Events March 19 - The men under explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle murder him while searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River. ... The King of the Franks, in the midst of the Military Chiefs who formed his Treuste, or armed Court, dictates the Salic Law (Code of the Barbaric Laws). ...

The failure of the Pragmatic Sanction to be honored

Charles VI managed to get the great European powers to agree to the Pragmatic Sanction, and died in 1740 with no male heirs. However, France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony reneged, and contested the claims of his daughter Maria Theresa on his Austrian lands, and the War of Austrian Succession was initiated. The elective office of Holy Roman Emperor was filled by Joseph I's son-in-law Charles Albert of Bavaria, marking the first time in several hundred years that the position was not held by a Habsburg. As Charles VII, he lost Bavaria to the Austrian army, then died. His son, Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria, supported Austria's claims in exchange for the return of Bavaria, and Maria Theresa's husband was elected Holy Roman Emperor as Francis I in 1745. Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia (German: Preußen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII Emperor Charles VII Albert (Brussels August 6, 1697 – January 20, 1745 in Munich), a member of the Wittelsbach family, was Holy Roman Emperor from January 24, 1742 until his death in 1745. ... Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria (28 March 1727-30 December 1777) was the eldest son of Emperor Karl VII. Upon his fathers death in 1745, he inherited a country in the process of being invaded by Austrian armies (see War of the Austrian Succession), and quickly abandoned his... Francis I Francis I (December 8, 1708 – August 18, 1765) was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany. ... // Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected...

The treaty of Aachen, in 1748, finally recognized Maria Theresa's Habsburg inheritance. There were two Treaties of Aix-la-Chapelle. ...