A Rivalry Ended? France and Austria during the DiplomaticRevolution and Seven Years War, 1756-1758 Öffentlichkeit

Abstract

After more than two hundred and fifty years of rivalry, France and Austria concluded an alliance. Known as the Diplomatic Revolution of 1756, it redrew the traditional political alignments in Europe. With this thesis, I investigated some of the effects that the tradition of animosity had on the relationship between the newly created allies during the Seven Years War (1756-1763). The years of rivalry contributed to a virulent tradition of mistrust and suspicion, which was colored by specific political stereotypes garnered from years of conflict. I used diplomatic correspondence, gathered through archival research and published sources, from political elites in each state. By looking at the diplomatic correspondence of three of these actors, Maria Theresa, Kaunitz, and Bernis, we can see how this tradition of distrust influenced the political relationship between France and Austria. The Seven Years War placed a significant amount of stress on the new relationship and created opportunities for this tradition of distrust to color interactions. By analyzing how these three individuals discussed the actions of the other country and what motivations they assigned to these actions, we can see that the rivalry was still extremely potent, even during the alliance. This not only highlights the effects of one of Europe's longest and most vicious rivalries, one which is often undervalued, but it also demonstrates the value of exploring the relationship between political events and intellectual, cultural, and social trends as mutually influential factors that shape history.

Table of Contents

Introduction: End of a Rivalry?...................................................................................................... 1

Chapter 1: Rivalry and Alliance.................................................................................................... 14

Chapter 2: Austria......................................................................................................................... 38

Chapter 3: France......................................................................................................................... 58

Epilogue: Rivalry Continues......................................................................................................... 80

Bibliography................................................................................................................................. 87

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	History
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	History, European
Stichwort	european history 1756 diplomacy 18th Century rivalry diplomatic history Diplomatic Revolution Austria Kaunitz Bernis Seven Years War Maria Theresa France
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Melton, James, Emory University
Committee Members	Lawatsch-Melton, Barbara Elisabeth, Emory University Vick, Brian, Emory University

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