Silesian Wars

The Silesian Wars were three wars fought in the mid-18th century between Prussia and Habsburg Austria. Prussia cited its centuries-old dynastic claims on parts of Silesia as a casus belli. Realpolitik and geostrategic factors also played a role in provoking the conflict. The conflict over Silesie foreshadowed a wider Austro-Prussian struggle for hegemony over the German-speaking peoples.