Maria Theresa the ruler of Austria was unwilling to accept the loss of Silesia and she took steps to develop alliances to restore it. She accomplished a diplomatic revolution by creating an alliance between France and Austria. Great Britain had meanwhile allied itself with Prussia. France entered into an alliance with Sweden who then entered into an alliance with Denmark aimed against France. Thus the stage was set for a world war. It began when Prussia under Frederick the Great invaded Saxony. Austria, France, Russia and Sweden then declared war on Prussia and England soon declared war on France. |