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That was the
official reason for the war. Underlying were several secondary
issues and the question of the Polish succession was a convenient
excuse to start war.
HOW THE WAR CAME ABOUT
King Augustus died and Russia and Austria wanted Augustus's son,
Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, on the throne.
Poland, France,
and Spain wanted Stanislaw I Leszczynski, who was married to
the daughter of French King Louis XV.
Stanislaw was declared king. But after the arrival of 30,000 Russian troops in Warsaw,
Stanislaw was forced to flee and and Frederick was
declared king. Frederick's new name was Augustus III.
France, Sardinia-Savoy,
and Spain were ready for a war with Austria.
HOW IT CONTINUED
Spanish soldiers came to Italy and defeated the Austrian army. Don Carlos
of Spain became Charles III, king of Naples and Sicily.
The
French weren't as successful. The Austrians defeated the French in
southern Germany and the Russians drove them out of Poland.
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