The Search for System and Phlogiston

Though the century ended quite differently, in the beginning of the 1700s, the world found itself an unusual circumstance a period of relative peace. In the Near East and northern Africa, peace was imposed by the Ottoman Empire. In central Africa harbors of slave trade pockmarked the coast, but the interior remained out of reach of outside adventurers. In the New World inhabitants struggled to recover from 

Frederick II of Prussia was the first to invade when Maria Theresa was pregnant with her first child. But far from buckling, she used the birth of her son to rally support. Although some territory was lost, the empire survived, and Maria Theresa bore nine more children, one of whom we encounter again as the French queen Marie Antoinette. 

Joseph, her son, embraced Enlightenment, but unfortunately a bit too quickly. He abolished serfdom, and he ordered tolerance of all religion to the point of making Jews responsible for military service for the first time in Europe. But the Catholic church opposed him, and some segments of his population rose in revolt. When his brother Leopold succeeded Joseph, he had too much to straighten out in Austria to be able to help his sister in France. 

France in 1700 was a wealthy country with three times as many people as England, twice as many as Spain, and a government that was the epitome of absolute monarchy. Louis XIV, the Sun King, inherited his throne at the age of five and reigned until his death at the age of 77. He was able to state, quite correctly, that the state, that is I. And Louis XTV made war an affair of state He revamped the military system 

SO that soldiers now fought for him, not regional leaders. He integrated artillery into the army, systematized military ranks, clarified the chain of command, and placed himself at the top. 

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