Frederick the Great

Prussian and Imperial forces clashed near Chotusitz in Bohemia, resulting in a generally accepted Prussian victory despite heavy mutual casualties.

French forces under Broglie defeated Austrian troops under Lobkowicz near Zahájí in southern Bohemia.

Frederick invaded Bohemia in August 1744, beginning the Second Silesian War.

Prussian forces marched to Prague and laid siege to the city in late August 1744.

Prague surrendered to Prussian forces on 16 September 1744 after bombardment.

Frederick's Prussian army decisively defeated the Austro-Saxon forces under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine.

Great Britain and Prussia signed a neutrality treaty on 16 January 1756.

Laudon campaigned in Silesia in 1761, but timid Russian allies and repeated failures against Frederick's entrenched Bunzelwitz camp left him without success.

Seizing a fleeting opportunity, Laudon stormed the Prussian town of Schweidnitz on the night of September 30/October 1, 1761.

Before the partition, Austria and Prussia seized Commonwealth border territories in 1769–1771, including the Szepes towns and Lauenburg and Bütow.

On 3 November 1771 the Bar Confederacy tried to kidnap King Stanisław, giving the three courts a pretext to portray Polish anarchy and justify intervention.

Prussia and Russia concluded a prior agreement at Saint Petersburg on February 6, 1772, before the tripartite signing.

On February 19, 1772, the agreement of partition among Russia, Prussia, and Austria was signed in Vienna.

Prussia's seizure of northwestern Poland cut Poland off from the sea and gave Prussia control of over 80% of the Commonwealth's foreign trade; Russia appointed Zakhar Chernyshyov governor general.

With foreign troops inside Poland, the Partition Sejm ratified the partition in 1773; on September 18, 1773 the committee signed the treaty of cession.