Russia and the Outbreak of the Seven Years' War

Russia and the Outbreak of the Seven Years' War by Herbert H. Kaplan reconsiders one of the great turning points of eighteenth-century Europe by placing Russia at the center of the story. Traditional accounts of the Seven Years’ War highlight the balance of power among Austria, France, Great Britain, and Prussia, often relegating Russia to a secondary role. Kaplan draws extensively on Russian archival materials to show that the empire acted not merely as an auxiliary ally of Maria Theresa, but as an independent power pursuing its own interests with deliberation and force. By reconstructing the origins of the war from the vantage of St. Petersburg, he demonstrates that Russia’s policies decisively shaped the alliances and choices of Europe’s other major states.

Kaplan explores how Empress Elizabeth’s determination to secure Russia’s place in continental affairs prompted sweeping reforms of her administrative and diplomatic machinery. Internal divisions among her closest advisers exacerbated court rivalries, as questions of who should direct diplomacy became entangled with broader struggles for political power. These conflicts were intensified by Elizabeth’s chronic illness and the looming issue of succession, which drew Grand Duke Peter and Grand Duchess Catherine into the political foreground. Kaplan shows how the uncertainty surrounding Russia’s imperial future influenced both her foreign policy orientation and the calculations of her allies and adversaries. Focusing on the intersection of diplomacy, court politics, and questions of succession, this study restores Russia to its rightful place as a principal actor in the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War and underscores the broader significance of imperial decision-making in shaping the international system.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1968.