 Maria Theresa akatanga kutonga kwake kwemakore 40 pakafa baba vake, Mambo Charles VI, muna October 1740. Charles VI akazarura nzira yokuva kwake mambo nePragmatic Sanction ya1713 uye akapedza nguva yose youtongi hwake achizviita. Akaregeredza zano raMuchinda Eugene weSavoy, uyo aidavira kuti uto rakasimba nehomwe yemari yakapfuma zvaikosha zvikuru kupfuura masiginechawo zvawo. Pakupedzisira, Charles VI akasiya shure nyika isina kusimba uye ine hurombo, kunyanya nekuda kweHondo yePoland Succession uye Hondo yeRusso-Turkish 17351739. Uyezve, paakafa, Saxony, Prussia, Bavaria, neFrance zvose zvakaramba chiremera chazvakanga zvaziva munguva youpenyu hwake. Frederick II wePrussia uyo akava muvengi mukuru waMaria Theresa kwenguva yakawanda yokutonga kwake akakurumidza kupinda ndokutora dunhu rakapfuma reHabsburg reSilesia muhondo yemakore manomwe inozivikanwa seHondo yeMugari wenhaka yeAustria. Pasinei nemamiriro ezvinhu akaoma, akakwanisa kuwana rutsigiro runokosha rwevaHungary nokuda kwebasa rehondo. Munguva yehondo, Maria Theresa akabudirira kudzivirira kutonga kwake pamusoro pevakawanda veHapsburg Monarchy, kunze kwekurasikirwa kweSilesia nedzimwe nzvimbo duku shomanana muItaly. Maria Theresa akazoedza pasina kubudirira kuti awanezve Silesia muHondo Yamakore Manomwe. 