November, 1744-January, 1747.
D'Argenson becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs, 93;
Accounts of his ministry, 94;
His views upon foreign politics, 97;
The first two months, 102;
Deprecates an offensive campaign in Flanders, 104;
His policy both of peace and war overruled by the King, 106;
Death of the Emperor, Charles VII. (January 20, 1745), 107;
The situation at Paris, and at Vienna, 107;
French overtures to the King of Poland, 110;
Prussia and the maritime powers, 113;
Frederick's view of the position in Germany, 114;
Supported by d'Argenson: the Flassan memoir, 115;
His vain attempts to second Frederick, 119;
Convention of Augsburg, and loss of Bavaria, 121;
Fontenoy and the retreat of Conti, 125;
Convention of Hanover, between Prussia and England, 126;
Election of the Emperor Francis I., 127;
D'Argenson's share in these events, 128;
Austrian overtures to France: frustrated by d'Argenson, 130;
Winter campaign of 1745: Treaty of Dresden, 134;
Review, 136;
1746: the Negotiation of Turin, 138;
Resistance of Spain, and treachery of Sardinia, 141;
Collapse of the scheme, 142;
The neutrality of the Empire, 143;
The Saxon marriage, 144;
Maurice de Saxe and Count Brühl, 145;
Dismissal of d'Argenson: his position, 147;
His conduct of the Italian scheme, 148;
His attitude towards Austria and Prussia, 150;
D'Argenson and the tradition of French foreign policy, 152.