The 1730s can appear as an interlude between more turbulent and interesting times. Historians focused on conflict move quickly over this decade in eager anticipation of Frederick the Great's dramatic arrival on the international scene in 1740. Within Britain too, with the exception of the Excise crisis, there seems little of historical note. Sir Robert Walpole was at the height of his power and his support for low taxes, trade and peace meant that the British ship of state sailed smoothly onwards. Or at least, that is the received view.

Sir Robert has often been regarded as central to saving the country from being plunged into disastrous foreign war by a bellicose king in 1733. George II, it is claimed, was eager to intervene in the War of the Polish succession and only Walpole's skilful manipulation of Queen Caroline and his acute appreciation of the British national interest prevented British involvement. As a maritime power, Britain could ignore the petty squabbles of the continental powers and it was a sign of Walpole's brilliance (and the king's stupidity) that he realised this.

So far, so good; or, rather, so far, so simplistic. This chapter shows that Walpole's centrality to British non-intervention has been overstated. Several scholars have suggested recently that George II's political importance has been underestimated. Reconstructing the European context of the king's diplomacy indicates why George was a reluctant, rather than an eager, participant in the conflict.

It is unsurprising, given the argument of previous chapters, that much of this evidence can be found in Hanoverian sources. The situation at the Reichstag at Regensburg in the 1730s provides vital clues for explaining George's conduct. This narrative complements previous accounts of why the British failed to intervene, although Hanover ultimately sent troops. The study of the Reichstag amplifies the account given in previous chapters of the importance of the public sphere for diplomacy. Finally, the Reichstag in this period provides yet more evidence of concerns about the position and legal status of protestantism within the Empire. However, how Walpole came to be seen as so crucial needs to be explained first.