Frederick William's Triumph Over Austria: How And Why?

Frederick William I of Prussia, also known as the Soldier King, was King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death in 1740. He was succeeded by his son, Frederick the Great, who became the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. Frederick the Great's most notable accomplishments include military successes in the Silesian wars, reorganisation of the Prussian Army, the First Partition of Poland, and patronage of the arts and the Enlightenment.

Frederick the Great's first defeat was at the Battle of Kolin in June 1757 against Austrian forces. He was known for his aggressive military tactics and his preference for swift, powerful, and decisive military operations.

Frederick William III, the son of Frederick William II of Prussia and Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt, was King of Prussia from 1797 until his death in 1840. He was a shy and indecisive ruler, relying heavily on his wife, Queen Louise, as his political advisor.

Frederick William IV, the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III, was king of Prussia from 1840 until his death in 1861. He was deeply religious and believed in ruling by divine right, fearing revolutions and favouring a state governed by the Christian estates of the realm.

Did you want to know more about any of these figures, or are you specifically interested in the outcome of a battle between Frederick William and Austria?

Frederick William I's death and legacy

Frederick William I, also known as the ""Soldier King"", died on 31 May 1740, at the age of 51. He was interred at the Garrison Church in Potsdam. He was succeeded by his son, Frederick the Great, who used the formidable army he inherited to increase Prussia's power.

Frederick William's death marked the end of a 27-year reign characterised by military and administrative reform. He transformed Prussia from a second-rate power into an efficient, prosperous, and powerful state. He was a believer in absolute monarchy and ruled with great energy and skill, focusing on state development, financial reorganisation, and military expansion.

Frederick William's legacy includes his significant contributions to the Prussian military. He grew the Prussian army significantly, expanding it from 38,000 men in 1713 to around 80,000 in 1740, with about one out of every 25 Prussian men serving in the military. He introduced the canton system of recruitment, which provided half of the manpower for his army from the Prussian peasantry, while the other half was recruited from across Europe. He also established a loyal Prussian officer corps from the nobility and made notable reforms to the army's training, tactics, and conscription program.

In addition to his military reforms, Frederick William implemented a range of domestic policies that had a lasting impact on Prussia. He worked to reorganise the country's finances, enhance the economic development of its territories, and improve the lot of the peasantry. He encouraged farming, reclaimed marshes, and stored grain to be sold in times of need. He also introduced a range of taxes, including excise taxes on both domestic and foreign goods, and subjected the Prussian nobility to a land tax.

Frederick William's foreign policy was less successful than his domestic programs. He acquired Swedish Pomerania through the Treaties of Stockholm (1719-1720) but failed to achieve his lifelong ambition of incorporating the Duchies of Jülich and Berg on the lower Rhine. Relations with Austria and England cooled, and by 1739, Prussia's only ally was France.

Overall, Frederick William I's death marked the end of a significant reign that left Prussia with a powerful military and laid the foundation for his son, Frederick the Great, to further increase the country's power and influence in Europe.

Frederick the Great's first defeat

In June 1757, Frederick the Great suffered his first major defeat at the Battle of Kolín. Frederick had invaded Bohemia the previous month, in an attempt to destroy enemy forces and supply centres and compel Empress Maria Theresa of Austria to sue for peace. However, the Austrians, under the command of Field Marshal Leopold Graf von Daun, were able to mount a defence and force Frederick to retreat.

The Battle of Kolín was part of the Seven Years' War, which had been triggered by Frederick's invasion of Saxony in August 1756. Frederick's aim was to gain the strategic initiative and protect his southern frontier from Austria. However, the Battle of Kolín ended his chance of retaining the strategic initiative for the rest of the war.

On 18 June, Frederick's troops, led by Lt. Gen. Johann von Hulsen, attacked the village of Krzeczor, encountering fierce resistance from Austrian Croat infantry and artillery. The Prussians were forced to retreat, and Frederick suspended the movement of the rest of his army. The Austrian commander, Daun, reportedly exclaimed, "My God, I think the King is going to lose today!"

The next day, on 19 June, Frederick launched his final attack. His aim was to capture Krzeczor Hill by pushing through a gap in the enemy lines. However, his troops came under attack from Austrian cavalry and infantry and were forced to retreat. The Prussians suffered 12,000 casualties, compared to 8,000 on the Austrian side.

Following the defeat at Kolín, Frederick delegated command of his army and left for Prague. The Austrians did not pursue the retreating Prussians, and the campaign ended on 20 August when Frederick's army withdrew to its supply centre in Bautzen, Saxony.

Frederick the Great's invasion of Saxony

In 1756, Frederick the Great, the monarch of Prussia, invaded Saxony, which was then led by Elector Frederick Augustus III. This invasion was part of the Seven Years' War, which was triggered by Frederick's invasion of Saxony.

Frederick's invasion of Saxony was a "pre-emptive" strike, as he had learned that a formidable coalition was forming against Prussia. By invading Saxony, he aimed to seize control of the Elbe River, which would make it easier to resupply his army.

The Prussian Army entered Saxony on 26 August 1756, advancing in three columns, each about 130 km apart from one another. The right column, under Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, comprised about 15,000 men; the centre column, under King Frederick II, had 25 battalions, 17 squadrons, a supply train, and an artillery train; and the left column, under the Duke of Brunswick-Bevern, had 17 battalions and 50 squadrons.

The Prussians met with no opposition during their advance and quickly surrounded the small Saxon Army at Pirna. Frederick expected a rapid victory over the Saxons, which would allow him to redirect his march towards Bohemia. However, the Saxon Army was entrenched in a very strong natural fortress, and the Prussians were immobilised.

The invasion of Saxony brought widespread international criticism for Frederick, particularly because he forcibly incorporated the trapped Saxon army into his own after their surrender. However, the conquest of Saxony provided him with significant financial, military, and strategic assets to sustain the war.

Frederick the Great's victory at Lobositz

The Battle of Lobositz was Frederick the Great's first battle of the Seven Years' War against the Austrians. It took place on 1 October 1756 in northern Bohemia. The Prussian army, led by King Frederick II, fought against an Imperial Austrian Army comprising various nationalities that made up the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. The Prussian army consisted of 31,800 men, while the Austrian army was made up of 34,000 men.

The battle began when Frederick ordered his army to advance towards the Austrian positions in the early morning mist. The Prussians came under heavy bombardment from the Austrian batteries as they marched down the valley. Despite this, they continued their advance, and by 7 am, the Duke of Bevern had been ordered to take the Lobosch Hill. A hard-fought battle ensued on the hill between the Prussians and the Austrians led by General Lacy.

Meanwhile, Frederick sent a force of cuirassiers under Lieutenant General Kyau to scout the Austrian forces in the central part of the valley. However, they were attacked by Austrian dragoons and forced to retreat. The Prussian cavalry, galled by the artillery fire, then charged the Austrian lines without orders but were repulsed by Croat irregulars.

Bevern eventually pushed the Austrians off the Lobosch, and the Prussian infantry in the valley advanced in support, attacking the town of Lobositz. The town became a blazing inferno, and the Austrian commander, Field Marshal Browne, began a withdrawal. The Prussians won the battle, but it was not a decisive victory, and Frederick later admitted that he had made a mistake by attacking without sufficient information about the size and position of the opposing army.

Frederick the Great's victory at Leuthen

Frederick's army of 33,000 men, with approximately 167 cannons, arrived near Leuthen to find 66,000 Austrians in possession. The Prussian king had learned the countryside by heart on previous maneuvers and knew that a cluster of low hills dotted the landscape along an axis approximately parallel to the Austrian line. He used these hills to block the Austrians' view of his movements, shifting the bulk of his forces behind them and out of sight.

The Prussians then wheeled to the southeast and executed Frederick's famous "oblique maneuver", turning 90 degrees to attack the weakest point of the Austrian left flank. The Prussian infantry, supported by Frederick's artillery, which now pounded away from the crest of one of the hillocks, pushed steadily toward Leuthen. The Austrian colonels on the scene did their best by turning their own lines 90 degrees and trying to take advantage of a shallow ditch, but the mass of Prussians soon emerged through the haze of gunpowder.

The Prussians reached Leuthen in 40 minutes and pushed the Austrian troops into the village. Prussian grenadiers breached the wall first and stormed the church, where many of the defenders were killed. Hand-to-hand fighting raged throughout the village. The Austrians briefly took the advantage when they moved a battery from the ridge north of the village to cover their infantry, and the fire from the battery allowed the infantry to deploy at right angles to their original front. However, Frederick responded by ordering the last of his reserved left wing to advance, and the Austrian battery was driven back. Finally, Frederick's heavy cannons on the Butterberg laid down a barrage, and some participants said that this barrage, more than the Prussian infantry, won the battle.

The Austrian line dissolved in flight, leaving some 10,000 dead and wounded and around 12,000 prisoners, totaling one-third of their army, along with 51 standards and 116 of their 250 cannons. The Prussians lost some 6,382 men, of whom most were only slightly wounded. That night, at his headquarters in Lissa, Frederick assembled his officers and thanked them for their service, saying, "Meine Herren, after such a spell of work, you deserve a rest. This day will transmit the glory of your name and our Nation to all posterity."

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