Frederick’s First Victory

Prince Charles of Lorraine, an influential Hapsburg, was sent by Maria to retake Prague. After failing to destroy Frederick’s scattered army in detail, Charles confronted the Prussians near Chotusitz. Although Frederick’s army was not fully deployed, a cavalry attack unhinged …

1742-05-17

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Prince Charles of Lorraine, an influential Hapsburg, was sent by Maria to retake Prague. After failing to destroy Frederick’s scattered army in detail, Charles confronted the Prussians near Chotusitz. Although Frederick’s army was not fully deployed, a cavalry attack unhinged the Austrian left. Charles made progress in his attack on Chotusitz. Nevertheless, the arrival of Prussian troops and a coordinated Prussian infantry attack on the Austrian left forced Charles to withdraw. Although not a brilliant victory, Frederick had not panicked and his tactical plans were justified with a victory. More importantly, the battle gave him leverage in the ongoing peace negotiations, which resulted in the treaties of Breslau and Berlin. These granted Prussia most of Silesia. Although not brilliant, the victories at Mollwitz and Chotusitz were arguably the most important of Frederick’s long military career.

Chotusice, Bohemia

The Battle of Chotusitz, or Chotusice, sometimes called the Battle of Czaslau, took place on 17 May 1742, in Bohemia, now the Czech Republic; it was part of the 1740 to 1742 First Silesian War, itself a subsidiary of the wider War of the Austrian Succession. Led by Charles of Lorraine, an Imperial force of around 25,000 men was advancing against French-occupied Prague, when it ran into a Prussian army of roughly equal size, commanded by Frederick the Great. Casualties were heavy on both sides, and the battle inconclusive, but it is considered a Prussian victory, as they retained possession of the battlefield.

Wikipedia: Battle of Chotusitz

Prussian

Austrian