Frederick Francis of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

Frederick Francis of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (born 1732, died 14 October 1758 at the Battle of Hochkirch) was Frederick the Great's brother-in-law. His name is listed on the Equestrian statue of Frederick the Great.

Frederick Francis of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Born(1732-12-22)22 December 1732
Died14 October 1758(1758-10-14) (aged 25)
Allegiance Kingdom of Prussia
Service/branchPrussian Army
Years of service1750–1758
Battles/warsSeven Years' War
AwardsName inscribed on Frederick the Great's Equestrian Statue[1]

Family

Francis was the youngest of 13 children of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette Amalie (1696–1762); his sister Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel married Prince Augustus William of Prussia, brother of Frederick the Great.[2]

Death in battle

On 14 October 1758, the Austrians, commanded by Daun, surprised the Prussians with a pre-dawn assault on the sleeping camp. James Keith, Frederick's friend and an able general, had organized a defense of the village while Frederick could withdraw from Hochkirch. This successful action initially repulsed the Austrian advance, giving Frederick hope that the situation could be won. Even after Keith himself was shot and killed, Frederick still thought the battle could be retrieved and returned to the rear echelons to take command. Finding his infantry milling about in the village after Keith was killed, Frederick ordered the infantry to advance, sending reinforcements commanded by his brother-in-law with them. As Francis approached the village, Austrian cannon-fire sheared his head off his shoulders. His troops, demoralized by this sight, faltered.[3]

References
  1. Denkmal König Friedrichs des Grossen: enthüllt am 31 Mai 1851, Verlag der Deckerschen Geheimen Ober-Hofbuchdruckerei, 1851, p. 8.
  2. Ferdinand Spehr, „Friedrich Franz“, Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, herausgegeben von der Historischen Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Band 7 (1878), S. 505, Digitale Volltext-Ausgabe in Wikisource, here.(Version vom 19 January 2017, 20:42 Uhr UTC)
  3. Herbert J. Redman, Frederick the Great and the Seven Years' War, 1756–1763. pp 242–249.
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