August Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Bevern
Encyclopedia
August Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Bevern (1715 in Braunschweig
– 1781 in Stettin), Prussia
n soldier, son of Ernst Ferdinand, duke of Brunswick-Bevern, was born in Braunschweig
in 1715, and entered the Prussian army in 1731, becoming colonel
of an infantry regiment in 1739. He won great distinction at the battle of Hohenfriedberg
as a major-general, and was promoted lieutenant-general in 1750.
Bevern was one of the most experienced and exact soldiers in the army of Frederick the Great. He commanded a wing in the battle of Lobositz
in 1756, and defeated the Austria
ns under Marshal Königsegg
in a well-fought battle at Reichenberg
on April 21, 1757. He took part in the battles of Prague and Kolin
and the retreat to Görlitz
, and subsequently commanded the Prussians left behind by Frederick in the autumn of 1757 when he marched against the French
.
Bevern conducted a defensive campaign against overwhelming numbers with great skill, but he soon lost the valuable assistance of General Winterfeld, who was killed in a skirmish at Moys
; and he was eventually brought to battle and suffered a heavy defeat at the battle of Breslau
on November 22. He fell into the hands of the Austrians on the following morning, and remained prisoner for a year. He was made general of infantry in 1759, and on August 11, 1762 inflicted a severe defeat at Reichenbach
on an Austrian army endeavouring to relieve Schweidnitz. Bevern retired, after the peace of Hubertusburg
, to his government of Stettin
), where he died in peace in 1781.
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
– 1781 in Stettin), Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n soldier, son of Ernst Ferdinand, duke of Brunswick-Bevern, was born in Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
in 1715, and entered the Prussian army in 1731, becoming colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of an infantry regiment in 1739. He won great distinction at the battle of Hohenfriedberg
Battle of Hohenfriedberg
The Battle of Hohenfriedberg or Hohenfriedeberg, also known as the battle of Striegau, now Dobromierz, was one of the crowning achievements of Frederick the Great...
as a major-general, and was promoted lieutenant-general in 1750.
Bevern was one of the most experienced and exact soldiers in the army of Frederick the Great. He commanded a wing in the battle of Lobositz
Battle of Lobositz
The Battle of Lobositz or Lovosice also Lowositz on 1 October 1756 was the opening land battle of the Seven Years' War. Frederick the Great's 29,000 Prussians prevented Field Marshal Maximilian Ulysses Count Browne 34,500 Austrians from relieving their besieged Saxon allies during the Siege of...
in 1756, and defeated the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
ns under Marshal Königsegg
Christian Moritz Graf Königsegg und Rothenfels
Count Christian Moritz von Koenigsegg und Rothfels was knight of the Teutonic Order of Altshausen. He was a nephew of Field Marshal Joseph Lothar von Königsegg.- Biography :...
in a well-fought battle at Reichenberg
Battle of Reichenberg
The Battle of Reichenberg was a battle of the Seven Years' War, fought on April 21, 1757 near the town of Reichenberg in Bohemia....
on April 21, 1757. He took part in the battles of Prague and Kolin
Battle of Kolin
-Results:The battle was Frederick's first defeat in this war. This disaster forced him to abandon his intended march on Vienna, raise his siege of Prague, and fall back on Litoměřice...
and the retreat to Görlitz
Görlitz
Görlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
, and subsequently commanded the Prussians left behind by Frederick in the autumn of 1757 when he marched against the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Bevern conducted a defensive campaign against overwhelming numbers with great skill, but he soon lost the valuable assistance of General Winterfeld, who was killed in a skirmish at Moys
Battle of Moys
The Battle of Moys was a battle fought on September 7, 1757 during the Seven Years' War.A Prussian army of 13,000 men fought an Austrian army of double their size. The entire Prussian corps surrendered to the Austrians....
; and he was eventually brought to battle and suffered a heavy defeat at the battle of Breslau
Battle of Breslau (1757)
The Battle of Breslau was a battle fought on November 22, 1757 during the Seven Years' War. A Prussian army of 28,000 men fought an Austrian army of 84,000 men. The Prussians held off the Austrian attack, losing 6,000 men to the Austrians 5,000 men. But one day later the Prussians beat a retreat...
on November 22. He fell into the hands of the Austrians on the following morning, and remained prisoner for a year. He was made general of infantry in 1759, and on August 11, 1762 inflicted a severe defeat at Reichenbach
Reichenbach
- In Germany :* Reichenbach , in the Niederschlesischer Oberlausitzkreis district, Saxony* Reichenbach im Vogtland, in the Vogtlandkreis district, Saxony* Reichenbach am Heuberg, in the Tuttlingen district, Baden-Württemberg...
on an Austrian army endeavouring to relieve Schweidnitz. Bevern retired, after the peace of Hubertusburg
Treaty of Hubertusburg
thumb|right|300px|Hubertusburg, WermsdorfThe Treaty of Hubertusburg was signed on 15 February 1763 at Hubertusburg by Prussia, Austria, and Saxony. Together with the Treaty of Paris, it marked the end of the French and Indian War and of the Seven Years' War. The treaty ended the continental...
, to his government of Stettin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
), where he died in peace in 1781.