ORDER OF BATTLE // May 17, 1742
Battle of Chotusitz
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 50,000 estimated
Austria
25,000
Medium-confidence figure
Prussia
25,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Chotusitz, fought on 17 May 1742 in Bohemia, arose when an Austrian imperial force of around 25,000 men under Charles of Lorraine, advancing against French-occupied Prague, encountered a Prussian army of roughly equal size commanded by Frederick the Great. Casualties were heavy on both sides — approximately 5,100 Austrian and 4,900 Prussian — reflecting the intensity of the engagement despite parity in force sizes. The battle is generally considered a Prussian victory, though its direct effect on the broader War of the Austrian Succession was limited. Within the context of the First Silesian War, the engagement nonetheless reinforced Prussian military standing in Bohemia and checked Austrian offensive momentum toward Prague at a moment when French forces held the city.
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