Battle of Kesselsdorf

Significance

The Battle of Kesselsdorf, fought on 15 December 1745, was a decisive Prussian victory over the combined Saxon and Austrian Imperial forces in the closing phase of the Second Silesian War. Commanded by Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, a Prussian force of 32,000 defeated a Saxon and Austrian army of 35,000 under Field Marshal Rutowsky, inflicting roughly 10,500 casualties against Prussian losses of approximately 5,100. The scale of the Saxon and Austrian defeat effectively ended meaningful military resistance in this theater of the War of the Austrian Succession. Coming as it did at the conclusion of the Second Silesian War, the battle contributed directly to securing Prussian control of Silesia, the central territorial objective Frederick II had pursued since 1740, and paved the way for the Treaty of Dresden signed shortly afterward, which ended the conflict between Prussia, Austria, and Saxony.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)