Second Silesian War

The Battle of Hohenfriedberg, fought on June 4, 1745, was one of Frederick the Great's most consequential victories during the Second Silesian War, itself part of the broader War of the Austrian Succession. A Prussian army of 59,000 under Frederick II decisively defeated an Austro-Saxon force of equal size under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, inflicting approximately 8,400 casualties against Prussian losses of 4,737. The disparity in losses reflected the scale of the Prussian success. The engagement reinforced Prussian control of Silesia, the province whose possession had been the central object of contention since Frederick's seizure of it in the First Silesian War, and demonstrated the capacity of the Prussian army to defeat a coalition opponent in open battle. The battle was regarded as among Frederick's most admired operational achievements and contributed to the reputation for tactical effectiveness that would define Prussian military doctrine for generations.

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.