Battle of Königgrätz
Königgrätz, Austrian Empire (modern day Czech Republic)
What happened
King Wilhelm I of Prussia, his chief of staff Helmuth von Moltke and Crown Prince Frederick William fought the Austrian army of General Ludwig von Benedek. Prussia and Austria went to war over which of them would lead the German states. Moltke used railways to move several Prussian armies quickly to the border, and they met the Austrians near Königgrätz and the village of Sadová in Bohemia. Prussian soldiers had the new Dreyse needle gun, which could be loaded faster and fired lying down, and when the Crown Prince's army arrived in the afternoon and struck the Austrian side, Benedek ordered a retreat.
Why it matters
Result: Prussian victory Peace of Prague (1866). Leaders: Wilhelm I / Helmuth von Moltke against Ludwig Benedek / Prince Albert. Why it matters: The victory decided the Austro-Prussian War and pushed Austria out of German affairs. It put Prussia on the path to uniting Germany.
What came next
The Peace of Prague ended the war, and Prussia formed the North German Confederation without Austria. Four years later Prussia went to war with France.
Did you know?
It was the largest battle in the world since the Battle of Leipzig in 1813.
Timeline
- 1866Prussian armies move to the frontier by railway.
- 3 July 1866Prussia defeats Austria at Königgrätz.
- 1866The Peace of Prague ends the war.
- 1870Moltke's armies win at Sedan.