Battle of Mollwitz
Małujowice (Mollwitz), Silesia, Poland
What happened
The Prussian army of King Frederick II, under Count Schwerin, fought an Austrian army under Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg. Frederick had invaded Silesia, a rich Austrian province. Near Mollwitz the Austrian cavalry scattered the Prussian horsemen, and Frederick left the field on Schwerin's advice. Schwerin took command, and the Prussian infantry held firm and drove the Austrians back.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The win confirmed Prussia's hold on Silesia and raised Frederick's fame across Europe. Other powers saw Austria was weak, and the conflict grew into the War of the Austrian Succession.
What came next
Austria handed most of Silesia to Prussia in the Treaty of Breslau in 1742. The rivalry between Austria and Prussia shaped Germany for over a century.
Did you know?
Asked if the Prussians would retreat, Schwerin is said to have answered, 'Over enemy bodies.'
Timeline
- 16 December 1740Prussia invades Silesia.
- 10 April 1741Battle of Mollwitz.
- 11 June 1742Treaty of Breslau.
- 28 July 1742Treaty of Berlin confirms the peace.