Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt (18 March 1715 – 12 September 1744 in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

) was a Prussian Major General and commander of the Guards on Foot. He was the son of

Margrave Albert Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt Albert Frederick, Prince of Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (24 January 1672 – 21 June 1731), was a Lieutenant General in the army of the Electorate of Brandenburg-Prussia and Grand Master of the Order of Saint John. In his lifetime ...

and his wife Maria Dorothea of Courland (1684-1743). In his lifetime he held the courtesy title of Margrave of Brandenburg. His first cousin of the same name ( Frederick William) was of the senior line and held the town and lands of Schwedt.

Life

In May 1719, when he was only four years old, he was awarded the

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King ...

. From 1734, he participated as a volunteer in the campaigns of the Prussian army. During the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...

, he was wounded in the

Battle of Mollwitz The Battle of Mollwitz was fought by Prussia and Austria on 10 April 1741, during the First Silesian War (in the early stages of the War of the Austrian Succession). It was the first battle of the new Prussian King Frederick II, in which both si ...

. His elder brother

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

fell during this battle. In 1740, the Guard on Foot were formed from the Infantry Regiment Nr. 15, and Frederick William was the first

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the new unit. On May 16, 1743, he was promoted to major general and made commander of the Guard. During the Siege of Prague in 1744, he commanded the trenches. The king was present when he was killed by a cannonball. His body was transferred to Berlin and he was buried in the Hohenzollern crypt in

Berlin Cathedral The Berlin Cathedral (german: link=yes, Berliner Dom), also known as the Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church, is a monumental German Evangelical church and dynastic tomb ( House of Hohenzollern) on the Museum Island in centra ...

Footnotes

References

* ''Biographisches Lexikon aller Helden und Militairpersonen'', vol. I, p. 21
Online
Major generals of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm 1715 births 1744 deaths Margraves of Brandenburg-Schwedt 18th-century Prussian people 18th-century Prussian military personnel Burials at Berlin Cathedral German military personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession {{Germany-margrave-stub