Kesselsdorf 1745

When one thinks of the wars of the eighteenth century, one thinks of the significant clashes of great military powers: the War of the Spanish Succession and the Battles of Blenheim and Malplaquet, the Great Northern War and the Battles of Narva and Poltava, the War of the Austrian Succession and Fontenoy, the Seven Years War with Roßbach, Leuthen and Zorndorf, or the American War of Independence with Saratoga and Yorktown. All of these engagements appear again and again in the lists of the great battles of world history, and there are reasons why they deserve a place in them. Yet none of them brought an end to the war in which they were fought. Not so the Battle of Kesselsdorf, which is largely forgotten today and will probably never find its way into an anthology of world- historically significant battles yet surely deserves such a place. For the immediate consequence of the victory of the Prussian army under Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau over a Saxon army on the heights near Kesselsdorf was the peace agreement at Dresden. In it, Austria once again renounced its claims to the province of Silesia, which had been lost to Prussia in the First Silesian War. In addition, Prussia rose to the rank of the great European powers and became the regional hegemon in northern Germany, while ambitious Electoral Saxony lost considerable political importance in the Empire and in Europe.

"As with all similar Helion titles, this book is lavishly illustrated with eight pages of specially commissioned colour plates by non other than Patrice Courcelle. They are as one would rightly expect gorgeous. There are also a good number of largely contemporary black and white illustrations and a number of handy maps of the strategic situation as well as of the battle itself. So, an excellent well written account, one useful to a wide readership whatever their background or interest." Colin Ashton, carryingsonupthedale.com

"...Wargamers will find this book provides very useful background information on the raising, training and organisation of both armies and sufficient detail to create an interesting wargame scenario, either as an historical recreation or an engagement for ImagiNations, with the advantage that the unfamiliarity of the battle will prevent the players – provided they have not read this book first! – exercising much hindsight. Highly recommended for wargamers with 18th century armies." Miniature Wargames Magazine