Kolin 1757: Frederick The Great's First Defeat May 2026

After a costly victory at the in May 1757, Frederick besieged the city. However, the arrival of a relief army led by the methodical Marshal Daun forced Frederick to divide his forces to intercept the threat. Daun chose a strong defensive position on hills near Kolin , compelling Frederick to attack uphill against superior numbers. The Battle of Kolin: June 18, 1757

Well-positioned Austrian artillery and musketry decimated the advancing Prussian columns. Kolin 1757: Frederick the Great's First Defeat

The victory revitalized Austrian morale and led to the creation of the Military Order of Maria Theresa to honor the achievement. Category Prussia Austria Commanders Frederick the Great Leopold von Daun Force Size Casualties ~13,700 - 14,000 ~8,000 - 8,100 Guns After a costly victory at the in May

Sources for details include Wikipedia , Warfare History Network , and British Battles . If you’re interested, I can provide more info on: The tactic Frederick famously used How he recovered from this loss at the Battle of Rossbach The Battle of Kolin: June 18, 1757 Well-positioned

The that made the Austrian army so much tougher in 1757

Frederick’s plan relied on an oblique order attack to outflank the Austrian right wing. However, the execution failed due to several tactical errors: