Margrave Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1714–1744)

Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt (18 March 1715 – 12 September 1744 in Prague) was a Prussian Major General and commander of the Guards on Foot. He was the son of Margrave Albert Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt 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.

From 1734, he participated as a volunteer in the campaigns of the Prussian army. During the War of the Austrian Succession, he was wounded in the Battle of Mollwitz. His elder brother Charles Frederick Albert 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 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.

References

• Biographisches Lexikon aller Helden und Militairpersonen, vol. I, p. 211 Online