Battle of Maxen

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Battle of Maxen

Date	November 21, 1759
Location	Maxen, Saxony, present-day Germany
Result	Austrian victory Annihilation of Prussian force

Belligerents

Austria

Prussia

Commanders

Leopold Josef Graf Daun

Friedrich August von Finck

Strength

42,000

14,000

Casualties and losses

14,000

v • d • e

Seven Years' War:

European theatre

Minorca – Lobositz – Reichenberg – Prague – Kolín – Hastenbeck – Gross-Jägersdorf – Moys – Rossbach – Breslau – Leuthen – Krefeld – Domstadtl – Zorndorf – Saint Cast – Tornow – Hochkirch – Bergen – Kay – Minden – Kunersdorf – Hoyerswerda – Maxen – Meissen – Landeshut – Emsdorf – Warburg – Liegnitz – Kloster Kampen – Torgau – Villinghausen – Kolberg – Wilhelmstahl - Burkersdorf – Lutterberg – Freiberg

The Battle of Maxen (November 21, 1759) saw the destruction of an entire Prussian army by a much larger Austrian force at Maxen in Saxony in present-day Germany during the Seven Years' War.

The Prussian army of 14,000 men, commanded by Friedrich August von Finck, one of Frederick the Great's most able generals, was sent behind the Austrian armies, with the intention of cutting their lines of communication with Bohemia. Frederick expected the Austrian general, Leopold von Daun, to withdraw once his lines were threatened, but instead he took advantage of Finck's isolation, and cornered him between three separate armies, outnumbering his force. On November 20, the Austrian attack was launched, forcing Finck back off his strong position at Maxen. His retreat was blocked by the Imperial army, and on November 21 Finck was forced to surrender with his entire army, a crushing victory for the Austrians, although von Daun failed to follow up on his success.

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