Battle of Maxen

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Maxen
partof=Seven Years' War


caption=
date=November 21, 1759
place= flagicon|Saxony Maxen, Saxony, present-day Germany
casus=
territory=
result=Austrian victory
Annihilation of Prussian force
combatant1=flagicon|Holy Roman Empire Austria
combatant2=flagicon|Prussia|1750 Prussia
commander1=Leopold Josef Graf Daun
commander2=Friedrich August von Finck
strength1=42,000
strength2=14,000
casualties1=?
casualties2=14,000

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.

References

* Rickard, J. ,5 November 2000, Battle of Maxen, 20 November 1759, http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_maxen.html