Battle of Moys facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Moys
Part of the Third Silesian War (Seven Years' War)
Map of the battle
Date 7 September 1757 Location Moys, Upper Lusatia, present-day Poland Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Prussia	Austria
Commanders and leaders
Hans Karl von Winterfeldt   †	Franz Leopold von Nádasdy
Strength
13,000	26,000
Casualties and losses
1,800	1,500

The Battle of Moys happened on September 7, 1757. It was a part of the Third Silesian War, which was itself a bigger conflict called the Seven Years' War. In this battle, about 13,000 Prussian soldiers fought against an Austrian army that was twice their size. The Prussians lost the battle, and their leader was killed.

The fight took place near a town called Moys. This area is in Upper Lusatia, which is now known as Ujazd, a part of Zgorzelec in Poland.

What Was the Seven Years' War?

The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a huge global conflict. But in Europe, it was especially intense because of an earlier war, the War of the Austrian Succession (1741–1748). That war ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748.

After the first war, Frederick II of Prussia, also known as Frederick the Great, gained control of a rich area called Silesia. Empress Maria Theresa of Austria signed the treaty to buy time. She wanted to rebuild her army and find new allies. Her goal was to regain power in the Holy Roman Empire.

By 1754, tensions grew between Britain and France in North America. This gave Empress Maria Theresa a chance to get her lost lands back. She also wanted to stop Prussia from becoming too powerful. France also wanted to reduce Britain's control over Atlantic trade.

So, France and Austria, who used to be rivals, decided to team up. Britain then joined forces with the Kingdom of Prussia. This alliance included not only the British king's lands like Hanover, but also areas belonging to his relatives. This big shift in alliances was called the Diplomatic Revolution.

Prussia's Campaign Before Moys

After taking over Saxony, Frederick the Great moved his army into Bohemia. He won a battle against the Austrians on May 6, 1757, at the Battle of Prague. However, he was defeated at the Battle of Kolín on June 18. This loss forced him to leave Bohemia entirely.

With French forces threatening his western side, Frederick went to fight them. He left about 40,000 soldiers to protect Silesia and Lusatia. These troops were led by Augustus William of Brunswick Bevern.

Bevern's job was to stop any Austrian advance into Saxony. Frederick also left Hans Karl von Winterfeldt to "help" him. Frederick actually trusted Winterfeldt more, as Bevern was getting older. However, the two commanders did not get along well. Bevern felt embarrassed, and Winterfeldt felt annoyed by the rules placed on him.

Bevern became worried about his army's supplies. He pulled his troops back to Görlitz. This left Winterfeldt's soldiers on the other side of the Lusatian Neisse river, near Moys.

The day before the battle, Prince Charles of Austria sent Franz Leopold von Nádasdy to the right side of the river, close to Moys. Nádasdy was told to capture a hill called Jäkelsberg the next day. He had between 15,000 and 20,000 men, plus artillery.

The Battle of Moys

On September 7, Winterfeldt was not with his troops. Sources disagree on why. He was either meeting with Bevern or escorting a food convoy from Bautzen. The Austrians began their attack on Jäkelsberg. Their first attempt was pushed back.

Then, the Austrians launched a much bigger attack across the entire Prussian line. Winterfeldt quickly arrived with some extra soldiers. But he was soon killed in the fighting. The Austrians managed to capture Jäkelsberg. This put other Prussian positions in danger. Because of this, the entire Prussian army had to retreat towards Görlitz. During the battle, Bevern had plenty of time to send help to Winterfeldt. However, he failed to do so.

After the Battle

After their victory at Moys, the Austrians moved further into Silesia. They defeated Bevern again at the Battle of Breslau in November.

On November 5, 1757, Frederick the Great defeated a combined French and Austrian army at the Battle of Rossbach. He soon found out that while he was away, the Austrians had taken control of Silesia. Frederick then went on to fight the Austrians at the Battle of Leuthen, where he won a very important victory.