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Brunswick (of), Charles William Ferdinand

Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick

Born

9 October 1735

Died

10 November 1806

A nephew of Frederick the Great with the highest military reputation in Europe, and a reforming ruler of his own duchy, the Duke of Brunswick took command of the allied army against France in 1792 with reluctance; he was not personally hostile to the Revolution and had himself been approached about reorganising the French army. The manifesto issued in his name from Coblenz on 25 July 1792, threatening Paris with military execution if the royal family were harmed, was drafted by émigrés rather than by him, and it is not certain that he signed it willingly. His advance took Longwy and Verdun but was halted at Valmy on 20 September, after which he withdrew from France. He resigned his command in 1794 and was mortally wounded at Auerstedt in 1806.

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9 Oct 1735Birth of Duke of Brunswick See them in the timeline →