Battle of Fraustadt

History -- Military history -- List of battles -- Great Northern War

The battle of Fraustadt was fought on February 3, 1706 between Swedish and Saxon forces.

Combatants

• Swedish army commanded by Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld[?] with about 9000 men.
• Saxon army with about 24000 men, of which some 6000 were Russians.

The battle

The Saxons took a defensive position between the villages Geyersdorf and Röhrsdorf. In their front were frozen lakes and marches.

Rehnskiöld placed his infantry in the center and his cavalry on both flanks. The unshoed horses of the Swedish dragoons had some trouble getting over the frozen lakes, but after some fierce fighting the Saxon cavalry on the flanks fled. In the center the Swedish infantry advanced against the shooting enemy without firing a round until very close to the Saxon line. At the same time the Swedish cavalry assaulted from the back.

In the end 7300 Saxons were taken prisoner and more were killed in the battle. The captured Russians (some 500) were all executed by an order of Rehnskiöld.

Aftermath The elector of Saxony August II had to give up his claim on the Polish crown.