British-led battle during the War of the Austrian Succession on 27 June 1743 near Aschaffenburg, Germany.
Dettingen was the last battle in which a reigning British monarch personally led troops in combat.
Key Facts
- Date
- 27 June 1743
- War
- War of the Austrian Succession
- Allied force name
- Pragmatic Army
- Last monarch in combat
- George II of Great Britain
- French commander
- Duke of Noailles
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the War of the Austrian Succession, French forces under the Duke of Noailles sought to intercept and destroy the allied Pragmatic Army, composed of British, Hanoverian, and Austrian troops, as it moved through the Main valley near Aschaffenburg in Bavaria.
On 27 June 1743, the Pragmatic Army, nominally commanded by King George II with operational control exercised by the Earl of Stair, engaged and defeated the French force near Karlstein am Main. George II personally rode with his troops, marking a historic moment in British military history.
The Pragmatic Army secured its escape and won a tactical victory, but the battle had little strategic impact on the wider War of the Austrian Succession. It has since been characterised as 'a happy escape, rather than a great victory,' and is remembered chiefly as the last occasion a British monarch led troops in battle.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
3 belligerents
George II of Great Britain, Earl of Stair.
Side B
1 belligerent
Duke of Noailles.