1761 failed attempt by Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick to capture French-held Kassel
The failed 1761 siege of Kassel forced Brunswick to abandon his campaign, with French forces inflicting heavy casualties at Grünberg.
Key Facts
- Duration
- Approximately four weeks
- Siege outcome
- Failed; siege lifted by Brunswick
- Key battle
- Battle of Grünberg, March 21, 1761
- French commander
- Duc de Broglie
- Attacker
- Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick
- Conflict
- Seven Years' War
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Seven Years' War, French forces occupied Kassel, the capital of Hesse-Kassel, making it a strategic target for Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, who sought to retake the city on behalf of the allied Anglo-Hessian coalition and weaken French control in the region.
Beginning in early March 1761, Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick laid siege to French-held Kassel. The operation lasted roughly four weeks, but French forces under the Duc de Broglie dealt severe casualties to Brunswick's army at the Battle of Grünberg on March 21, rendering the siege unsustainable and compelling Brunswick to withdraw.
The failure of the siege left Kassel under French control for another year. Brunswick returned in 1762 and successfully captured the city in a subsequent siege, after which it remained under occupation until the conclusion of the Seven Years' War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick.
Side B
1 belligerent
Duc de Broglie.