Ferdinand

Ferdinand (born Jan. 12, 1721, Wolfenbüttel, Brunswick-Lüneburg-Wolfenbüttel [Germany]—died July 3, 1792, Vechelde, Brunswick) was the duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prussian general field marshal who defended western Germany for his brother-in-law Frederick II the Great in the Seven Years’ War (1756–63), protecting the Prussian flank from French attack, while Frederick fought the Austrians. Entering the Prussian army in 1740, Ferdinand participated in the victorious engagements of Mollwitz (1741), Chotusitz (1742), and Sohr (1745) during the Silesian...