Painting by John Mackenzie
Image courtesy of www.britishbattles.com
The Battle of Dettingen was fought on 27th June, 1743.
50,000 British, Hanoverian and Austrian troops of the Pragmatic Army opposed 70,000 French troops at the village of Dettingen in Bavaria. The Pragmatic Army was so called because it was a confederation of states supporting the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 agreements. The objectives were to preserve the independence of Hanover and to support the claim of Maria Theresa to be recognised as Archduchess of Austria and the legitimate heir to the Habsburg Dynasty.
George II at Dettingen
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
It was a significant victory because it was the last time British troops were led into battle by a reigning monarch - King George II.It is also important because before the engagement the opposing sides agreed that sick and wounded soldiers who fell into enemy hands would be properly cared for and not treated as prisoners of war. This was a precursor of the Geneva Conventions that set the standards in international law for the humanitarian treatment of war victims.
As a salute to this victory Handel composed the Dettingen Te Deum and the Dettingen Anthem.
Since 1947 Dettingen has been the name of one of the companies at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. All the companies at this training establishment for officer cadets are named after noteworthy British victories.
Why not seek out further Ds which Delightful Denise Nesbitt and her Diligent Devotees have Delivered here?
Why not seek out further Ds which Delightful Denise Nesbitt and her Diligent Devotees have Delivered here?
