Prince Ferdinand von Braunschweig, Infantry Regiment no. 5

Prince Ferdinand von Braunschweig was the fourth son of Albrecht II. In 1741 he fought in the Battle of Chotusitz alongside his brother Frederick II King of Prussia. During the Second Silesian War he commanded the First Battalion of the King’s Life Guard Regiment (No. 15), fighting in the Battle of Hohenfriedberg. Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1750 and governor of Peitz in 1752. In 1755 he became commander of Infantry Regiment no. 5, in which uniform he is depicted in this figure. During the Seven Years War, he led one of the Prussian columns that converged on Dresden, leading to the defeat of the Saxon army in Pirna (1756). In the Battle of Lobositz, he directed the right wing of the Prussian infantry. In 1757, he distinguished himself in Prague and also served in the Rossbach campaign. In 1759 he met with defeat at the hands of the French in the Battle of Bergen, but redeemed himself through victory in the decisive Battle of Minden. Villinghausen, Wilhelmsthal, Warburg and other victories testify to the importance of Prince Ferdinand.