Thursday, 19 January 2017

From PeterD The Erbprinz (15 points)


For my second submission today I have a single mounted figure representing Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.   Normally the history books for the Seven Years War refer to him as the Erbprinz, which is both shorter and a wicked cool German term.  The figure is taken from a Perry AWI pack of Hessian Commanders, this one cast as Baron Riedesel, the Brunswick general captured at Saratoga.

The man himself, c 1760 in the uniform of the Brunswick Lieb Infantry Regiment

The intricacies of the Brunswick Duchies and their intermarriage with their cousins the Electors of Hanover (and Kings of the United Kingdom)  would make grown men weep and wish for a stats lesson from Miles.  However, essentially the Duke of Brunswick (the Erbprinz's dad) joined the Allies and provided a contingent of solid infantry plus a cavalry men and light troops.  More importantly Brunswick contributed generals to the cause.  The Allied CinC (well after Cumberland got fired) was the Erbprinz' uncle Ferdinand, Prince of Brunswick-Lüneburg who was a Prussian Field Marshall on loan from Freddy the Great.  Ferdinand asked the Erbprinz to act as a General in the army when he took command in 1758.



The Erbprinz was only 23 in 1758 and 28 at the end of the war.  He was known as a good subordinate who was often given indecent independent and important commands.  He also became an expert in the Kleine Krieg, which means I get to field him as a high level officer in my Sharp Practice Games.  The Riedesel figure was very nicely cast and posed and had the right youthful look to be the Erbprinz, a real contrast from the Stirn figure as use as the Hanoverian Engineer Von Drumpf. 




After the Seven Years War, he became the Duke of Brunswick and served as a Prussian Field Marshall.  Yes he was THAT Duke of Brunswick.  He was on the losing end of one of Cressey's Decrisive Battles, Valmy in 1793.  However, Valmy was tactically a draw and he was hampered by the political intrigues and inertia in the Allied, not to mention dysentry in the rank and file.  He was mortally wounded on the field of Auerstadt in 1806, when he commanded the Prussian army.  You may also know of his son, the Black Duke who served with Wellington and died at Quatre Bras in 1815, or his daughter Princess Caroline of Brunswick, who married the Prince Regent and was part of one of the better Royal Scandals.  Another daughter livid a life out of a Regency Bodice Ripper.

However, let's not remember him for the bad events later in life, but as a young energetic and capable young officer.  Let's also not forget that he was seen as an benevolent and enlighten prince who was in support of the initial goals of the French Revolution.  Or that he offered safe haven after the Revolution to a former enemy de Castries who fought him at Kloster Kamp in 1760.


I tried a group shot of all 19 Highlanders plus the Erbprinz but it's not a good shot.

Apparently my theatre of the Seven Year War is the more boring one. It seems the European side could also be played using diplomacy and, well lets just say Dangerous Liasons and Glenn Close. Did I call that right? ;)
Still the Erbprinz has turned out rather well and was worth the wait. Although you say your picture is poor, He does look to be in the proper place as the Highlanders sort out a bit of bother for him!
He is worth 10 points, but i will kick in a few extra for the the background deems him worth a touch more than a simple Cav trooper!





27 comments:

  1. Thanks for the kind words (and the points) Dave. The lace wars do have a lot of flavour to them.

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  2. Not knowing much about this period I am more inclined to look at it now thanks to you.

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  3. Good looking commander,

    Ian

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  4. Nice work on the Erbprinz Peter :)

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  5. Top job, Peter - but what does 'Erbprinz' mean? Your readers are dying to know!

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    1. Thanks Ev

      Erbprinz = Hereditary Prince

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    2. Thanks Peter- and here I was thinking he had a lovely aroma of basil and oregano!

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    3. Now you got me dreaming if pasta!

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  6. Nice bio piece and lovely figure, the avatar image is of Salvator Rosa, a 17th century Italian painter of witches and battle scenes, it's his self potrait as a stoic philosopher carrying a sign saying "be silent unless you have something worth saying ",made me laugh he's hanging in the national gallery in London.
    Best Iain

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  7. Very nice! he looks just right ordering the foot into battle.

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  8. Nice work Peter and interesting background.

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  9. Great job Peter.

    I didn't even known "Regency bodice ripper" was a thing...

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    1. Thanks Greg
      Regency Bodice rippers are normally found close to the half naked Scotsmen section of the bookstore.

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  10. Nice work Peter. The blue uniform and the lace is very sharp indeed. I really like the horse. The pose is a bit unfortunate - he looks like he's suffering from piles.

    Question: What is an 'indecent command' in military parlance?

    'Karl, I order you to engage the enemy wearing only your underwear. Prepare their position with rude gestures to soften them up...' ;)

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    1. Thanks, typo corrected. I dunno about that type of command, but South of the border I think that they just signed in the Indecent Commander in Chief. Is it the horse or the rider that you think has the piles?

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    2. Haha, well, the rider, by the way he's looking to hold himself off the saddle. But who knows, maybe the horse is clenching as well. These Brunswick guys don't do well around the French...

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  11. A lovely figure. Perhaps his indecent command comes from the page he is pointing too, rather coyly, in that parchment.
    Appreciate the history lesson. All I knew about the Brunswickers before is that they were cool guys in black uniforms at Waterloo. Helpful.

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    1. It does seem illustrated, perhaps its some sort ot instruction manual.
      Cheers Peter

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