FW-G2 single combat: Sources
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mildred_of_midgard posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
rheinsbergLord Hervey's memoirs on the duel between FW and G2 that nearly happened:
Whilst the King was at Hanover he had several little German disputes with his brother of Prussia, the particulars of which being about a few cart-loads of hay, a mill, and some soldiers improperly enlisted by the King of Prussia in the Hanoverian state, I do not think them worthy of being considered in detail ; and shall say nothing further about these squabbles than that, first or last, both of them contrived to be in the wrong. And as these two princes had some similar impracticabilities in their temper, so they were too much alike ever to agree, and from this time forward hated one another with equal imprudence, inveteracy, and openness.
It was reported, and I believe not without foundation, that our Monarch on this occasion sent or would have sent a challenge of single combat to his Prussian Majesty; but whether it was carried and rejected, or whether the prayers and remonstrances of Lord Townshend prevented the gauntlet being actually thrown down, is a point which to me at least has never been cleared.
Bielfeld's correspondence on the same:
They say that this natural antipathy, which is worse than hatred, once rose so high that the two monarchs, after the example of Charles V. and Francis I., had determined to decide it by single combat; that the King of England had fixed on brigadier Sutton for his second; and his Prussian majesty had made choice of Colonel Derschau; that the territory of Hildesheim was appointed for the rendezvous. His Britannic Majesty was then at Hannover, and His Prussian Majesty was already arrived at Salzdahll, near Brunswick. Baron von Borck, who had been the Prussian minister at London, and who had been dismissed from that court in a most ungracious manner, arriving at Salzdahl, found the King his master in so violent a rage that he did not think it adviseable to directly oppose his design; but on the contrary, in order to gain time, seemed to approve of the choice of single combat, and even offered his service to carry the cartel. But entering the King's appatment an hour after, he took the liberty to say: "Sire, I am convinced that your majesties' quarrel should not be decided but by a duell, and if I am allowed the expression, as between one gentleman and another. But your majesty is scarce recovered from a dangerous illness, and have still the symptoms of your late disorder. How unfortunate therefore would it be, if you should relapse the evening before the combat, or even that very morning, and what triumph would it be for the English king? And what would the world say? what odious suspicions would it cast upon your majesty's courage? Would it not therefore be far better to postpone the entire affair for a few days, till your majesty's health is established?"
The King, they say, acquiesced, though with difficulty, in these reasonings; the cartel was not sent; the ministers of both sides gained time; the wrath of the two kings by degrees evaporated; and by the next year they became in a manner reconciled.
See alsoselenak's wonderful emoji ficlet on how this might have played out!
Per Koser (Kronprinz, p. 31), these events (the disputes about the hay and the recruiting of soldiers) took place in August 1729, and soldiers were mobilized.
Arneth, Prinz Eugen von Savoyen, vol 3. p 260. fn 39, p 568.
He declared to Count Seckendorff that he wanted to challenge his brother-in-law to a duel and fight a single combat against him.
39) Sedendorff an Eugen. 19. Juli 1729. Hausarch.
Whilst the King was at Hanover he had several little German disputes with his brother of Prussia, the particulars of which being about a few cart-loads of hay, a mill, and some soldiers improperly enlisted by the King of Prussia in the Hanoverian state, I do not think them worthy of being considered in detail ; and shall say nothing further about these squabbles than that, first or last, both of them contrived to be in the wrong. And as these two princes had some similar impracticabilities in their temper, so they were too much alike ever to agree, and from this time forward hated one another with equal imprudence, inveteracy, and openness.
It was reported, and I believe not without foundation, that our Monarch on this occasion sent or would have sent a challenge of single combat to his Prussian Majesty; but whether it was carried and rejected, or whether the prayers and remonstrances of Lord Townshend prevented the gauntlet being actually thrown down, is a point which to me at least has never been cleared.
Bielfeld's correspondence on the same:
They say that this natural antipathy, which is worse than hatred, once rose so high that the two monarchs, after the example of Charles V. and Francis I., had determined to decide it by single combat; that the King of England had fixed on brigadier Sutton for his second; and his Prussian majesty had made choice of Colonel Derschau; that the territory of Hildesheim was appointed for the rendezvous. His Britannic Majesty was then at Hannover, and His Prussian Majesty was already arrived at Salzdahll, near Brunswick. Baron von Borck, who had been the Prussian minister at London, and who had been dismissed from that court in a most ungracious manner, arriving at Salzdahl, found the King his master in so violent a rage that he did not think it adviseable to directly oppose his design; but on the contrary, in order to gain time, seemed to approve of the choice of single combat, and even offered his service to carry the cartel. But entering the King's appatment an hour after, he took the liberty to say: "Sire, I am convinced that your majesties' quarrel should not be decided but by a duell, and if I am allowed the expression, as between one gentleman and another. But your majesty is scarce recovered from a dangerous illness, and have still the symptoms of your late disorder. How unfortunate therefore would it be, if you should relapse the evening before the combat, or even that very morning, and what triumph would it be for the English king? And what would the world say? what odious suspicions would it cast upon your majesty's courage? Would it not therefore be far better to postpone the entire affair for a few days, till your majesty's health is established?"
The King, they say, acquiesced, though with difficulty, in these reasonings; the cartel was not sent; the ministers of both sides gained time; the wrath of the two kings by degrees evaporated; and by the next year they became in a manner reconciled.
See also
selenak's wonderful emoji ficlet on how this might have played out!Per Koser (Kronprinz, p. 31), these events (the disputes about the hay and the recruiting of soldiers) took place in August 1729, and soldiers were mobilized.
Arneth, Prinz Eugen von Savoyen, vol 3. p 260. fn 39, p 568.
He declared to Count Seckendorff that he wanted to challenge his brother-in-law to a duel and fight a single combat against him.
39) Sedendorff an Eugen. 19. Juli 1729. Hausarch.
