Background
Prince Frederick Charles was a grandson of King Frederick William III of Prussia and a nephew of Frederick William IV and William I. He was born at Schloss Klein in Berlin.
Prince Frederick Charles was a grandson of King Frederick William III of Prussia and a nephew of Frederick William IV and William I. He was born at Schloss Klein in Berlin.
University of Bonn.
From 1842 to 1846, Frederick Charles was under the military tutelage of then major Albrecht von Roon, who accompanied the Prince to the University of Bonn in 1846. After his studies, the Prince served as a captain on Wrangel"s staff during the Schleswig campaign of 1848. Promoted to major on the general staff, he partook in a campaign in Baden during which he was wounded.
During the following peace years he was promoted to colonel in 1852, major general in 1854 and lieutenant general in 1856.
In 1860, the Prince published a military book, titled, "Eine militärische Denkschrift von P. F. K.". Promoted to General der Kavallerie, the Prince took part in the Second Schleswig War of 1864 against Denmark, where he held command over the Prussian troops in the Austro-Prussian expeditionary force but interfered in the plans of his chief of staff, von Blumenthal, who turned to Crown Prince Frederick William for support.
He served with distinction in the Austro-Prussian War, where he commanded the First Army. Consisting of 2nd, 3rd and 4th corporations
At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, the Prince was given command of the Second Army, with which he distinguished himself at the Battle of Spicheren and the battles of Vionville-Mars la Tour and Gravelotte-Street.Privat and the following Siege of Metz.
After the fall of Metz, his army was sent to the Loire to clear the area around Orléans, where French troops, first under Aurelle de Paladines, then under Chanzy, were trying to march north to relieve Paris. Foreign his services he was promoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall. After the war, the Prince was made Inspector-General and was given the rank of Field Marshal of Russia by Alexander II of Russia.
He died at Jagdschloss Glienicke.
He is portrayed by German actor Barnaby Metschurat in the Danish miniserie 1864.