András Hadik
An 18th-century Hungarian hussar who pulled off a dazzling cavalry raid to capture Berlin, humiliating Prussia's Frederick the Great at the height of his power.
1710–1790 (age 80)·Hungarian nobleman, military officer and government official·Birthday: October 16
Biography
Count András Hadik was the archetype of the daring hussar commander, a master of lightning-fast, independent operations that could alter the political landscape in an instant. Born into the Hungarian nobility, he cut his teeth fighting the Ottoman Turks before his talents were deployed in the sprawling European conflict of the Seven Years' War. In 1757, with a small, mobile force of only a few thousand hussars and light troops, he executed one of the war's most audacious maneuvers. Slipping past Prussian defenses, he rode over 150 kilometers in five days and appeared before the gates of Berlin itself. The Prussian capital, left virtually undefended, had no choice but to surrender. Hadik's occupation lasted only a single day, but its symbolic impact was seismic. He extracted a hefty ransom and withdrew before Prussian reinforcements could arrive, delivering a stunning propaganda coup for the Austrian alliance and proving that even Frederick the Great's heartland was vulnerable. The raid made him a hero across Europe and cemented his reputation as one of history's great light cavalry generals.
#1 When András Was Born
The biggest hits of 1710
András's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1710Born
1715Started school
1723Became a teenager
1726Could drive
1728Could vote
1731Turned 21
1740Turned 30
1750Turned 40
1760Turned 50
1770Turned 60
1780Turned 70
1790Turned 80
Key Achievements
- Successfully captured and occupied the Prussian capital of Berlin for a day in October 1757 with a small, fast-moving cavalry force.
- Extracted a ransom of 300,000 thalers from the city of Berlin during his famous raid.
- Was appointed Governor of the newly acquired province of Galicia and Lodomeria in 1774.
- Achieved the rank of Field Marshal in the Imperial Austrian Army.
Did You Know?
A statue of him on horseback stands in Budapest's Castle District, a tribute to his legendary raid.
The street where the Austrian embassy in Berlin is located is named 'Hadikstraße' in his honor.
He began his military career at age 19 in the army of Francis II Rákóczi during a Hungarian uprising.
His son, Karl Joseph Hadik, also became a high-ranking general and governor.
“A hussar's duty is to strike where he is not expected, and vanish before he can be caught.”
