Description:

George III, as Prince-elector of Hanover, sends instructions to his Privy Council concerning the "Scharnhorst Estate," owned by the family of Gerhard von Scharnhorst, considered the father of the modern Prussian Army

GEORGE III (1738-1820) Letter Signed, "George R," as King of Great Britain and Ireland and as Duke and Elector of Hanover, 1 page, 7.75" x 12.5", Court of St. James [London], May 31, 1771, in German to the Hanoverian Privy Council, concerning fees collected from the "Scharnhorst Estate." Usual folds, light soling at margins, else fine.

George's letter reads in full (translated): "Most Esteemed Councilors and dear faithful followers; This is in connection with the content of our commentary from the 21st of this month and the explanation by the property Councilor van der Decken contained therein. Subject addendum made in the year 1762 regarding revenues (expectances) from the Scharnhorst Estate never had been implemented. This decree is to confirm that the resolution made under item 15 st of said addendum that the matter shall remain undisturbed for the time being."

When George III ascended the English throne in 1760, he also became Duke and Prince-Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover). Unlike his two predecessors, English was George's first language, and he never visited Hanover. In 1814, George III would become King of Hanover as well.

The "Scharnhorst Estate" were lands owned by Gerhard Johann David Waitz von Scharnhorst (1755-1813), who is considered the father of the modern Prussian Army. Scharnhorst's father, Ernst Wilhelm Scharnhorst (1723–1782), had served in the Hanoverian service as a quartermaster, but seeing no prospect for further promotion due to his humble birth, resigned from the army. Although Ernst was fairly wealthy for a peasant, he lost much of his fortune in a ten-year lawsuit to recover lands controlled by his father-in-law in Borenau.

Fortunately, young Gerhard had made an impression on Count Lippe-Bückeburg who became his patron, allowing him to enter the military school the count had founded at Wilhelmstein. When his patron died in 1777, von Scharnhorst entered the Hanoverian service where he distinguished himself as a lecturer on military subjects. In 1793 he saw his first action in the field, serving in the Netherlands at the behest of King George III, who was also Duke and prince-elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover), where he distinguished himself. Unable to rise in the ranks due to his lack of nobility, he offered his services to King Frederick William III of Prussia, who gave him a patent of nobility. He soon rose to the rank of chief of the general staff and was instrumental in rebuilding the Prussian Army after their near destruction at Jena in 1806. Serving as chief of staff to Blücher, Scharnhorst was mortally wounded at Lützen in 1813. Scharnhorst's writings on military organization and structure greatly influenced the Prussian and modern German military. Several German warships have been named in his honor.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. Shipping and handling costs are competitive, we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000