The height and the fall: Chief commanders William I and Benedek
The chief commanders in the Prussian-Austrian War of 1866 were 69-year-old King of Prussia William I. for Prussia and 62-year-old Ludwig Benedek for Austria. Both the commanders had experienced military successes and were regarded as excellent military leaders. However, the War of 1866 and the Battle of Hradec Králové in particular changed both the men's lives significantly.
Benedek was pensioned off after the war was lost and had to promise not to speak about his command. He was buried in civilian clothes and without military honours. However, the victory aided King William I of Prussia to the title of Emperor. He would win the war with France and then started unifying Germany. He was crowned the first German Emperor five years after the Battle of Hradec Králové. William I., assisted by his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, united the smaller and larger states and free cities in a single German Empire, with more than 41 million inhabitants at the time.
That said, Ludwig Benedek was eligible for the highest accolades before the War of 1866. He was the son of a physician, ranking among lower Hungarian nobility. At the age of 14, he enrolled at a military academy, then headed the staff of the famous commander Field Marshal Radetzky, who took a liking to him. He was nicknamed Radetzky the Second. After the Battle of Solferino in 1859, where he did excellently despite the defeat, he became the most popular soldier of the Austrian Empire. He was appointed the commander of the Austrian North Army in 1866.
After the War, some military circles identified him as the main culprit of the defeat, and he was even put before a military tribunal. At an intervention by the Emperor, however, he was acquitted, pensioned off and spent the rest of his life in seclusion. According to historical assessments, he was a brave soldier and one of Austria's best military leaders of the 19th century. Unfortunately, he became most infamous for the Battle of Hradec Králové.
Successful King of Prussia William I,, who made it to the rank of German Emperor after military victories, had a difficult time choosing the right title. The appellation "Emperor of Germany" was disliked by monarchs who were originally not part of the German Confederation. The title "Emperor of the Germans" did not suit William, who tried to respect the other nationalities as well. Eventually the compromise title "German Emperor" (Deutscher Kaiser) was chosen.