the doubling of the dragoon regiment of Wuthenow and obtained a position as lieutenant in this regiment. In 1727, after an argument with his captain (Rittmeister), he was condemned to a one-year imprisonment on the fortress of Königsberg for disobedience. After returning from the fortress, Zieten challenged the Rittmeister to a duel and he was subsequently cashiered. He returned to Wustrau. By 1730, on the recommendation of General Wilhelm Dietrich von Buddenbrock, the supposedly rehabilitated Zieten entered the newly formed Freikompanie (independent company) of hussars at Potsdam. On 1 March 1732, a second company of the Hussars was created, and Zieten was appointed as its chief and promoted to the Rittmeister with 50 thalers a month's salary. In summer 1732, Zieten was given four weeks of arrest for an offense. In 1735, Frederick William appointed Zieten as the head of a hussar company, and sent him to the Imperial Army on the Rhine, where he participated in the Rhine campaign. Károly József Batthyány, the Austrian hussars' superintendent, served as his mentor in the fighting against France. At that time, the Austrians were the reputed masters of light cavalry work. His next promotion, to major took place on 29 January 1736. In 1737 Zieten married the 33-year-old Judith von Jürgaß. His eldest daughter came from this marriage. Shortly before the wedding, he dueled with his superintendent, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Ludwig von Wurmburg. Both were severely wounded. Service to Frederick the Great In 1741, at the onset of the First Silesian War (War of Austrian Succession), Zieten was a major and squadron leader. On 10 May 1741 he distinguished himself in combat with the Austrians at the Battle of Strehlen. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Life hussar regiment and received the Order Pour le Mérite. Zieten met his old teacher, Batthyány, during the First Silesian War and defeated him at the Battle of Rothschloss. The chivalrous Austrian sent him a complimentary letter a few days later, and General von Winterfeldt, who had been in command at Rothschloss, reported upon his conduct so favorably that Frederick marked him for future high command. Within a year he was colonel and proprietor of the newly formed Hussar Regiment, the Zieten Hussars, the second Hussar Regiment. In the Moravian foray of the following year, Zieten and his hussars penetrated almost to Vienna, and in the retreat to Silesia he was constantly employed with