The Battle of Lutzen

..

16 November 1632
 Origins of The Thirty Years War
• The reformation and counter reformation left the Holy
Roman Empire and Northern Europe split between
Protestants and Catholics, defined by the Peace of
Augsburg, 1555.

• Underlying religious and political tensions sparked the

outbreak of the Thirty Years War, which played out the Defenestration of
various factional interests. Prague, 1618

• The trigger for this vast conflict, was the death of King
Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia
without an heir. The succession passed to Ferdinand II
of Austria, but was contested by the Bohemian nobility,
who threw representatives of Ferdinand out of a
window in 1618 in the defenestration of Prague. Such
an insult could only lead to conflict.
 Origins of The Thirty Years War

Religion Power Dynasty

Protestant vs Catholic Struggle for succession within Habsburg (Austria & Spain)
the Holy Roman Empire vs
Protestant League mixed with opportunism from Oldenburg (Denmark)
(Lutheran and Calvinist) royal powers outside the Empire. Vasa (Sweden)
vs. Catholic League. Bourbon (France).
 The Bohemian Phase 1618 -1621
• Protestant Bohemian nobles rose up in revolt against
their Habsburg rulers, and offered the crown of Bohemia
to Frederick V, Elector of Palatinate and the leader of the
Protestant League, thus deposing Ferdinand of Styria, the
staunchly Catholic successor.

• The rebellion fared well initially. Frederick I became King Frederick I of Bohemia
of Bohemia on 26 August 1619. Two days after
Ferdinand II became the Holy Roman Emperor, thus
being able to draw on vast diplomatic and military
resources.

• The rebellion was crushed by a joint army of the Austrian

Imperialists and the Catholic League, led by Tilly at the
Battle of the White Mountain in 1620, and Frederick fled
Bohemia, known hereafter as the Winter King, due to his Ferdinand II, Holy
Roman Emperor
short reign.
 The Palatinate Phase 1621 -1624
• Ferdinand II placed the defeated Frederick I under the
Imperial ban, making him an outlaw in 1620. The Protestant
Union soon collapsed. The Upper Palatinate , Frederick’s
last possession was defended by Mansfeld, but eventually
captured by Tilly in 1621.

• Frederick attempted to recover his lands by raising 3 armies,

Ernst von Mansfeld
including Mansfeld’s force, but they were defeated in turn
by Tilly and Spanish troops in the Battles of Wimpfen and
Höchst in 1622.

• Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria was made Elector Palatinate;

giving a considerable increase in Catholic influence within
the Holy Roman Empire. Another attempt was made by
Frederick to regain power by rallying the Protestants, but his
army was crushed at the Battle of Stadtlohn in 1623.
Count von Tilly
 The Danish Phase 1625 -1629
• The success of the Habsburg forces focused the
remaining Protestant powers outside the Holy
Roman Empire on their defeat. But who to ask?
Danish entry to the war was set at a lower price
than that of Sweden, so Christian IV of
Denmark and Duke of Holstein led his troops
into conflict, subsidised by England and the
Dutch.

• Wallenstein raised an army of mercenaries, with

its costs charged to Ferdinand II. In conjunction
with the Catholic League army under Tilly, they
inflicted a series of defeats upon the Danes
before crushing their army at the Battle of
Lutter in 1626. Christian IV left mainland
Europe after losing the Battle of Wolgast in
1628, and signing the Peace of Lübeck in 1629.
Christian IV of Denmark
 Bellum se ipsum alet
• “War feeds itself / Der Krieg ernährt den Krieg”
became a principle of the Thirty Years War.
Occupied territories were expected to provide both
food, goods and money (Kontributionsbezirke) to
pay for the troops settled in their lands. This
resulted in a terrible price being levied on the lands
concerned.

• Wallenstein, had a large mercenary army of up to

100,000 to keep in the field for the Holy Roman
Emperor. He made many enemies as he exacted his
toll in keeping this army together. He was reward
the principality of Duchy of Sagan and the Duchies
of Mecklenburg for his effort, but alienated the Albrecht von Wallenstein
traditional rulers of the Holy Roman Empire in the
process, as they were horrified that a parvenu could
ascend so high.
 Casus belli for Swedish entry into war
• Wallenstein attempted to build a fleet with Spanish
help to master the Baltic seas. This raised a threat to
Denmark and Sweden, who overcame their
traditional enmity to face the Imperial threat.

• The final casus belli was the Edict of Restitution.

Catholics had urged the Holy Roman Emperor to
take advantage of their relative strength during the
war by restoring lands to the position of the Peace
of Augsburg in 1555, in practice returning vast
tracts of lands claimed by Protestants back to
Catholicism. The Edict enshrined this principal, thus Copy of the Edict of Restitution
ensuring a Protestant reaction, led by John George
of Saxony.

• The Diet of Regensburg , 1630, failed to reach

agreement between the Imperial Electors and the
Emperor, but led to the dismissal of Wallenstein.
 The Lion of the North
• Gustavus Adolphus and Sweden entered
the war on 26 June 1630 by invading
Pomerania. The Swedes swiftly captured
the port of Stralsund, and used this as their
base.

• Gustavus Adolphus had fought the Poles

for many years to secure his throne, and
had built a small, highly professional army
in the process.

• The Swedes cleared the northern coasts

before attempting to descend lower into
Germany and take the war directly to the
Emperor. They invaded Mecklenburg in Gustavus Adolphus
1631. of Sweden
 Siege of Magdeburg

Magdeburg declared for Gustaphus Adolphus after being re-Catholicized as a result of the
Edict of Restitution. The city was surrounded by Tilly and von Pappenheim. The Swedes
made slow progress through Germany to relieve the city.
 Sack of Magdeburg
• News of the Swedish advance spurred
Tilly on, and the Imperialist troops
bombarded the city before storming it on
20 May 1631. The city fell and endured a
two day sack.

– "I consider it cost the city more than

20,000 souls, and most certainly no
greater horrors and divine justice have
been seen since the Destruction of
Jerusalem. All our soldiers have become
rich men.“
– von Pappenheim

– 'Never was such a victory since the

storming of Troy or of Jerusalem. I am
sorry that you and the ladies of the court
were not there to enjoy the spectacle'.
Tilly to the Emperor Ferdinand II
 Magdeburg to Breintenfeld
• The news of the sack of Magdeburg sent shockwaves
through Europe, and rallied the Protestant cause. Gustavus
Adolphus marched his army to Berlin to intimidate his
father in law, the Elector of Brandenburg into an alliance.
Once signed, with fresh troops and money, the Swedes
began the advance again as his opponent Tilly failed to
take advantage of the moment.
John George,
• John George of Saxony declared for the Swedes. The Elector of Saxony
Imperialists failed to prevent the Swedish and Saxon army
joining forces at Düben on September 5th 1631.

• Tilly moved to storm Leipzig, but Gustavus Adolphus

moved the joint army to confront the Imperialists at
Breitenfeld on 17th September 1631.
 Breitenfeld 1631

During a hard fought battle, the Imperialist cavalry broke the left flank of the Protestants,
scattering the Saxon army and pursuing them off the field. Meanwhile on the right flank, the
Swedes broke through Pappenheim’s men. The Swedish and Finnish cavalry then swept
down on the Imperialist infantry, engaged with the Swedish infantry. The Imperialists were
shattered, losing about 50% of their men in an overwhelming victory for Gustavus’s army.
 Breitenfeld 1631

Medal struck to celebrate the victory of Gustavus Adolphus and his army at the Battle of
Breitenfeld.
 Order of Battle
The result of Breitenfeld highlights the differences in military practice between the
Swedes and the Imperialists & Catholic League.
• Habsburg Spain and Austria • Swedes
• Order of Battle • Order of Battle

Cavalry on flanks, infantry in centre Some cavalry on flanks

in one or two lines formed in interspersed by musketeers.
Tercios. Artillery grouped across infantry in centre in two lines, with
the infantry line, or on high ground. cavalry reserve between the two
lines. Heavy artillery grouped in the
centre, lighter artillery pieces
attached to infantry regiments.
 (Breitenfeld)

From ‘History of Gustavus Adolphus and the Thirty Years War’, B Chapman, 1856.
 Tactics
• Habsburg Spain and Austria • Swedes
• Infantry, formed into Tercios • Infantry, formed into regimental
(Squares of Pikemen 10 ranks deep, lines six deep, with pikemen in the
with blocks of musketeers in centre, flanked by a greater number
corners). An unwieldy formation, but of muskeeters. Lighter guns and
difficult to stop. cartridges, with ball and powder
ensured a greater rate of fire.

• Cavalry, engaged by the caracole; • Cavalry, engaged directly with the

front line firing pistols, then sword in close combat.
wheeling behind the next rank and
reloading.

• Artillery, heavy guns only with larger • Artillery, lighter ‘Regimental’ guns
barrels than Swedish guns. Slower introduced, placed with the infantry,
rate of fire. with heavier guns. Emphasis on rate
of fire.
 Breintenfeld to Rain
• Swedish troops now swept into the heartlands of the Holy
Roman Empire, occupying the Palatinate. Attempts at a
general peace were made between Gustavus Adolphus and
the Catholic Princes in the Empire, with all but Maximillian I
agreeing to terms. The army of the Catholic League was
reduced in size and influence.

• Gustavus Adolphus moved onto Bavaria, causing Tilly and Maximillian I,

Elector of Bavaria
his army to stand and fight the Swedes at the Battle of Rain,
15 April, 1632. Tilly was mortally wounded and his troops
retreated. He died shortly after.

• Wallenstein was recalled in the service of the Emperor as

Generalissimo of an army of 70,000 mercenaries. He
captured Bohemia, and rejoined with the remainder of Battle of Rain, 1632
Tilly’s men.
 Rain to Lützen
• Gustavus Adolphus moved his troops back to
Nürnberg. He was followed by Wallenstein’s men,
who built a large fortified camp and settled in for a
seige. Attempts by the Swedes to draw the
Imperialists out into battle failed, and an unsuccessful
attempt to storm their camp took place at the battle
of Alte Veste, on 1 August, 1632.

• In mid September, the Swedes broke camp and

headed north, with Wallenstein’s men following Graf zu Pappenheim
shortly after to attack Saxony. The Swedes moved to
prevent this. Wallenstein occupied Leipzig, between
the Swedes and the sea. Gustavus Adolphus and his
men retreated northwards, close to Leipzig.

• Wallenstein detached Pappenheim’s force, and the

Swedes closed in on the remainder of the Imperialists
at Lützen on 15 November, 1632.
 Eve of Lützen
• Wallenstein, badly outnumbered, issued an
urgent recall to Pappenheim’s force.

• ‘The enemy is marching towards us. Your

honour shall drop everything, and route
himself hereto with all troops and guns, to
be with us by early morning.’

• The postscript mentions the Swedes

crossing the river Rippach.
‘[The enemy] is already at the pass
where yesterday the road was bad’

Pappenheim received the letter at midnight

and began to move towards the battlefield
with a cavalry by 2 am, with infantry and
artillery to follow. The letter carried into battle by
Pappenheim is soaked in his blood
 “Fight then my dear friends”!
• A heavy fog covered the battlefield on the
morning of 16th November.

• Gustavus Adolphus made a short speech

to his Swedish troops.

• “There you have the enemy in front of

you. He is not on a mountain or behind
entrenchments this time, but on the open
plain. You know how eagerly he has
sought to avoid fighting, and that he is
only fighting now because he cannot
escape us. Fight then my dear friends, for
God, your country and your King.“
 “Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
• “I will reward you all, and bravely: but if
you flinch from the fight, you well know
that not a man of you will ever see
Sweden again”

• He waved his sword over his head, and

cried,

• "Jesu! Jesu! Jesu! help us to strive

today to the honour of thy Holy
Name."

– and the advance to the battlefield

across the Flossgraben began.
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~11.00
N Troops drawn up and
artillery exchange fire
1.6 km
1.0 m
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~11.10
N Swedish cavalry line extended
‘to fan out the feathers’ against
1.6 km possible outflanking from Croats.
1.0 m Wallenstein orders Lützen
to be burnt.
 “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott”!
• The Swedish and German troops sang
Luther’s hymn, ‘Ein feste Burg ist unser
Gott’ (A mighty fortress is our God), a
version of the 46th Psalm; the Marseillaise
of the Protestant Reformation.

• The troops then sang Gustavus Adolphus

battle hymn, ‘Verzage nicht du Hauflein
klein’ (O little flock, fear not the foe ),
Altenburg’s hymn written after the battle
of Breitenfeld, 1631.

• They now advanced forwards in one long

line of battle.
 Action on the Swedish right
• Gustavus Adolphus led the right
wing and soon scattered the Croat
light horsemen opposing them,
who were no match for the veteran
cavalry interspersed with
musketeers facing them.

• Gustavus called out to his men to

charge the Imperial Cuirassiers,
wearing black armour behind the
Croats.
– ‘As for those fellowes I care not for
them, ‘ sais the King : ‘but charge
me those blacke fellows soundly,
for they are the men that will
undoe us.’
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~11.30
N Swedes advance on the right and
the Croats flee.
1.6 km Commanded musketeers clear
1.0 m ditches as Yellow and Swedish
brigades attack cannon
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~11.30
N Exchange begins around Mill on
left flank, as Bernhard’s cavalry
1.6 km scatter troops before receiving
1.0 m counterattack.
Attack on Lützen fails.
 Pappenheim falls
• At midday, Pappenheim and his cavalry arrived on the
battlefield. Wallenstein ordered him to counterattack on
the Imperialist left flank, where the Swedes were still
pressing hard.

• He led his men directly into the Swedish cavalry, who

gave a volley. Pappenheim was severely wounded and
the Imperialist counterattack stalled.

• His personal trumpeter recalled the count was hit by a Graf zu Pappenheim
falconet round and 3 musket balls, disclaiming ‘Ach my
brothers, may God have mercy on you! Will not one of
you still loyally fight for the Emperor?’

• He died in the coach that took him from the battlefield,

still bearing the orders for his recall issued by Wallenstein
the night before.
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~12:00
N Pappenheim arrives and
the counterattack fails when he
1.6 km falls mortally wounded.
1.0 m Croats on right begin
flanking movement.
 Gustavus falls
• Leading a counter charge in a confused
action on their left flank, Imperialist troops
fired ‘at a man of consequence’ leading a
squadron before them.

• Gustavus Adolphus was hit in the left arm

and fell to the ground. Soon after he was
run through by sabres, then killed by a
shot in his back from Imperialist
cuirassiers at close range.
Fall of Gustavus Adolphus
• The white horse of Gustavus Adolphus by Carl Wahlbo
fled to the rear, covered in blood. This
was the first sign to the Swedish army of
their King’s apparent fate.
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~12:00
N Piccolomimi counterattacks
Swedes. Gustavus leads
1.6 km Smälander cavalry in reply,
1.0 m but is killed in a brief
exchange of fire.
 Swedish central attack
• The Yellow and Blue brigades of Swedish
veterans attacked the Imperialist centre.

‘to go boldly at the enemy and not take

any heed of their numbers, nor to fire any
salvoes until the Imperialist musketeers
had fired themselves.’

• Good to their word, the Swedes closed in,

but the veteran Imperialists facing them
held their nerve until they opened at point
blank range which decimated the Swedes.
These 2 brigades were of the flower of the
Army; old souldiers of 7 or 8 yeers service
• Cavalry flanking attacks by the Imperialists of whom the King had there placed, for that
soon followed and the Swedish Yellow he most relied upon them…there dear
bodies now covered the same ground,
and Blue brigades ceased to exist as which living they had defended. These were
fighting units. old beaten souldiers, indeed, but it was so
long since they had last been beaten, they
had by this time forgotten how to runne
away. Watts, Swedish Intelligencer 1633
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~13:00
N Swedish Yellow and Blue infantry
destroyed in attack on
1.6 km Imperialist Centre by steadfast
1.0 m infantry and flank Cavalry attacks.
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~13:30
N Imperialists hold the centre
As their right flank retires
1.6 km after the death of Pappenheim.
1.0 m
 Berhardt attacks the left
• The battle had reached stalemate in the
centre, and the attack by the Swedish
right wing had petered out following the
death of Gustavus Adolphus and
Pappenheim.

• Prince Berhardt renewed the attack on

the left flank, with a view to capturing the
area surrounding Lützen and the
windmills atop the hill.

• The Swedes pushed the Imperialist cavalry

back, with Wallenstein acting to rally his
men. A counterattack prevailed, and the
Swedes retired.
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~14:30
N Berhardt renews attacks on
the left flank, which almost
1.6 km succeeds before being repulsed.
1.0 m
 Crisis for the Swedes
• After being repulsed on the left and
centre, and having suffered the loss of
their King, the Swedes began slowly
retiring back in confusion.

• The King’s Chaplain, Fabricus, sensing the

urgency of the position began rallying
men on the right flank by singing Lutheran
hymns.

• On the extreme right flank, a wheeling

attacking by Croat horsemen was
repulsed with loss by Swedish cavalry. Bernhardt of
Saxe-Weimar
• Kynphausen pushed the infantry reserve ‘Retreat! The time for that is past.
into the front line in the centre as the It is vengeance now!
King’s body was recovered.
Bernhardt to Kynphausen.
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~14:30
N Swedish army in disarray begins
retiring. Croats fight the Swedes on
1.6 km the right flank, with the Swedes
1.0 m winning the exchange.
 Pause
• From 3:00 until 3:30 both sides
reorganised, preparing themselves for the
final onslaught.

• The Swedes prepared to attack again.

‘When the word was given for a new

Charge: “alas Camarade” (said the poore
soldiers one to another) “must we fall on
againe!”

“Come says tother” (embracing him)

“Courage if wee must, lets doe it bravely,
and make a day of it”.

Watts Swedish Intelligencer 1633

 Battle rejoined and won
The Swedes advanced once more onto
the Imperialists line. By now, both sides
had suffered many losses.

‘A fatal earnestness was seen and heard

on both sides’ as quarter was either asked,
nor given as the battle settled to push of
pike in the centre.

Nearly all the Imperial commanders were

wounded during this final stage of the
battle as eventually the Swedes managed
to push through and take the guns by the
windmill as night fell.

The Imperialists retreated during the night

and the battle had been won by the
Swedes at great cost.
 ..
The Battle of Lutzen
16th November 1632

~15:30–17:00
N Swedish army finally wins
the day by storming [Link]
1.6 km battery on the windmill and
1.0 m pushing the Imperialist
infantry back.
 Battle of Lützen - Casualties

Imperialists Swedes & Protestant

Germans

4,000 foot and horse 5,000 foot and horse

all 26 guns

~21% of total engaged ~26% of total engaged

 Euge Serve Fidelis

Medal struck in the memory of Gustavus Adolphus, killed at the Battle of Lützen, 1632.
Inscribed with Euge Serve Fidelis (Well done faithful servant), Vel Mortuum Fugiunt (Even
They Flee Death).
 Aftermath
• Wallenstein withdrew his army to
Leipzig, then back into winter
quarters in Bohemia.

• The Swedes had successfully driven

the Imperialists out of Saxony at the
loss of their King and many of their
best troops.
Assassination of Wallenstein, 1634
• Wallenstein failed to renew the
initiative against the Swedes in 1633
and after intrigue was killed on the
order of Ferdinand II in February
1634.
The Swedish army and the Imperialists, reinforced by Spanish troops met again
on the field of Nördlingen 1634, with the Swedes being crushed.
The war now entered a new phase; between France and Spain, ending in 1648.
 References
History of Gustavus Adolphus and the Thirty Years War
B Chapman
Longman (1856)

• Gustavus Adolphus
• CRL Fletcher
• GP Putnam & Sons (1923)

• Atlas of Military Strategy

DG Chandler
Arms and Armour Press (1980)
 References
• Lützen 1632
• R Brzezinski
• Osprey Publishing (2001)

• The Thirty Years War 1618 – 1648

• R Bonney
• Osprey Publishing (2002)

• Europe’s Tragedy: A History of the Thirty Years War

• PH Wilson
• Allen Lane (2009)