Jump to content

Battle of Strasbourg Bridge: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 48°34′16″N 7°48′32″E / 48.571111°N 7.808889°E / 48.571111; 7.808889
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Aftermath: Corrected spelling mistake: fough -> fought
 
(27 intermediate revisions by 14 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|1634 battle of the Thirty Years' War}}
{{Infobox military conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Battle of Willstätt
| conflict = Battle of Strasbourg Bridge
|partof=the [[Thirty Years' War]]
| partof = the [[Thirty Years' War]]
| image = Wenceslas Hollar - Strasbourg- distant view.jpg
|image=
| image_size = 300px
|caption=
⚫
| caption = The Rhine river with Strasbourg in distance during the 17th century, by [[Wenceslaus Hollar]]
|date=28 September 1634
| date = 27/28 September 1634<ref name="Riezler"/><ref name="Des Robert"/>
|place= [[Willstätt]], near [[Strasbourg]], [[Holy Roman Empire]] (present-day [[Germany]])
| place = [[Kehl]], [[Margraviate of Baden]]<br />present-day [[Baden-Württemberg]], [[Germany]]
|result=Catholic victory<ref>Rebitsch, Robert: ''Matthias Gallas (1588–1647): Generalleutnant des Kaisers zur Zeit des Dreissigjährigen Krieges ; eine militärische Biographie''. Münster: Aschendorff, 2006, {{ISBN|9783402065761}}, p. 123.</ref><ref>Lahrkamp, Helmut: ''Jan von Werth: sein Leben nach archivalischen Quellenzeugnissen''. Cologne: Verlag Der Löwe, 1962, p. 40.</ref>
| result = Catholic victory<ref>Rebitsch, Robert: ''Matthias Gallas (1588–1647): Generalleutnant des Kaisers zur Zeit des Dreissigjährigen Krieges ; eine militärische Biographie''. Münster: Aschendorff, 2006, {{ISBN|9783402065761}}, p. 123.</ref><ref>Lahrkamp, Helmut: ''Jan von Werth: sein Leben nach archivalischen Quellenzeugnissen''. Cologne: Verlag Der Löwe, 1962, p. 40.</ref>
|combatant1={{Flag|Sweden|1562}}<br>[[Heilbronn League]]
| combatant1 = [[Sweden]]<br>[[Heilbronn League]]
|combatant2={{Flag|Holy Roman Empire}}<br> [[File:Catholic League (Germany).svg|22px]] [[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League]]
| combatant2 = [[Holy Roman Empire]]<br>[[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League]]
|commander1=[[Otto Louis of Salm-Kyrburg-Mörchingen|Rheingrave Otto Louis]]
| commander1 = [[Otto Louis of Salm-Kyrburg-Mörchingen|Rheingrave Otto Louis]]
|commander2=[[Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine|Charles IV of Lorraine]]<br>[[Johann von Werth]]
| commander2 = [[Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine|Charles IV of Lorraine]]<br>[[Johann von Werth]]
⚫
|strength1= 6–7,000 infantry and cavalry<ref name="Aedo y Gallart">Aedo y Gallart, Diego: ''[https://books.google.es/books?id=oEpMPh7stKkC Viaje del Infante Cardenal don Fernando de Austria: desde 12 de abril 1632 que saliò de Madrid... hasta 4 de Noviembre de 1634 que entró en la de Bruselas]''. Amberes: Juan Cnobbart, 1635, pp. 170–171.</ref><ref name="Des Robert">Des Robert, Ferdinand: ''[https://archive.org/details/campagnesdecharl00desr Campagnes de Charles IV duc de Lorraine et de Bar, en Allemagne, en Lorraine et en Franche-Comté, 1634–1638, d'après des documents inédits tirés des archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères]''. París, Nancy: H. Champion; Sidot Frères, 1883, p. 46–47</ref>
|strength2= 3,000 cavalry and 1,500 infantry<ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/><ref name="Des Robert"/>
| strength1 = 6,000–7,000<ref name="Des Robert"/>
⚫
| strength2 = 3,000 cavalry<br/>1,500–2,000 infantry<ref name="Aedo y Gallart">Aedo y Gallart, Diego: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=oEpMPh7stKkC Viaje del Infante Cardenal don Fernando de Austria: desde 12 de abril 1632 que saliò de Madrid... hasta 4 de Noviembre de 1634 que entró en la de Bruselas]''. Amberes: Juan Cnobbart, 1635, pp. 170–171.</ref><ref name="Pufendorf">{{Cite book |last= Pufendorf |first= Samuel von |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=nd9KAAAAcAAJ |title= Herrn Samuel von Pufendorf Sechs und Zwantzig Bücher der Schwedisch- und Deutschen Kriegs-Geschichte von König Gustav Adolfs Feldzuge in Deutschland an, biß zur Abdanckung der Königin Christina |date= 1688 |publisher= Gleditsch |oclc= 186771293 |publication-place= Frankfurt, Germany |page= 224 |language= de}}</ref>
|casualties1= 5,000 killed or captured,<ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/><ref name="Des Robert"/> plus 6 cannons and 4 flags<ref name="Schreiber">Schreiber, Friedrich Anton Wilhelm: ''[https://books.google.es/books?id=5mRBAAAAcAAJ Maximilian I. Der Katholische, Kurfürst von Bayern und der dreißigjährige Krieg: Nach den Acten und Urkunden der k. B. Allgemeinen Reichs-, Staats- und Provincial-Archive]''. Munich: Fleischmann, 1868, pp. 660–661.</ref>
| casualties1 = 300–2,000<ref name="Pufendorf"/><ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/>
|casualties2= Minor
| casualties2 = Unknown
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Thirty Years' War Swedish-French Intervention}}
{{Campaignbox Thirty Years' War Swedish-French Intervention}}


The '''Battle of Willstätt''' was fought during the Swedish phase of the Thirty Years' War near the Free city of Strasbourg, in the Holy Roman Empire. Having dealt a heavy defeat on the Swedish army at the [[Battle of Nördlingen (1634)|Battle of Nördlingen]] in September, the armies of the Emperor, [[Spain]] and the Catholic League overran much of the Swedish-held southern Germany. At Wilsttätt, the armies of the Emperor and the Catholic League, led by Duke Charles IV of Lorraine and general Johann von Werth, defeated a Swedish force assembled by the Germans the Rhingrave of Salm-Kyrburg-Mörchingen, the [[Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg|Duke of Württemberg]] and the [[Georg Friedrich, Margrave of Baden-Durlach|Margrave of Baden-Durlach]]. The battle lasted for three hours and ended with 2,000 Swedish soldiers dead on the battlefield and a bigger number in the rout. The Rheingrave Otto saved himself inside Strasbourg.
The '''Battle of Strasbourg Bridge''' was fought during the Swedish phase of the Thirty Years' War near the Free city of Strasbourg, in the Holy Roman Empire. Having dealt a heavy defeat on the Swedish army at the [[Battle of Nördlingen (1634)|Battle of Nördlingen]] in September, the armies of the Emperor, [[Spain]] and the Catholic League overran much of the Swedish-held southern Germany. As a result, the Swedish commander, [[Otto Louis of Salm-Kyrburg-Mörchingen|Rheingrave Otto Louis]], decided to retreat over the Rhine with his army, using the Strasbourg bridge.

The vanguard of the Emperor's and the Catholic League's army, led by Duke [[Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine|Charles IV of Lorraine]] and general [[Johann von Werth]], caught up with Otto's rearguard at [[Willstätt]], where he barely escaped capture. The Imperials then attacked the entrenchments near the Strasbourg bridge in [[Kehl]], as the Swedish army was in the process of crossing the Rhine. The battle lasted for three hours and culminated with fighting on the bridge. In the end, at least 300 Swedes, or possibly 1,500 or more, were killed or captured. The Rheingrave Otto along with most of his forces saved themselves inside Strasbourg.


==Background==
==Background==
The small Swedish army under Otto Louis captured almost all of [[Upper Alsace]] from the Habsburgs in March 1634 after defeating the Duke of Lorraine at [[Wattwiller]]. Subsequently, Otto Louis took [[Freiburg im Breisgau]] and invested [[Rheinfelden (Aargau)|Rheinfelden]] while leaving a blockade corps at the remaining Habsburg stronghold [[Breisach]]. The Swedish main commander [[Gustav Horn, Count of Pori|Gustav Horn]] ordered him to focus on the arriving Spanish troops under the [[Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria|Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand]]. Despite Ferdinand marching northeast into [[Swabia]] to unite with the main Imperial army against the Swedes, Otto Louis stayed at the Rhine. Because Rheinfelden's garrison under [[Franz von Mercy]] tenaciously resisted until 19 August and Otto Louis only hesitantly set off to reinforce Horn, he arrived too late to participate at the [[Battle of Nördlingen (1634)|Battle of Nördlingen]] and could only assist in collecting the hammered troops.<ref>{{Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie|24|730|734|Otto Ludwig, Wild- und Rheingraf|Karl Wittich|ADB:Otto Ludwig}}</ref>

[[File:Charles IV of Lorraine.jpg|160px|thumbnail|left|Portrait of Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, by an unknown author.]]
[[File:Charles IV of Lorraine.jpg|160px|thumbnail|left|Portrait of Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, by an unknown author.]]
After the battle of Nördlingen, which saw the destruction of the main Swedish field army at Germany and the capture of its commander, [[Gustav Horn, Count of Pori|Gustav Horn]], the Catholic armies gathered for the battle divided again and advanced northwards to the lands occupied by the Swedish or held by their German allies. While the bulk of the Imperial and Spanish armies advanced upon [[Franconia]], where Duke [[Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar]], commander of the German Protestant forces, had withdrawn to defend the province following his defeat, Duke Charles IV of Lorraine invaded the [[duchy of Württemberg]], a wealthy country where his troops could recover from the battle, and the commander of the German Catholic League, Johann von Werth, invaded and took control of [[Swabia]].<ref name="Des Robert"/>
After the destruction of the main Swedish field army in Germany and the capture of its commander Horn at Nördlingen, the Catholic armies gathered for the battle divided again and advanced into the lands occupied by the Swedish or held by their German allies. The bulk of the Imperial and Spanish armies advanced northwards upon [[Franconia]], where Duke [[Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar]], commander of the German Protestant forces, had withdrawn. At the same time, Duke Charles IV of Lorraine, now appointed commander of the German Catholic League, and his cavalry general Johann von Werth invaded the [[duchy of Württemberg]], a wealthy country where their troops could recover from the battle.<ref name="Des Robert">Des Robert, Ferdinand: ''[https://archive.org/details/campagnesdecharl00desr Campagnes de Charles IV duc de Lorraine et de Bar, en Allemagne, en Lorraine et en Franche-Comté, 1634–1638, d'après des documents inédits tirés des archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères]''. París, Nancy: H. Champion; Sidot Frères, 1883, p. 46–47</ref>


Aiming to expel the remaining Swedish forces from the [[Rhineland]], [[Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria|Maximilian I of Bavaria]] asked [[Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor]], for some reinforcements.<ref name="Schreiber"/> Thus, Ferdinand sent Charles of Lorraine with an army corps to Alsace, where the Swedish, in order to prevent the Imperials from taking control of the region, were handing to [[France]], under the terms of the [[Treaty of Paris (August 1634)|Treaty of Paris]], the fortresses and cities that they controlled there.<ref name="Des Robert"/> Meanwhile, Johann von Werth advanced on the [[Black Forest]] with the Catholic League's army and forced Duke Eberhard III of Württemberg to leave the siege of Willingen, chasing later his retreating forces to the gates of Strasbourg. While Werth went to join forces with Duke Charles, the Duke of Württemberg did the same with the governor of the Swedish Alsace, the Rhingrave Otto, who was collecting the Swedish forces at the Free Imperial city of [[Offenburg]], on the eastern bank of the Rhine, opposed to Strasbourg.<ref name="Des Robert"/>
On demand of [[Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria|Maximilian I of Bavaria]], [[Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Ferdinand II]] sent Charles of Lorraine at the Rhine to expel the Swedes from their remaining strongholds. Lorraine's vanguard under Werth met and defeated the rearguard of Otto Louis at [[Calw]], capturing six guns and four standards. The Rheingrave fled to [[Offenburg]], where he reassembled his troops.<ref name="Schreiber">Schreiber, Friedrich Anton Wilhelm: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=5mRBAAAAcAAJ Maximilian I. Der Katholische, Kurfürst von Bayern und der dreißigjährige Krieg: Nach den Acten und Urkunden der k. B. Allgemeinen Reichs-, Staats- und Provincial-Archive]''. Munich: Fleischmann, 1868, pp. 660–661.</ref> Werth joined forces with Duke Charles while the Rheingrave was reinforced by the [[Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg|Duke of Württemberg]] who had been forced to lift the siege of [[Villingen]].<ref name="Des Robert"/>


After having received news of the approaching Imperial army, Rheingrave Otto marched his troops to the Strasbourg bridge, to retreat over the Rhine.<ref name="Pufendorf"/> In total, he had 6,000 or 7,000 men, including the troops of the Duke of Württemberg and the Margrave of Baden-Durlach — French reinforcements under colonel Batilly, the lieutenant of the [[Henri, Duke of Rohan|Duke of Rohan]], were also expected, but these arrived too late to take part in the fighting.<ref name="Des Robert"/> To prevent the Swedish crossing of the river, Werth led a vanguard consisting of 6 regiments of cavalry, 2 of [[croats]] and 300 [[musketeers]], in all about 3,000 cavalry and 1,500<ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/> or 2,000 infantry.<ref name="Pufendorf"/>
⚫
==Battle==
⚫
[[File:Dankaerts-Historis-9297.tif|thumbnail|left|200px|The Rheingrave Otto Louis of Salm, by [[Cornelis Danckaerts]], 1642. [[Peace Palace Library]].]]
On 27 September both armies moved to meet each other at the battlefield near the village of Willstätt, between Offenburg and the Rhine river. The Catholics mustered 6 regiments of cavalry, 2 of [[croats]] and 300 [[musketeers]], in all about 3,000 cavalry and 1,500 infantry, while the Swedish, having collected their forces from Swabia and the [[Bodensee]], numbered 6,000 or 7,000 men, including the troops of the Duke of Württemberg and the Margrave of Baden-Durlach, asides of French reinforcements that were expected to arrive very soon to the battlefield under colonel Batilly, the lieutenant of the [[Henri, Duke of Rohan|Duke of Rohan]] –sent by [[Louis XIII]] of France to assist the Swedish–, but which arrived late to see any action.<ref name="Des Robert"/>


⚫
==Battle==
⚫
[[File:Wenceslas Hollar - Strasbourg- distant view.jpg|thumbnail|300px|The Rhine river with Strasbourg in distance during the 17th century, by [[Wenceslaus Hollar]].]]
⚫
[[File:Dankaerts-Historis-9297.tif|thumbnail|200px|The Rheingrave Otto Louis of Salm, by [[Cornelis Danckaerts]], 1642. [[Peace Palace Library]].]]
The battle lasted for three hours, until Charles of Lorraine led an attack that broke the regiment of the Rheingrave, the best of the Swedish army, and the entire Protestant contingent was put on flight. About 2,000 Swedish soldiers were killed on the battlefield, and many others died during the chase or were drowned in the Rhine while attempting to escape. A group of 700 Swedish soldiers entrenched themselves inside a farmstead and perished amidst the flames after the building was set on fire by Catholic soldiers.<ref name="Des Robert"/> The Imperial and Leaguist forces took 6 cannons and 4 flags.<ref name="Schreiber"/>
On 27<ref name="Riezler">{{Cite book |last= Riezler |first= Sigmund von |url= https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb00125702 |title= Geschichte Baierns. Fünfter band: Von 1597–1651 |date= 1903 |publisher= Perthes |oclc= 165443495 |publication-place= Gotha, Germany |page= 488 |language= de}}</ref> or 28 September,<ref name="Des Robert"/> Wreth made contact with the enemy's rearguard at the village of [[Willstätt]], between Offenburg and the Rhine river, while the bulk of the Swedish army was in [[Kehl]] in preparation for the crossing.<ref name="Pufendorf"/> As Otto rode out with 15 companions to command his rearguard,<ref name="Pufendorf"/> he stumbled upon some Bavarian [[cuirassiers]] of the regiment of Keller, who mistook him for a Catholic officer. When he jumped into the [[Kinzig (Rhine)|Kinzig]] stream with his horse to escape, they realized their mistake and opened fire on him; he only received a light wound.<ref name="Schreiber"/> Willstätt was burned as a result of the skirmish.<ref>Pfaff, Fridrich: ''Alemannia: Zeitschrift für sprache, litteratur und volkskunde des Elsasses und Oberrheins''. Freiburg im Breisgau: Ernst Fehsenfeld, 1907, p. 193.</ref>


The Rheingrave made his way back to Kehl, where troops were entrenched to cover the crossing. He sent his family ahead over to Strasbourg. On his arrival, Charles of Lorraine ordered an assault of the entrenchments.<ref name="Schreiber"/> The Imperial army was victorious after three hours of fighting.<ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/> The Swedes had at least 300 killed in their ranks according to [[Samuel von Pufendorf|Pufendorf]],<ref name="Pufendorf"/> of whom many died at the bridge towards the end when the orderly crossing turned into a rout.<ref name="Des Robert"/> The Imperials claim that 1,000 Swedes were killed in the entrenchments and hundreds more drowned in the Rhine or perished amidst the flames in a farmstead which was sat on fire; they assure that up to 2,000 Swedes had not escaped the battle.<ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/> [[Sigmund von Riezler|Riezler]] puts the Swedish casualties at 1,500.<ref name="Riezler"/> The Rheingrave along with the bulk of his army, however, made it over the bridge to Strasbourg.<ref name="Schreiber"/>
The Rheingrave was about to cross the [[Kinzig (Rhine)|Kinzig]], a stream which runs next to Willstätt and flows into the Rhine at [[Kehl]], when he ran into some Bavarian [[cuirassiers]] of the regiment of Keller, who mistook him for a Catholic officer. Though they realized the mistake when the Rheingrave jumped into the water with his horse and opened fire on him, he only received a light wound.<ref name="Schreiber"/>


The Rheingrave managed to reach Kehl, where he entrenched his remaining men, and sent his family to Strasbourg across the town's bridge over the Rhine. On arriving there, Charles of Lorraine took the entrenchments by assault and the Rheingrave barely escaped.<ref name="Schreiber"/> However, the bridge collapsed shortly after because of the excessive burden of his fleeing soldiers, and many of them were drowned. Charles of Lorraine wrotte a letter to the city council of Strasbourg, asking them to open the gates of the city, but the request was denied. The Rheingrave, still controlling the west bank of the Rhine, promptly retreated to [[Seltz]], while the Catholics moved to [[Rastatt]].<ref name="Des Robert"/> As result of the battle, the village of Willstätt was burned.<ref>Pfaff, Fridrich: ''Alemannia: Zeitschrift für sprache, litteratur und volkskunde des Elsasses und Oberrheins''. Freiburg im Breisgau: Ernst Fehsenfeld, 1907, p. 193.</ref>
Charles of Lorraine wrote a letter to the city council of Strasbourg, asking them to open the gates of the city, but the request was denied. The Rheingrave, still controlling the west bank of the Rhine, promptly retreated to [[Seltz]], while the Catholics moved to [[Rastatt]].<ref name="Des Robert"/>


==Aftermath==
==Aftermath==
Sweden and the Heilbronn League quickly removed their garrisons in the Rhineland after the battle and handed to France the cities of [[Colmar]], [[Schlestadt]] and [[Basel]]. The [[John George I, Elector of Saxony|Elector of Saxony]] opened talks with Ferdinand II, but the [[William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel|Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel]] and the [[George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Duke of Lüneburg]] still fielded troops against the Emperor and were in the surroundings of [[Frankfurt am Main]]. Meanwhile, the Imperial armies were between the rivers [[Neckar]] and [[Main River (disambiguation)|Main]], where they took Heilbronn on 27 September, the same day that the battle of Willstätt was fought.<ref name="Des Robert"/> Since the battle of Nördlingen, the Catholics had expelled the Swedish and their German allies from [[Bavaria]], Swabia –except from [[Ulm]] and [[Augsburg]], where they still held out but blockaded by the Duke of Bavaria–, Württemberg, and most of Franconia; in words of [[Diego Aedo y Gallart]], secretary of the [[Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria]]: "expelling him [the Swedish] from the roots of the [[Alps]]".<ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/>
Sweden and the Heilbronn League quickly removed their garrisons in the Rhineland after the battle. Under the terms of the [[Treaty of Paris (August 1634)|Treaty of Paris]], the Swedish handed over their fortresses and cities in Alsace with exception of [[Benfeld]] to [[France]], in order to prevent the Imperials from taking control of the region. <ref name="Des Robert"/> The [[John George I, Elector of Saxony|Elector of Saxony]] opened talks with Ferdinand II, but the [[William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel|Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel]] and the [[George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Duke of Lüneburg]] still fielded troops against the Emperor and were in the surroundings of [[Frankfurt am Main]]. Meanwhile, the Imperial armies were between the rivers [[Neckar]] and [[Main River (disambiguation)|Main]], where they took Heilbronn on 27 September, the same day that the Battle of Strasbourg Bridge was fought.<ref name="Des Robert"/> Since the battle of Nördlingen, the Catholics had expelled the Swedish and their German allies from [[Bavaria]], Swabia –except from [[Ulm]] and [[Augsburg]], where they still held out but blockaded by the Duke of Bavaria–, Württemberg, and most of Franconia; in words of [[Diego Aedo y Gallart]], secretary of the Cardinal-Infante: "expelling him [the Swedish] from the roots of the [[Alps]]".<ref name="Aedo y Gallart"/>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist|2}}


{{coord|48.571111|N|7.808889|E|source:wikidata|display=title}}
{{coord missing|Baden-Württemberg}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Willstatt}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Strasbourg Bridge}}
[[Category:1634 in Europe]]
[[Category:1634 in Europe]]
[[Category:Battles of the Thirty Years' War|Willstatt]]
[[Category:Battles of the Thirty Years' War|Strasbourg Bridge]]
[[Category:Battles involving Sweden|Willstatt]]
[[Category:Battles involving Sweden|Strasbourg Bridge]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1634]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1634|Strasbourg Bridge]]
[[Category:1634 in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:1634 in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Military history of Baden-Württemberg|Strasbourg Bridge]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Holy Roman Empire]]

Latest revision as of 13:14, 7 July 2024

Battle of Strasbourg Bridge
Part of the Thirty Years' War

The Rhine river with Strasbourg in distance during the 17th century, by Wenceslaus Hollar
Date27/28 September 1634[1][2]
Location
Kehl, Margraviate of Baden
present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Result Catholic victory[3][4]
Belligerents
Sweden
Heilbronn League		 Holy Roman Empire
Catholic League
Commanders and leaders
Rheingrave Otto Louis Charles IV of Lorraine
Johann von Werth
Strength
6,000–7,000[2] 3,000 cavalry
1,500–2,000 infantry[5][6]
Casualties and losses
300–2,000[6][5] Unknown

The Battle of Strasbourg Bridge was fought during the Swedish phase of the Thirty Years' War near the Free city of Strasbourg, in the Holy Roman Empire. Having dealt a heavy defeat on the Swedish army at the Battle of Nördlingen in September, the armies of the Emperor, Spain and the Catholic League overran much of the Swedish-held southern Germany. As a result, the Swedish commander, Rheingrave Otto Louis, decided to retreat over the Rhine with his army, using the Strasbourg bridge.

The vanguard of the Emperor's and the Catholic League's army, led by Duke Charles IV of Lorraine and general Johann von Werth, caught up with Otto's rearguard at Willstätt, where he barely escaped capture. The Imperials then attacked the entrenchments near the Strasbourg bridge in Kehl, as the Swedish army was in the process of crossing the Rhine. The battle lasted for three hours and culminated with fighting on the bridge. In the end, at least 300 Swedes, or possibly 1,500 or more, were killed or captured. The Rheingrave Otto along with most of his forces saved themselves inside Strasbourg.

Background

[edit]

The small Swedish army under Otto Louis captured almost all of Upper Alsace from the Habsburgs in March 1634 after defeating the Duke of Lorraine at Wattwiller. Subsequently, Otto Louis took Freiburg im Breisgau and invested Rheinfelden while leaving a blockade corps at the remaining Habsburg stronghold Breisach. The Swedish main commander Gustav Horn ordered him to focus on the arriving Spanish troops under the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand. Despite Ferdinand marching northeast into Swabia to unite with the main Imperial army against the Swedes, Otto Louis stayed at the Rhine. Because Rheinfelden's garrison under Franz von Mercy tenaciously resisted until 19 August and Otto Louis only hesitantly set off to reinforce Horn, he arrived too late to participate at the Battle of Nördlingen and could only assist in collecting the hammered troops.[7]

Portrait of Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, by an unknown author.

After the destruction of the main Swedish field army in Germany and the capture of its commander Horn at Nördlingen, the Catholic armies gathered for the battle divided again and advanced into the lands occupied by the Swedish or held by their German allies. The bulk of the Imperial and Spanish armies advanced northwards upon Franconia, where Duke Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, commander of the German Protestant forces, had withdrawn. At the same time, Duke Charles IV of Lorraine, now appointed commander of the German Catholic League, and his cavalry general Johann von Werth invaded the duchy of Württemberg, a wealthy country where their troops could recover from the battle.[2]

On demand of Maximilian I of Bavaria, Emperor Ferdinand II sent Charles of Lorraine at the Rhine to expel the Swedes from their remaining strongholds. Lorraine's vanguard under Werth met and defeated the rearguard of Otto Louis at Calw, capturing six guns and four standards. The Rheingrave fled to Offenburg, where he reassembled his troops.[8] Werth joined forces with Duke Charles while the Rheingrave was reinforced by the Duke of Württemberg who had been forced to lift the siege of Villingen.[2]

After having received news of the approaching Imperial army, Rheingrave Otto marched his troops to the Strasbourg bridge, to retreat over the Rhine.[6] In total, he had 6,000 or 7,000 men, including the troops of the Duke of Württemberg and the Margrave of Baden-Durlach — French reinforcements under colonel Batilly, the lieutenant of the Duke of Rohan, were also expected, but these arrived too late to take part in the fighting.[2] To prevent the Swedish crossing of the river, Werth led a vanguard consisting of 6 regiments of cavalry, 2 of croats and 300 musketeers, in all about 3,000 cavalry and 1,500[5] or 2,000 infantry.[6]

Battle

[edit]
The Rheingrave Otto Louis of Salm, by Cornelis Danckaerts, 1642. Peace Palace Library.

On 27[1] or 28 September,[2] Wreth made contact with the enemy's rearguard at the village of Willstätt, between Offenburg and the Rhine river, while the bulk of the Swedish army was in Kehl in preparation for the crossing.[6] As Otto rode out with 15 companions to command his rearguard,[6] he stumbled upon some Bavarian cuirassiers of the regiment of Keller, who mistook him for a Catholic officer. When he jumped into the Kinzig stream with his horse to escape, they realized their mistake and opened fire on him; he only received a light wound.[8] Willstätt was burned as a result of the skirmish.[9]

The Rheingrave made his way back to Kehl, where troops were entrenched to cover the crossing. He sent his family ahead over to Strasbourg. On his arrival, Charles of Lorraine ordered an assault of the entrenchments.[8] The Imperial army was victorious after three hours of fighting.[5] The Swedes had at least 300 killed in their ranks according to Pufendorf,[6] of whom many died at the bridge towards the end when the orderly crossing turned into a rout.[2] The Imperials claim that 1,000 Swedes were killed in the entrenchments and hundreds more drowned in the Rhine or perished amidst the flames in a farmstead which was sat on fire; they assure that up to 2,000 Swedes had not escaped the battle.[5] Riezler puts the Swedish casualties at 1,500.[1] The Rheingrave along with the bulk of his army, however, made it over the bridge to Strasbourg.[8]

Charles of Lorraine wrote a letter to the city council of Strasbourg, asking them to open the gates of the city, but the request was denied. The Rheingrave, still controlling the west bank of the Rhine, promptly retreated to Seltz, while the Catholics moved to Rastatt.[2]

Aftermath

[edit]

Sweden and the Heilbronn League quickly removed their garrisons in the Rhineland after the battle. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, the Swedish handed over their fortresses and cities in Alsace with exception of Benfeld to France, in order to prevent the Imperials from taking control of the region. [2] The Elector of Saxony opened talks with Ferdinand II, but the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and the Duke of Lüneburg still fielded troops against the Emperor and were in the surroundings of Frankfurt am Main. Meanwhile, the Imperial armies were between the rivers Neckar and Main, where they took Heilbronn on 27 September, the same day that the Battle of Strasbourg Bridge was fought.[2] Since the battle of Nördlingen, the Catholics had expelled the Swedish and their German allies from Bavaria, Swabia –except from Ulm and Augsburg, where they still held out but blockaded by the Duke of Bavaria–, Württemberg, and most of Franconia; in words of Diego Aedo y Gallart, secretary of the Cardinal-Infante: "expelling him [the Swedish] from the roots of the Alps".[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Riezler, Sigmund von (1903). Geschichte Baierns. Fünfter band: Von 1597–1651 (in German). Gotha, Germany: Perthes. p. 488. OCLC 165443495.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Des Robert, Ferdinand: Campagnes de Charles IV duc de Lorraine et de Bar, en Allemagne, en Lorraine et en Franche-Comté, 1634–1638, d'après des documents inédits tirés des archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères. París, Nancy: H. Champion; Sidot Frères, 1883, p. 46–47
  3. ^ Rebitsch, Robert: Matthias Gallas (1588–1647): Generalleutnant des Kaisers zur Zeit des Dreissigjährigen Krieges ; eine militärische Biographie. Münster: Aschendorff, 2006, ISBN 9783402065761, p. 123.
  4. ^ Lahrkamp, Helmut: Jan von Werth: sein Leben nach archivalischen Quellenzeugnissen. Cologne: Verlag Der Löwe, 1962, p. 40.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Aedo y Gallart, Diego: Viaje del Infante Cardenal don Fernando de Austria: desde 12 de abril 1632 que saliò de Madrid... hasta 4 de Noviembre de 1634 que entró en la de Bruselas. Amberes: Juan Cnobbart, 1635, pp. 170–171.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Pufendorf, Samuel von (1688). Herrn Samuel von Pufendorf Sechs und Zwantzig Bücher der Schwedisch- und Deutschen Kriegs-Geschichte von König Gustav Adolfs Feldzuge in Deutschland an, biß zur Abdanckung der Königin Christina (in German). Frankfurt, Germany: Gleditsch. p. 224. OCLC 186771293.
  7. ^ Karl Wittich (1887), "Otto Ludwig, Wild- und Rheingraf", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 24, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 730–734
  8. ^ a b c d Schreiber, Friedrich Anton Wilhelm: Maximilian I. Der Katholische, Kurfürst von Bayern und der dreißigjährige Krieg: Nach den Acten und Urkunden der k. B. Allgemeinen Reichs-, Staats- und Provincial-Archive. Munich: Fleischmann, 1868, pp. 660–661.
  9. ^ Pfaff, Fridrich: Alemannia: Zeitschrift für sprache, litteratur und volkskunde des Elsasses und Oberrheins. Freiburg im Breisgau: Ernst Fehsenfeld, 1907, p. 193.

48°34′16″N 7°48′32″E / 48.571111°N 7.808889°E / 48.571111; 7.808889

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Strasbourg_Bridge&oldid=1233136857"