Thirty Years War 1618-1648

Battle of Breitenfeld.

Then Gustavus advanced in earnest. He crossed the Elbe at Wittenberg. 16,000 Saxons joined his 26,00o Swedes at Dliben, and some of the western Germans had already come in. Tilly had just captured Leipzig, and outside that place, carried away by Pappenheim's enthusiasm, he gave battle on Sept. 7-17 to the now superior allies. The first battle of Breitenfeld (q.v.) was a triumphant success for Gustavus and for the new Swedish system of war. Though the raw Saxons were routed at the outset by Tilly's men, the Swedes on the other wing drove the veterans of the League off the field in disorder, leaving 6,000 dead. Tilly himself was thrice wounded and barely escaped.

All Protestant Germany hailed Gustavus as the liberator. John George, the Swedish general Horn and the Swedish chancellor Oxenstierna united in advising Gustavus to march straight upon.

Vienna. Richelieu was of the same mind. But Gustavus de liberately chose to move into South Germany, there to organize the cities and the princes in a new and stronger Protestant Union the Corpus Evangelicorum, and to place himself in a country full of resources whence he could strike out against the emperor, Tilly and the Rhine Spaniards in turn. The Swedish army pushed on to Mainz, where it wintered in luxury. The Palatinate was re organized under Swedish officials and the reformed religion estab lished again. In March 1632 the campaign was resumed. Nurem berg and Donauworth welcomed Gustavus. Tilly's army, reorgan ized for the defence of Bavaria, stood to fight on the Lech, but the passage was forced (April 4-14) and Tilly himself was mor tally wounded. Augsburg, Munich and all the country south of the Danube were occupied without resistance. At the same time John George's Saxons, advancing into Bohemia, entered Prague without firing a shot.

Wallenstein Returns.

The emperor had now either to sub mit or to reinstate Wallenstein. Wallenstein demanded as the price of his services the reversal of the Edict, and power to de throne every prince who adhered to the Swedes. His terms were accepted, and in April 1632 he took the field as the emperor's alter ego with a new army that his recruiters had gathered in a few weeks. He soon expelled the Saxons from Bohemia and offered John George amnesty and the rescinding of the Edict as the basis of peace. The elector, bound by his alliance with Gus tavus, informed the Swedish king of this offer, and a series of negotiations began between the three leaders. But John George had too much in common with each to follow either Wallenstein or Gustavus unreservedly, and the war recommenced. The

Swedish king had now to meet Wallenstein's new army of 6o,000, composed of the men immortalized by Schiller's play, excellent in war and in plundering, destitute of all home and national ties, and owning allegiance to its general alone. While Gustavus in Fran conia was endeavouring with little success to consolidate his Cor pus Evangelicorum Wallenstein came upon the scene. Gustavus offered him battle. But as in 1625 Wallenstein would risk no battle until his army had gained confidence. He entrenched him self near Fiirth, while Gustavus camped his army about Nurem berg and a contest of endurance ensued. Wallenstein, aided by his superiority in irregular cavalry, was able to starve for three days longer than the king, and at last Gustavus furiously attacked the entrenchments (battle of the Alte Veste, Aug. 24–Sept. 3, 1632) and was repulsed with heavy losses. Thereupon he retired, endeavouring in vain to tempt Wallenstein out of his stronghold by making his retreat openly and within striking distance of the imperialists. Wallenstein had other views than simple military success. Instead of following Gustavus he marched into Saxony, his army plundering and burning even more thoroughly than usual in order to force the Saxons into peace. Gustavus followed with the swiftness that was peculiar to the Swedish system, and concentrated at Erfurt when Wallenstein had scarcely mastered Leipzig. But it was now late in the season, and Wallenstein hoped to spin out the few remaining weeks of the campaign in an en trenched position. Gustavus, without waiting for Arnim's Saxons to join him, suddenly moved forward, and on Nov. 6-16 the battle of Liitzen (q.v.) was fought, a battle as fierce even as Breitenfeld. Gustavus was slain, but Wallenstein's army was driven from the field.

The League of Heilbronn.

The fall of Gustavus practically determined the intervention of France, for Richelieu supported all electors, Catholic or Protestant, against the central power at Vienna as part of his anti-Spanish policy, and French assistance was now indispensable to the Protestants. For although Liitzen was a victory and the Protestant circles formed the League of Heilbronn in April 1633, the emperor was really in the ascendant. John George of Saxony needed but little inducement to make peace. But the tragedy of Liitzen was soon to be followed by the tragedy of Eger. Wallenstein, gradually forming the resolve of forcing peace on Germany with his army, relaxed his pressure on Saxony, and flung himself upon the Swedish garrisons in Silesia.