Battle of Rheinfelden
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Rheinfelden was a military event in the course of the Thirty Years' War
, consisting in fact of two battles fought in 1638 to the north and south of the present-day town of Rheinfelden
, between a mercenary
army led by Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar
and an Holy Roman Empire army
led by Johann von Werth
. Bernhard was defeated in the first battle but managed to defeat and capture Von Werth in the second.
in 1634, Bernhard's mercenary
army had come under the pay of France. Having been pushed back over the Rhine by the Imperial advance Bernhard's army had settled in Alsace
during 1635 and had done little except help repulse the Imperial invasion of France under the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
and General Matthias Gallas
in 1636.
Early in February 1638, having been prodded by the French government Bernhard advanced his army to the Rhine in order to find a crossing. Arriving at an important crossing point at the town of Rheinfelden
, Bernhard prepared to invest the town from the south and using the ferry at Beuggen threw troops across the river in order to complete the investment from the north. The attack on the town was to be made on March 1.
In order to prevent this, the Imperialists, under the Italian mercenary Count Federico Savelli and Johann von Werth, moved through the Black Forest
to attack Bernhard's army and relieve the town.
, having advanced down the right bank of the river, was pushed back by Bernhard. This gave him time to deploy more troops and artillery onto the north bank of the river. However, by the time Savelli appeared with the main body of his force only half of Bernhard's army had made it to the north bank.
Bernhard drew up his army to prevent Savelli from relieving the town. Savelli deployed the Imperial army opposite Bernhard but because of the rough ground there was little chance for both armies to retain their formation. Savelli drove back Berhard's left flank while on the opposite end of the field Bernhard routed the Imperial right. Like a revolving door both armies swung round giving Savelli the chance to capture the ferry and cut off Bernhard from his troops on the south back. At the days end the armies were facing each other in the positions that the other had started the battle in.
. There, having crossed the Rhine and united his army, Bernhard turned back towards Rheinfelden.
.
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, consisting in fact of two battles fought in 1638 to the north and south of the present-day town of Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden is a municipality in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, seat of the district of Rheinfelden. It is located 15 kilometres east of Basel. The name means the fields of the Rhine, as the town is located on the Hochrhein. It is home to Feldschlösschen, the most popular beer in...
, between a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
army led by Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar
Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar
Bernard of Saxe-Weimar was a German prince and general in the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:Born in Weimar within the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, Bernard was the eleventh son of Johann, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Dorothea Maria of Anhalt.Bernard received an unusually good education and studied at the...
and an Holy Roman Empire army
Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire
The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire was the army of the Holy Roman Empire...
led by Johann von Werth
Johann von Werth
Count Johann von Werth , also Jan von Werth or in French Jean de Werth, was a German general of cavalry in the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:...
. Bernhard was defeated in the first battle but managed to defeat and capture Von Werth in the second.
Prelude
Following the Swedish defeat at the Battle of NördlingenBattle of Nördlingen (1634)
The Battle of Nördlingen was fought on 27 August or 6 September , 1634 during the Thirty Years' War. The Roman Catholic Imperial army, bolstered by 18,000 Spanish and Italian soldiers, won a crushing victory over the combined Protestant armies of Sweden and their German-Protestant allies .After...
in 1634, Bernhard's mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
army had come under the pay of France. Having been pushed back over the Rhine by the Imperial advance Bernhard's army had settled in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
during 1635 and had done little except help repulse the Imperial invasion of France under the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand was Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Infante of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Archbishop of Toledo , and military...
and General Matthias Gallas
Matthias Gallas
Matthias Gallas, Graf von Campo und Herzog von Lucera , was an Austrian soldier, who first saw service in Flanders, then in Savoy with the Spaniards, and subsequently joined the forces of the Catholic League as captain during the Thirty Years' War.On the general outbreak of hostilities in Germany,...
in 1636.
Early in February 1638, having been prodded by the French government Bernhard advanced his army to the Rhine in order to find a crossing. Arriving at an important crossing point at the town of Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden is a municipality in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, seat of the district of Rheinfelden. It is located 15 kilometres east of Basel. The name means the fields of the Rhine, as the town is located on the Hochrhein. It is home to Feldschlösschen, the most popular beer in...
, Bernhard prepared to invest the town from the south and using the ferry at Beuggen threw troops across the river in order to complete the investment from the north. The attack on the town was to be made on March 1.
In order to prevent this, the Imperialists, under the Italian mercenary Count Federico Savelli and Johann von Werth, moved through the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
to attack Bernhard's army and relieve the town.
The First Battle
The advance guard of the Imperial armyImperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire
The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire was the army of the Holy Roman Empire...
, having advanced down the right bank of the river, was pushed back by Bernhard. This gave him time to deploy more troops and artillery onto the north bank of the river. However, by the time Savelli appeared with the main body of his force only half of Bernhard's army had made it to the north bank.
Bernhard drew up his army to prevent Savelli from relieving the town. Savelli deployed the Imperial army opposite Bernhard but because of the rough ground there was little chance for both armies to retain their formation. Savelli drove back Berhard's left flank while on the opposite end of the field Bernhard routed the Imperial right. Like a revolving door both armies swung round giving Savelli the chance to capture the ferry and cut off Bernhard from his troops on the south back. At the days end the armies were facing each other in the positions that the other had started the battle in.
Bernhard's March
Although the Imperialists held the field Bernhard's losses were not serious and he resolved to unite both parts of his army. Avoiding Imperialist detachments Bernhard marched east along the Rhine to the village of LaufenburgLaufenburg
- Places :* Laufenburg, Germany* Laufenburg, Switzerland* Laufenburg District, a district of the canton of Aargau, Switzerland...
. There, having crossed the Rhine and united his army, Bernhard turned back towards Rheinfelden.
The Second Battle
Believing Bernhard's army defeated and scattered, the Imperialist army failed to take precautions. Around 7 am Savelli's outposts were astonished to see Bernhard's army approaching and withdrew towards Rheinfelden to report Bernhard's presence as Savelli and Werth assembled their army in haste. Bernhard had his artillery fire three times into the Imperial ranks before a final charge broke the Imperialist army. Troops coming out of Rheinfelden to help were also caught by Bernhard and forced to surrender. Both Savelli and Werth were captured.Aftermath
Bernhard's victory enabled him to march north along the Rhine to initiate the siege of BreisachBreisach
Breisach is a town with approximately 16,500 inhabitants, situated along the Rhine in the Rhine Valley, in the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about halfway between Freiburg and Colmar — 20 kilometres away from each — and about 60 kilometres north of Basel near the...
.