Battle of Oldendorf
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Oldendorf on 8 July 1633 was a battle of the Thirty Years' War
between the Swedish Empire
and the Holy Roman Empire
near Hessisch-Oldendorf, Lower Saxony
, Germany
. The result was a decisive victory of the Swedish Army.
, William V
, as a Protestant
ally of Sweden
had campaigned in Westfalia
, Ruhr area
and Sauerland
and successfully reduced imperial presence there. The imperial defense of the Weser area in 1633 was led by Jobst Maximilian von Gronsfeld.
The battle was preceded by a Swedish siege of the nearby imperial-held town of Hameln, laid in March 1633 with support of Hessian and Lüneburgian troops.
and Marshal Dodo zu Innhausen und Knyphausen faced an Imperial relief army
commanded by Field Marshal Jobst Maximilian von Gronsfeld, Count John (Johann, Jean) of Merode
and Lothar Dietrich Freiherr von Bönninghausen. Merode commanded 4,450 infantry and 1,245 cavalry, Bonninghausen 4,475 infantry and 2,060 cavalry, Gronsfeld 2,000 infantry and 600 cavalry. The armies met near Hessisch-Oldendorf, northwest of besieged Hameln.
Both armies attacked, a rare event in the Thirty Year's War which besides Oldendorf only occurred in the Second Battle of Breitenfeld.Usually, one of the armies (the less numerous one) would take on a defensive position, while the other army (the more numerous one) would attack if its leader, having evaluated the defense of the opponent, found an attack promising. Guthrie (2003), p.121. The left wing of the Swedish forces was commanded by the general of Hesse-Kassel
and later imperial field marshal Count Peter Eppelmann Melander von Holzapfel. Later field marshal Torsten Stalhansk led a Swedish brigade. Later field marshal Gottfried von Geelen participated in the battle on the imperial side.
Gronsfeld was captured after his wing was routed by Melander, leaving over 3000 dead and wounded and 1000 prisoner. The Swedish lost 700 soldiers.
on 6 September 1634 brought about a change in the balance of power.
Melander, Swedish commander at Oldendorf, intrigued with the Holy Roman Emperor
in 1635 to merge Hesse-Kassel
's forces into the Imperial army
and have Hesse-Kassel sign the Peace of Prague
. These plans failed, and personal quarrels led him to quit service to re-enter it as the Imperial commander of Westphalia
in 1645. The Peace of Prague reconciled many Protestant states with the Holy Roman Emperor
, most notably the Electorate of Saxony
. As a consequence, Sweden's and Hesse-Kassel
's forces stood alone against a growing anti-Swedish, pro-Habsburg
coalition in 1635 - a disequilibrium eventually stirring France
's intervention in the Thirty Years' War
.
In 1647, Hessisch-Oldendorf became the winter quarters of the Swedish army commanded by Carl Gustaf Wrangel
retreating from Bohemia
, followed by then imperial commander Melander who took quarter in Hesse
.
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....
between the Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
and the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
near Hessisch-Oldendorf, Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The result was a decisive victory of the Swedish Army.
Prelude
The Landgrave of Hesse-KasselHesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
, William V
William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
William V of Hesse-Kassel was the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel in the Holy Roman Empire from 1627 to 1637....
, as a Protestant
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
ally of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
had campaigned in Westfalia
Westfalia
Westfalia is the designation of various specially converted Volkswagen camper vans. It is named after Westfalia-Werke, the contractor that built the vans, which is headquartered in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück located in the Westphalia region of Germany....
, Ruhr area
Ruhr Area
The Ruhr, by German-speaking geographers and historians more accurately called Ruhr district or Ruhr region , is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.2 million , it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany...
and Sauerland
Sauerland
The Sauerland is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited...
and successfully reduced imperial presence there. The imperial defense of the Weser area in 1633 was led by Jobst Maximilian von Gronsfeld.
The battle was preceded by a Swedish siege of the nearby imperial-held town of Hameln, laid in March 1633 with support of Hessian and Lüneburgian troops.
Battle
On 8 July, the Swedish army commanded by George, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgGeorge, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg ruled as Prince of Calenberg from 1635.He was a son of William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Dorothea of Denmark . His mother was daughter to Christian III of Denmark and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg...
and Marshal Dodo zu Innhausen und Knyphausen faced an Imperial relief army
Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire
The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire was the army of the Holy Roman Empire...
commanded by Field Marshal Jobst Maximilian von Gronsfeld, Count John (Johann, Jean) of Merode
Jean-Philippe-Eugène de Mérode-Westerloo
Jean-Philippe-Eugène, Count de Mérode, 5th Marquis van Westerloo was a Belgian military and Feldmarschall of the Holy Roman Empire....
and Lothar Dietrich Freiherr von Bönninghausen. Merode commanded 4,450 infantry and 1,245 cavalry, Bonninghausen 4,475 infantry and 2,060 cavalry, Gronsfeld 2,000 infantry and 600 cavalry. The armies met near Hessisch-Oldendorf, northwest of besieged Hameln.
Both armies attacked, a rare event in the Thirty Year's War which besides Oldendorf only occurred in the Second Battle of Breitenfeld.Usually, one of the armies (the less numerous one) would take on a defensive position, while the other army (the more numerous one) would attack if its leader, having evaluated the defense of the opponent, found an attack promising. Guthrie (2003), p.121. The left wing of the Swedish forces was commanded by the general of Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
and later imperial field marshal Count Peter Eppelmann Melander von Holzapfel. Later field marshal Torsten Stalhansk led a Swedish brigade. Later field marshal Gottfried von Geelen participated in the battle on the imperial side.
Gronsfeld was captured after his wing was routed by Melander, leaving over 3000 dead and wounded and 1000 prisoner. The Swedish lost 700 soldiers.
Aftermath
The Swedish victory in Oldendorf and the subsequent victory in the Battle of Pfaffenhofen on 11 August balanced the Swedish defeat in the Battle of Steinau on 10 October; overall, Swedish and Imperial forces were "on even terms" in 1633. This only changed in the following year: While the Swedish forces won the Battle of Liegnitz on 8 May and the Battle of Landshut on 22 July, their defeat in 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...
on 6 September 1634 brought about a change in the balance of power.
Melander, Swedish commander at Oldendorf, intrigued with the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
in 1635 to merge Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
's forces into the Imperial army
Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire
The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire was the army of the Holy Roman Empire...
and have Hesse-Kassel sign the Peace of Prague
Peace of Prague (1635)
The Peace of Prague of 30 May 1635 was a treaty between the Habsburg Emperor Ferdinand II and the Electorate of Saxony representing most of the Protestant states of the Holy Roman Empire...
. These plans failed, and personal quarrels led him to quit service to re-enter it as the Imperial commander of Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
in 1645. The Peace of Prague reconciled many Protestant states with the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
, most notably the Electorate of Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
. As a consequence, Sweden's and Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
's forces stood alone against a growing anti-Swedish, pro-Habsburg
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
coalition in 1635 - a disequilibrium eventually stirring France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's intervention in the Thirty Years' War
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....
.
In 1647, Hessisch-Oldendorf became the winter quarters of the Swedish army commanded by Carl Gustaf Wrangel
Carl Gustaf Wrangel
Carl Gustaf Wrangel was a high-ranking Swedish noble, statesman and military commander in the Thirty Years', Torstenson, Bremen, Second Northern and Scanian Wars....
retreating from Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, followed by then imperial commander Melander who took quarter in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
.