Palatinate campaign
Encyclopedia
The Palatinate Campaign or the Spanish conquest of the Palatinate, were a series of sieges, battles and conquests of the Bohemian Revolt in the Thirty Years' War
, that were carried out by Spain's Tercios of the Army of Flanders
, under Don Ambrosio Spinola, and the Spanish-Imperial troops under the Count of Tilly and Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. The Spanish troops took advantage of Frederick's predicament by invading the German Protestant Palatinate in 1620 and conquering it by the end of 1622.
, and in early September they entered the Lower Palatinate, taking Kreuznach, Oppenheim
, and the Bergstrasse district. Tilly and the army of the "League", along with the other Spanish army under Córdoba soon followed, after joining at Wimpfen
. It was not until late 1622, that both Heidelberg
and Mannheim
, the two leading cities in the Lower Palatinate, fell to the Spanish-imperial army.
, the capital of German Calvinism, occupying the Upper Palatinate. Spain's troops under Spinola from the Spanish Netherlands attacked the Lower Palatinate and took it over quickly. The unfortunate Frederick fled into exile in the United Provinces
.
The Spanish took control of the western part of the Palatinate (to gain the access route from Italy to the Netherlands through the Spanish Road
), and the Duke Maximilian of Bavaria
took the rest of the territory.
, who were garrisoned in the towns of Frankenthal
and Mannheim
in the Lower Palatinate, could do little to stop the advance of Córdoba. On his return to the Netherlands, Spinola captured Jülich
in 1621, reversing Maurice's success of 1610, and cutting off the supply route between the Low Countries and the Upper Palatinate. In the Palatinate, the situation went from bad to worse for the Protestant cause. Mainz
fell to Córdoba in August 1621, Kreuznach and Oppenheim
soon after. Tilly's Catholic troops laid siege to Heidelberg
, which capitulated in September, 1622, and Mannheim followed in early November.
The English garrison at Frankenthal held on during the winter months but it was recognized that it was futile to hold on to the fortification in light of the noose tightening around the town. In March, 1623, the English, knowing that they could not alter the situation in the Palatinate, handed over Frankenthal to the Spanish. Vere's troops fought bravely and stoutly defended the fortifications they garrisoned, but they were finally overwhelmed by the might of the combined Spanish and imperial forces.
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Reestablished as King of Bohemia, Emperor Ferdinand II
declared Bohemia
a hereditary Habsburg possession, confiscated the land of the Protestant nobles, and established Catholicism as the sole religion. On August 6, 1623, the Protestant forces of Christian of Brunswick were destroyed by the combined Spanish and Imperial troops under the Count of Tilly in the Battle of Stadtlohn
, and Frederick V, Elector Palatine
, was forced to sign an armistice
with Emperor Ferdinand II, thus ending the "Palatine Phase" of the Thirty Years' War
.
Frederick V, already in exile in The Hague
, and under growing pressure from his father-in-law, James I of England
, to end his involvement in the war, was forced to abandon any hope of launching further campaigns. The Protestant rebellion had been crushed.
In 1624, the Kingdom of England
, France
, the United Provinces of the Netherlands, Sweden
, Denmark
, the Duchy of Savoy
, the Republic of Venice
, and Brandenburg
would join in an Anti-Habsburg alliance to fight against Spain
and the Holy Roman Empire
. The Spanish renewed their attack on the Dutch after the Twelve Years' Truce
, and on June 5, 1625, the Spaniards conquered the important Dutch fortress city of Breda. The forces of Catholicism seemed on the road to victory, but the war was far from over.
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....
, that were carried out by Spain's Tercios of the Army of Flanders
Army of Flanders
The Army of Flanders was a Spanish Habsburg army based in the Netherlands during the 16th to 18th centuries. It was notable for being the longest standing army of the period, being in continuous service from 1567 until its disestablishment in 1706...
, under Don Ambrosio Spinola, and the Spanish-Imperial troops under the Count of Tilly and Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. The Spanish troops took advantage of Frederick's predicament by invading the German Protestant Palatinate in 1620 and conquering it by the end of 1622.
Spanish-Imperial conquest of the Palatinate
In August, 1620, Spinola and 25,000 soldiers from the Army of Flanders began their march from BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, and in early September they entered the Lower Palatinate, taking Kreuznach, Oppenheim
Oppenheim
Oppenheim is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is well known as a wine town, the site of the German Winegrowing Museum and particularly for the wines from the Oppenheimer Krötenbrunnen vineyards.- Location :...
, and the Bergstrasse district. Tilly and the army of the "League", along with the other Spanish army under Córdoba soon followed, after joining at Wimpfen
Battle of Wimpfen
The Battle of Wimpfen was a battle in the Bohemian Revolt period of the Thirty Years' War on 6 May 1622 near Wimpfen. The forces of the Holy Roman Empire and Catholic League under Marshal Tilly and Gonzalo de Córdoba defeated the Protestant forces of General Ernst von Mansfeld and Georg Friedrich,...
. It was not until late 1622, that both Heidelberg
Siege of Heidelberg (1622)
The Siege of Heidelberg took place from 23 July to 19 September 1622, between the Spanish-Imperial army led by Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly and Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba against Protestant forces led by Sir Gerard Herbert...
and Mannheim
Capture of Mannheim
The Capture of Mannheim took place on 2 November, 1622, by the Spanish-Imperial army commanded by Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly and Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba against the Protestant troops under the Englishman Sir Horace Vere during the Thirty Years' War.-Background:In September, 1620, the...
, the two leading cities in the Lower Palatinate, fell to the Spanish-imperial army.
End of campaign
The campaign ended when Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba and the Count of Tilly sacked HeidelbergHeidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, the capital of German Calvinism, occupying the Upper Palatinate. Spain's troops under Spinola from the Spanish Netherlands attacked the Lower Palatinate and took it over quickly. The unfortunate Frederick fled into exile in the United Provinces
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
.
The Spanish took control of the western part of the Palatinate (to gain the access route from Italy to the Netherlands through the Spanish Road
Spanish Road
The "Spanish Road" was a military supply/trade route used from 1567–1620, which stretched from Northern Italy to the Low Countries. It crossed through relatively neutral territory, and was therefore Europe's most preferred military route...
), and the Duke Maximilian of Bavaria
Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria
Maximilian I, Duke/Elector of Bavaria , called "the Great", was a Wittelsbach ruler of Bavaria and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire. His reign was marked by the Thirty Years' War ....
took the rest of the territory.
English Involvement
The EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, who were garrisoned in the towns of Frankenthal
Frankenthal
Frankenthal is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.- History :Frankenthal was first mentioned in 772. In 1119 an Augustinian monastery was built here, the ruins of which — known, after the founder, as the Erkenbertruine — still stand today in the town...
and Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
in the Lower Palatinate, could do little to stop the advance of Córdoba. On his return to the Netherlands, Spinola captured Jülich
Jülich
Jülich is a town in the district of Düren, in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Jülich is well known as location of a world-famous research centre, the Forschungszentrum Jülich and as shortwave transmission site of Deutsche Welle...
in 1621, reversing Maurice's success of 1610, and cutting off the supply route between the Low Countries and the Upper Palatinate. In the Palatinate, the situation went from bad to worse for the Protestant cause. Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
fell to Córdoba in August 1621, Kreuznach and Oppenheim
Oppenheim
Oppenheim is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is well known as a wine town, the site of the German Winegrowing Museum and particularly for the wines from the Oppenheimer Krötenbrunnen vineyards.- Location :...
soon after. Tilly's Catholic troops laid siege to Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, which capitulated in September, 1622, and Mannheim followed in early November.
The English garrison at Frankenthal held on during the winter months but it was recognized that it was futile to hold on to the fortification in light of the noose tightening around the town. In March, 1623, the English, knowing that they could not alter the situation in the Palatinate, handed over Frankenthal to the Spanish. Vere's troops fought bravely and stoutly defended the fortifications they garrisoned, but they were finally overwhelmed by the might of the combined Spanish and imperial forces.
Consequences
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
declared 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...
a hereditary Habsburg possession, confiscated the land of the Protestant nobles, and established Catholicism as the sole religion. On August 6, 1623, the Protestant forces of Christian of Brunswick were destroyed by the combined Spanish and Imperial troops under the Count of Tilly in the Battle of Stadtlohn
Battle of Stadtlohn
The Battle of Stadtlohn was fought on August 6, 1623 between the armies of Christian of Brunswick and of the Catholic League during the Thirty Years' War...
, and Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V was Elector Palatine , and, as Frederick I , King of Bohemia ....
, was forced to sign an armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
with Emperor Ferdinand II, thus ending the "Palatine Phase" of 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....
.
Frederick V, already in exile in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, and under growing pressure from his father-in-law, James I of England
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, to end his involvement in the war, was forced to abandon any hope of launching further campaigns. The Protestant rebellion had been crushed.
In 1624, the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
, France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
, the United Provinces of the Netherlands, 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....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the Duchy of Savoy
Duchy of Savoy
From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...
, the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, and Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
would join in an Anti-Habsburg alliance to fight against Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
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...
. The Spanish renewed their attack on the Dutch after the Twelve Years' Truce
Twelve Years' Truce
The Twelve Years' Truce was the name given to the cessation of hostilities between the Habsburg rulers of Spain and the Southern Netherlands and the Dutch Republic as agreed in Antwerp on 9 April 1609. It was a watershed in the Eighty Years' War, marking the point from which the independence of the...
, and on June 5, 1625, the Spaniards conquered the important Dutch fortress city of Breda. The forces of Catholicism seemed on the road to victory, but the war was far from over.
See also
- League of Evangelical Union
- Protestant UnionProtestant UnionThe Protestant Union or Evangelical Union was a coalition of Protestant German states that was formed in 1608 to defend the rights, lands and person of each member....
- Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' WarThe 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....
- Eighty Years' War
- Catholic LeagueCatholic League (German)The German Catholic League was initially a loose confederation of Roman Catholic German states formed on July 10, 1609 to counteract the Protestant Union , whereby the participating states concluded an alliance "for the defence of the Catholic religion and peace within the Empire." Modeled...
- English ReformationEnglish ReformationThe English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
- Dutch RevoltDutch RevoltThe Dutch Revolt or the Revolt of the Netherlands This article adopts 1568 as the starting date of the war, as this was the year of the first battles between armies. However, since there is a long period of Protestant vs...