Editing Battle of Nördlingen (1634)

{{Short description|Battle of the Thirty Years' War}}
{{Distinguish|Battle of Nördlingen (1645)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Nördlingen
| partof            = the [[Thirty Years' War]]
| image             = Jan van der Hoecke - The Battle of Nördlingen, 1634.jpg
| image_size        = 300
| caption           = ''The Battle of Nördlingen'' by [[Jan van den Hoecke]]
| date              = 5–6 September 1634 ([[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar|N.S.]])
| place             = [[Nördlingen]], Bavaria, Germany
| coordinates       = {{Coord|48|48|20|N|10|29|09|E|type:event|display=inline,title}}
| result            = Imperial-Spanish victory{{sfn|Guthrie|2001|p=273}}
| combatant1        = {{flagicon|Spanish Empire}} [[Spanish Empire|Spain]]<br/>{{flag|Holy Roman Empire}}<br/>{{flagicon image|Catholic League (Germany).svg}} [[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League]]
| combatant2        = {{flagicon|Swedish Empire}} [[Swedish Empire|Sweden]]<br/>{{Flagicon image|Wappen Heilbronn.svg|size=15px|border=no}} [[Heilbronn League]]
| commander1        = {{flagicon|Spanish Empire}} [[Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand]]<br/>{{flagicon|Spanish Empire}} [[Diego Felipez de Guzmán, 1st Marquess of Leganés|Count Leganés]]<br/>{{Flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand of Hungary]]<br/>{{Flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} [[Matthias Gallas]]<br/>{{Flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} [[Ottavio Piccolomini]]
| commander2        = {{plainlist|
* {{Flagicon|Swedish Empire}} [[Gustav Horn, Count of Pori|Gustav Horn]]{{POW}}
* {{Flagicon image|Wappen Heilbronn.svg|size=15px|border=no}} [[Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar]]
* {{Flagicon image|Wappen Heilbronn.svg|size=15px|border=no}} [[Johann Philipp Kratz von Scharffenstein|Scharffenstein]]{{POW}}
}}
| strength1         = {{plainlist|
* 33,000{{Sfn|David|2012|p=406}}{{Efn|Split into 15,000 Spanish, 9,500 Imperialists, and 8,500 Bavarians{{Sfn|Wilson|2009|p=545}}}}
* 50 guns
}}
| strength2         = {{plainlist|
* 25,700{{Sfn|David|2012|p=406}}
* 68 guns
}}
| casualties1       = {{circa}} 3,500 killed or wounded {{Sfn|David|2012|p=406}}
| casualties2       = {{plainlist| 
* 12,000–14,000{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=248}}
* 68 guns captured{{Sfn|Pike|2023|p=174}}}}
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Thirty Years' War}}
}}
The '''Battle of Nördlingen''',{{efn|{{langx|de|Schlacht bei Nördlingen}}; {{langx|es|Batalla de Nördlingen}}; {{langx|sv|Slaget vid Nördlingen}}}} fought over two days from 5 to 6 September 1634, was a major battle of the [[Thirty Years' War]]. A [[Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Emperor|Imperial]]-[[Habsburg Spain|Spanish]] force led by the [[Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand]] and [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand of Hungary]] inflicted a crushing defeat on the [[Swedish Empire|Swedish]]-[[Heilbronn League|German]] army led by [[Gustav Horn, Count of Pori|Gustav Horn]] and [[Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar]].

By 1634, the Swedes and their German allies occupied much of southern Germany. This allowed them to block the [[Spanish Road]], an overland supply route running from Italy to [[Flanders]], used to support Spain's [[Eighty Years War|war]] against the [[Dutch Republic]]. Seeking to re-open this, a Spanish army under the Cardinal-Infante linked up with Imperial forces near [[Nördlingen]], which was held by a Swedish garrison.

Horn and Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar marched to its relief, but significantly underestimated the numbers they faced. After limited fighting on 5 September, on the 6th they launched a series of assaults south of Nördlingen, all of which were repulsed. Superior numbers allowed the Spanish-Imperial commanders to continually reinforce their positions, and Horn ordered his troops to withdraw. As they did so, they were outflanked by Imperial cavalry and retreat turned into a rout, with both Horn and his deputy [[Johann Philipp Kratz von Scharffenstein|Scharffenstein]] among those taken prisoner.

Defeat forced the Swedes to withdraw from [[Bavaria]], while in May 1635 their major German allies signed the [[Peace of Prague (1635)|Peace of Prague]] with [[Emperor Ferdinand II]]. In response, [[Kingdom of France|France]] now intervened on behalf of Sweden and the [[Dutch Republic]] by declaring [[Franco-Spanish War (1635-1659)|war on Spain]], and entering the Thirty Years' War as an active [[belligerent]]. As a consequence, some suggest Nördlingen was the pivotal battle of the Thirty Years' War.{{Sfn|Kamen|2003|p=386}}

==Background==
[[Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years' War]] began in June 1630 when nearly 18,000 troops under [[Gustavus Adolphus]] landed in the [[Duchy of Pomerania]]. Provided with [[Treaty of Bärwalde|subsidies]] as part of a [[Kingdom of France|French]] policy of opposition to the [[French–Habsburg rivalry|Habsburgs]], and supported by [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxony]] and [[Brandenburg-Prussia]], Gustavus won a series of victories over [[Holy Roman Empire|Imperial]] forces, including [[Battle of Breitenfeld (1631)|Breitenfeld]] in September 1631, then [[Battle of Rain|Rain]] in April 1632.{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|pp=305–306}}

Despite the death of Gustavus at [[Battle of Lützen (1632)|Lützen]] in November 1632, Sweden and its German allies formed the [[Heilbronn League]] in April 1633, once again financed by France.{{sfn|Riches|2012|p=160}} In July, the coalition defeated an Imperial army at [[Battle of Oldendorf|Oldendorf]] in [[Lower Saxony]]; a few months later, [[Emperor Ferdinand II]] dismissed his leading general [[Albrecht von Wallenstein]], who was [[Assassination of Wallenstein|assassinated]] by Imperial agents in February 1634.{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|p=358}}

{{Location map many|Bavaria|caption = 1634 campaign; key locations. "Blue lines" indicate rivers, vital for moving men and supplies and thus the focus of most campaigns; note [[Danube]], axis of advance for the Imperialists  
|border = black|width =300|float = left|relief = yes
|label2 =Regensburg |pos2  =top |lat2_deg =49.016667|lon2_deg =12.083333   	
|label3 =Nördlingen |pos3  =right |lat3_deg =48.851111|lon3_deg =10.488333
|label4 =Bopfingen |pos4  =left |lat4_deg =48.856944|lon4_deg =10.352222
|label5 =River Danube |pos5  =bottom |lat5_deg =48.833333|lon5_deg =12.966667
|label6 =Donauwörth |pos6  =bottom |lat6_deg =48.7|lon6_deg =10.8
|label10 =Heilbronn |pos10  =right |lat10_deg =49.15|lon10_deg =9.216667
|label17=Ulm |pos17 =left |lat17_deg=48.4|lon17_deg=9.983333
|label18=Kronach |pos18 =right |lat18_deg=50.241111|lon18_deg=11.328056
|label19=Überlingen |pos19 =right |lat19_deg=47.766667|lon19_deg=9.158333
|label7= Nuremberg |pos7 =top |lat7_deg=49.453889|lon7_deg=11.0775
|label8= Augsburg |pos8 =bottom |lat8_deg=48.366667|lon8_deg=10.9
|label9= Landshut |pos9 =bottom |lat9_deg=48.539722|lon9_deg=12.150833
}}

The removal of Wallenstein made Emperor Ferdinand more reliant on the Spanish, Since their primary objective was re-opening the [[Spanish Road]] to support their [[Eighty Years' War|campaign]] against the [[Dutch Republic]], the focus now shifted to the [[Rhineland]] and [[Bavaria]].{{Sfn|Kamen|2003|pp=385–386}} [[Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria|Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand]], newly appointed Governor of the [[Spanish Netherlands]], recruited an army of 11,700 in Italy, which in May crossed the [[Alps]] through the [[Stelvio Pass]]. At [[Rheinfelden (Aargau)|Rheinfelden]], he linked up with forces previously commanded by the [[Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, 3rd Duke of Feria|Duke of Feria]], who died in January 1634. This brought his numbers up to 18,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry.{{Sfn|Wilson|2009|p=544}}

The Swedes and their German allies largely operated as separate units, each with their own objectives. While [[Johan Banér]] and [[Hans Georg von Arnim-Boitzenburg|Hans von Arnim]] invaded [[Bohemia]], [[Gustav Horn, Count of Pori|Gustav Horn]] tried to block the Spanish by investing [[Überlingen]], and [[Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar]] sought to consolidate his position in [[Franconia]] by taking [[Kronach]].{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|p=369}} Neither was successful and left [[Regensburg]] isolated, which was besieged on 23 May by an Imperial army of 25,000 under [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand of Hungary]]. Horn and Bernhard met at [[Augsburg]] on 12 July and marched towards the Bohemian border, hoping the threat of them combining with Arnim would force Ferdinand to abandon the siege.{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|p=369}}

Although they defeated an Imperial blocking force under [[Johann von Aldringen]] at [[Landshut]] on 22 July, the siege continued and Regensburg surrendered on 26 July.{{Sfn|Wilson|2009|p=543}} With 15,000 men, Ferdinand marched down the [[Danube]] (''see Map'') and reached [[Donauwörth]] on 26 August, where he turned aside to besiege the Swedish-held town of [[Nördlingen]], which had to be taken before continuing his advance. Horn and Bernhard marched to [[Bopfingen]] but delayed their attack; with both sides short of supplies and suffering from plague, they were confident the outnumbered Imperials would have to withdraw.{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|p=370}}

However, on 2 September the Imperial and Spanish armies linked up, and Nördlingen nearly fell to an assault two days later.{{Sfn|Wilson|2009|p=545}} Horn and Bernhard were joined by 3,400 men under [[Johann Philipp Kratz von Scharffenstein|Scharffenstein]], giving them around 26,000 in total, although this included 8,000 poorly trained [[Duchy of Württemberg|Württemberg]] militia, many of whom had previously served in the Imperial army. Horn wanted to wait for additional troops, which were a week's march away, but Bernhard urged an immediate attack, claiming the Spanish reinforcements numbered less than 7,000. The true figure was over 18,000, which meant the combined Spanish-Imperial army totalled over 33,000 and outnumbered their opponents.{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|pp=371–372}}

==Battle==
[[File:Nordlingen1 es.svg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|'''Phase 1: 6 September 5:00 to 6:00 am'''; the Swedes (blue) take the Albuch, before being repulsed by Spanish-Imperial troops (red)]]

Early on 5 September, the Protestant army broke camp, feinted west as if retreating to [[Ulm]], then moved across country to seize a line of hills two kilometres south of Nördlingen.{{Sfn|Wilson|2009|p=545}} From west to east, these included the Himmelrech, Ländle, Lachberg, Heselberg, and Albuch, the latter in particular being key to the Spanish left. The [[Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand|Cardinal-Infante]] ordered these to be occupied, with veterans from the [[Tercio of Fuenclara]] holding the Heselberg.{{Sfn|Benavides|2021|p=129}}

Later in the afternoon, infantry led by [[Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar]] made contact with Spanish and Imperial [[Picket (military)|pickets]] on the Himmelreich, which was quickly captured. They then occupied the Ländle and Lachberg hills, before their advance was stopped by Spanish troops holding the Heselberg. Despite a heavy artillery bombardment, a number of Swedish assaults were repulsed, before Horn ordered a halt just before midnight.{{Sfn|Benavides|2021|p=129}} 

The delay allowed Cerbellón and the ''Tercio of Toraldo'' time to construct defensive positions on the Albuch, and around 2:00 am on 6 September, the Heselberg was abandoned.{{Sfn|Benavides|2021|p=130}}{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=236}} This meant it was defended by 6,600 Spanish veterans led by Leganés and Cerbellón, 1,500 Bavarian infantry under [[Ottavio Piccolomini]], a battery of 14 guns, along with 2,800 cavalry.{{Sfn|Wilson|2009|p=546}} The rest of the Imperial army was left holding a line running north to Nördlingen.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=236}} 

The defenders of the Albuch faced 8,800 infantry commanded by Horn, along with 4,000 cavalry and 800 dragoons, led by Scharffenstein.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=237}} Bernhard and the remaining troops took position opposite their Imperial counterparts, with 2,000–2,500 Württemberg militia in the rear protecting the baggage train. Bernhard was tasked with preventing the Imperial right reinforcing their colleagues on the Albuch, although it soon became clear he was badly outnumbered, and was thus restricted to limited skirmishing.{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|p=373}} 

[[File:Nordlingen2 es.svg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|'''Phase 2; 7:30 am to 10:30 am'''; a series of Swedish-German infantry and cavalry assaults are repulsed]]

At 5:00 am on 6 September, the Swedish artillery opened fire, followed by a general assault on the Albuch led by the Scottish and Vitzhum brigades, along with 3 cavalry squadrons. Scharffenstein's cavalry were quickly repelled by their Spanish counterparts, but the relatively inexperienced infantry gave ground.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=240}} Horn believed he was on the verge of a great victory, but as the Imperial troops fell back in disorder, they were rallied by veterans from the [[Tercio of Idiáquez]], who drove forward in a sudden counterattack, taking their opponents by surprise and re-forming their lines.{{Sfn|Wilson|2020|p=869}} {{Sfn|Benavides|2021|p=130}} By 6:00 am, Imperial forces were back in control of the Albuch.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=240}}

Whilst reorganising his scattered infantry, Horn kept up the pressure by ordering a second attack, which was stopped short of the Spanish positions with heavy losses. followed by another attack with all available troops, which also failed.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=241}} With his forces largely unengaged, at 7:30 am Bernhard transferred the Thurn brigade to join a series of assaults, which persisted for another hour without success.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|pp=240=241}} Their numerical superiority allowed Leganés and Gallas to send a constant stream of reinforcements to support those holding the Albuch.{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|p=375}} 

[[File:Nordlingen3 es.svg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|'''Phase 3: late morning'''; Horn retreats, and a general Spanish-Imperial advance routs the Protestant army]]

Trying to prevent this, Bernhard moved his cavalry against the Imperial right, but they were repulsed and forced back to their previous positions. The troops assaulting the Albuch were exhausted, and after one last attack around 10:00 am, Horn ordered them to hold their positions until nightfall, before withdrawing towards Ulm. However, seeing their adversaries pulling back, the Spanish-Imperial troops began a general advance, routing Bernhard's cavalry and allowing [[Croats (military unit)|Croat light cavalry]] to outflank his infantry. At the same time, combined Imperial, Bavarian, and Spanish forces attacked the Heselberg, driving those holding it into the woods.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|pp=241-242}} 

Horn's men were now attacked on two sides, from troops advancing from the Albuch, and Imperial cavalry charging out of the woods, cutting off his retreat.{{Sfn|Picouet|2019|p=242}} His army disintegrated, and suffered between 12,000 to 14,000 casualties, compared to 3,500 for their opponents.{{Efn|Other sources suggest the Protestant losses were as high as 16,000{{Sfn|Lorenzana|2018|p=101}}}} This included 4,000 prisoners, most of whom were enrolled in the Imperial army. Scharffenstein, previously a senior Bavarian commander, was captured and later executed for treason, while Horn was held in custody until 1642.{{Sfn|Parker|1997|p=192}} Bernhard and von Taupadel reached [[Heilbronn]] with the survivors a few days later.{{Sfn|Wilson|2009|p=547}}

==Aftermath==
[[File:Peter Paul Rubens 121.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0|''The Victory of the Two Ferdinands'', [[Peter Paul Rubens]] (1635)]]

Nördlingen effectively destroyed Swedish power in southern Germany, and has been described by some commentators as "arguably the most important battle of the war".{{Sfn|Kamen|2003|p=386}} It has been also portrayed as "a Spanish victory," with victory owing much to the performance of the veteran tercios, while Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand performed well in what was his first battlefield command.{{Sfn|Benavides|2021|pp=131-132}} The Imperial army retook most of Württemberg and moved into the [[Rhineland]], while Ferdinand and his troops continued into the [[Spanish Netherlands]], where he took up his appointment as Governor.{{Sfn|Benavides|2021|p=133}} 

Swedish Chancellor [[Axel Oxenstierna]] faced domestic pressure to end the war, stating defeat was "so terrible, it couldn't have been worse."{{Sfn|Benavides|2021|p=131}} In December, two of their main allies, [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxony]] and [[Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt|Hesse-Darmstadt]], negotiated a peace agreement with Emperor Ferdinand, later formalised in the May 1635 [[Peace of Prague (1635)|Treaty of Prague]]. Its terms included the dissolution of the Heilbronn and Catholic Leagues, and the treaty is generally seen as the point when the Thirty Years' War ceased to be primarily a German religious conflict.{{Sfn|Parker|1997|pp=127–129}}

However, the collapse of the anti-Habsburg alliance in Germany now prompted direct French intervention. In February 1635, [[Cardinal Richelieu]] signed a treaty agreeing a joint Franco-Dutch offensive in the Spanish Netherlands, while a French army under [[Henri, Duke of Rohan]], cut the Spanish Road by invading the [[Valtellina]] in March.{{Sfn|Kamen|2003|p=387}} This was followed in April by a [[Treaty of Compiègne (1635)|new alliance]] with Sweden, as well as financing an army of 12,000 under Bernard of Saxe-Weimar in the Rhineland. In May, France formally declared war on Spain, starting the 1635 to 1659 [[Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659)|Franco-Spanish War]].{{Sfn|Wedgwood|2005|pp=389–191}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=David |first=Saul |title=The Encyclopedia of War |isbn=978-1-4093-8664-3 |year=2012 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley}}
* {{cite book |last1=Guthrie |first1=William |title=Battles of the Thirty Years War: From White Mountain to Nordlingen, 1618–1635 |date=2001 |publisher=Praeger |isbn=978-0-313-32028-6}}
* {{cite book |last1=Kamen |first1=Henry |title=Spain's Road to Empire |date=2003 |publisher=Allen Lane |isbn=978-0-14-028528-4}}
* {{Cite book |last=Parker |first=Geoffrey |title=The Thirty Years' War |publisher=Routledge |orig-year=1984 |isbn=978-0-415-12883-4 |year=1997 }} (with several contributors)
* {{cite book |last1=Riches |first1=Daniel |title=Protestant Cosmopolitanism and Diplomatic Culture: Brandenburg-Swedish Relations in the Seventeenth Century (Northern World) |date=2012 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-24079-7}}
* {{Cite book |last=Wedgwood |first=C. V. |title=The Thirty Years War |orig-year=1938 |publisher=New York Review of Books |isbn=978-1-59017-146-2 |year=2005}}
* {{cite book |first=Peter |last=Wilson |title=The Thirty Years War: Europe's Tragedy |publisher=Belknap Press |location=London |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-674-06231-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Peter |title=La Guerra de los Treinta Años (vol. 1-2): Una tragedia europea |publisher=Desperta Ferro Ediciones |location=Madrid |year=2020 |isbn=978-84-121687-9-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Lorenzana |first=Francisco |title=La Guerra de los Treinta Años: El ocaso del Imperio español |publisher=Kailas Editorial |location=Madrid |year=2018 |isbn=978-84-17248-26-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Picouet |first = Pierre |title=The Armies of Philip IV of Spain 1621 - 1665: The Fight for European Supremacy (Century of the Soldier) |publisher=Helion & Company Limited |location=Warwick |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-911628-61-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Aedo y Gallart |first=Diego |title=Des Don Diego de Aedo y Gallart Schilderung der Schlacht von Nördlingen (i.J. 1634) Aus dessen Viaje del Infante Cardenal Don Fernando de Austria ... und mit Anmerkungen versehen |publisher=De Gruyter |year=1884|edition=German }}
* {{cite book |last=Pike |first=John |title=The Thirty Years War, 1618 - 1648: The First Global War and the end of Habsburg Supremacy |publisher=Pen and Sword Military |location=Yorkshire |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-52677-575-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Benavides |first=José Ignacio |title=El Cardenal Infante (La esperanza frustrada de la monarquía hispánica, 1609-1641) |publisher=La Esfera de los Libros |year=2021 |isbn=978-8491648659}}
{{Refend}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nördlingen 1634}}
[[Category:1634 in Sweden]]
[[Category:1634 in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Cavalry charges]]
[[Category:Saxe-Weimar]]
[[Category:Battles of the Thirty Years' War involving Bavaria]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1634]]
[[Category:History of Swabia]]
[[Category:Military history of Bavaria]]
[[Category:Nördlingen]]
[[Category:Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor]]
[[Category:Battles involving Württemberg]]
[[Category:Battles of the Thirty Years' War involving Sweden]]
[[Category:Battles of the Thirty Years' War involving the Holy Roman Empire]]
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