The Danish War in Lower Saxony and Mansfeld’s Invasion to Silesia 1625–1629

Abstract

In May 1625, King Christian IV launched operations against the army of the Catholic League in Lower Saxony. The allies, however, failed to provide him the desired financial support, and the main Danish forces were defeated by the Catholic general Jean Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, in the battle at Lutter am Barenberg on 27 August 1626. The situation on another front of the Danish War was not any better. In the battle at the strategically important Dessau Bridge on 25 April 1616, Peter Ernest of Mansfeld and his corps took a heavy trimming from the imperial commander Albert of Wallenstein. Subsequently, Mansfeld tactically withdrew to the Brandenburg territory from where he continued in a diversionary campaign to Silesia and Moravia. By autumn 1627, the Danish troops were forced from northern Germany. In addition, the Wallenstein troops occupied Jutland. The remaining Danish regiments withdrew to the islands, and by the Treaty of Lubeck signed on 22 May 1629, Denmark officially terminated its participation in the war.