Battle of Rain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Rain |
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| Part of Thirty Years' War | |||||||
 Battle of Rain (engraving) |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Sweden Saxe-Weimar |
 Holy Roman Empire.svg){kind=small} Catholic League |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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 Count Tilly (DOW) Johann von Aldringen Maximilian of Bavaria Johann von Scharffenstein |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 37,505, 72 guns | 22,000, 20 guns | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2,000 killed or wounded | 2,000 killed or wounded 1,000 captured |
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The Battle of Rain happened on April 15, 1632, near a town called Rain in Bavaria. It was a big fight during the Thirty Years' War, a huge conflict in Europe. This battle was between the Swedish-German army, led by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, and the Catholic League forces, led by Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly.
The Swedish army won the battle. Sadly, Count Tilly was badly hurt and died later from his injuries. Tilly's army was smaller and had many new soldiers. He tried to defend his position along the Lech River near Rain. He hoped to stop Gustavus long enough for more soldiers to arrive.
On April 14, the Swedes fired their cannons at Tilly's defenses. The next day, they crossed the river. About 3,000 soldiers from Tilly's side were killed or wounded, including Tilly himself. On April 16, Maximilian of Bavaria took over command and ordered his army to retreat. They had to leave behind their supplies and cannons.
Even though the Swedes won, they were far from their home bases. When Maximilian's army joined up with another large army, the Swedes found themselves trapped in Nuremberg. This led to another major battle later that year.
Contents
Understanding the Battle of Rain
Europe at War: The Thirty Years' Conflict
The Thirty Years' War was a series of wars fought in Central Europe. It lasted from 1618 to 1648. It involved most of the major European powers. The war was mainly about religion, power, and territory.
In June 1630, Sweden joined the war. King Gustavus Adolphus landed with nearly 18,000 soldiers. They arrived in a region called Duchy of Pomerania. France helped Sweden by giving them money. Other German states like Saxony also supported them.
A big Swedish victory happened at the Battle of Breitenfeld in September 1631. This win gave Gustavus control over large parts of northern and central Germany. It was a very successful time for Sweden.
Armies Gather: Setting the Scene
In February 1632, a Swedish general named Gustav Horn attacked the Bavarian town of Bamberg. His army was mostly made up of new German soldiers. Count Tilly, leading the Catholic League, marched north with 22,000 men. On March 9, he took Bamberg back.
Tilly's army was not strong enough to keep pushing forward. He moved to Ingolstadt, which had an important bridge over the Danube River. Gustavus Adolphus was worried about this defeat. He didn't want his German allies to lose hope.
So, Gustavus changed his plans. He decided not to invade Austria. Instead, he moved his army south into Bavaria. He combined his forces with other Swedish generals. This created a large army of 37,505 soldiers and 72 cannons.
Tilly's Defenses: A Tricky River Crossing
The Swedes entered Nuremberg on March 31. Then, they captured Donauwörth on April 6. This was near where Tilly had set up his defenses. Tilly's main army of 22,000 men dug in around Rain. They also had 5,000 soldiers guarding another river crossing at Augsburg.
Tilly knew Gustavus could go around his defenses. But his main goal was to buy time. He wanted to wait for the main Imperial army to arrive. This army was led by Albrecht von Wallenstein.
The Lech River in this area split into several fast-moving streams. Each stream was about 60 to 80 meters wide. Tilly had destroyed the bridge at Rain. He also built a strong small fort, called a redoubt, with 20 cannons. This made it very hard for anyone to attack.
The only other way to cross was about five kilometers south of Rain. There was an island in the middle of the Lech. A deep channel separated it from the Swedish side. But it was possible to walk across to the Bavarian side. Building a bridge here was one of Gustavus's greatest military achievements.
The Battle Begins: Crossing the Lech River
On April 13, a Swedish general named Lennart Torstensson oversaw the building of cannon positions. They set up three groups of 24 cannons each, facing Rain. The next day, they started firing at Tilly's redoubt. Gustavus also moved his soldiers close to the river. This made it look like they were going to attack directly.
A Clever Trick: The Swedish Plan
However, this was just a trick, or a feint. It was meant to distract Tilly's soldiers. While they were distracted, the Swedes gathered boats and materials. They planned to build a special floating bridge, called a pontoon bridge, to the island.
On the morning of April 15, three hundred Finnish soldiers, known as Hakkapeliitta (a type of cavalry), crossed to the Bavarian side. Once they were across, they quickly dug earthworks. These earthworks were for cannons. The cannons protected the rest of Gustavus's army as they crossed the river.
Fierce Fighting and Key Injuries
Tilly immediately sent his soldiers to fight the Swedes. A fierce battle began as they tried to push the Swedes back. But Gustavus had sent 2,000 cavalry soldiers across the river. They crossed two kilometers north of Rain. These cavalry then rode around the redoubt. They attacked Tilly's soldiers from the side.
Early in the battle, Tilly was badly wounded in his right thigh. He was taken away unconscious. He died two weeks later. His second-in-command, Johann von Aldringen, was also temporarily blinded minutes later. Maximilian of Bavaria then took command. He ordered an immediate retreat. His cavalry covered the retreat.
Both sides lost about 2,000 soldiers killed or wounded. The Swedes also captured another 1,000 of Tilly's soldiers. Maximilian had to leave behind his baggage and cannons. But most of his army escaped. A storm with strong winds helped them by making the roads difficult. This delayed the Swedish chase.
What Happened Next: After the Battle
Bavaria After the Battle
Maximilian strengthened his soldiers at Ingolstadt. They successfully stopped a Swedish attack on May 3. Then, Maximilian's army moved north of the Danube River. This left Bavaria open to the Swedish army.
The Swedish army extensively looted the countryside. Gustavus made a grand entry into Munich on May 17. He took the duke's art collection. He also captured over 100 cannons. It took three more years before Maximilian could return to his capital city.
However, the Swedish army was now far from their supply lines. Supply lines are the routes used to bring food, weapons, and other important things to an army. They were very vulnerable. Also, Bavarian farmers started a tough guerrilla war. Small groups of them fought against the Swedish invaders who were plundering their lands.
The War Continues: Wallenstein and Nuremberg
Meanwhile, Albrecht von Wallenstein gathered a large Imperial army of 65,000 soldiers. He used this army to push the Saxons out of Bohemia. Gustavus was worried that Saxony might make a separate peace deal. This would leave him alone. So, he called his German allies to Nuremberg.
As Gustavus did this, Wallenstein took 30,000 soldiers. He marched into Bavaria to meet Maximilian. Maximilian was moving north from Ingolstadt. On July 11, the two armies met at Schwabach. Gustavus retreated to Fürth, just outside Nuremberg. He was then surrounded by the combined Imperial-Bavarian army. This led to the Battle of the Alte Veste in early September.
See also
- Rain order of battle
