Battle of Wolfenbüttel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Wolfenbüttel
Part of the Thirty Years' War
A picture from that time
Date 29 June 1641 Location Wolfenbüttel (today in Germany) Result Swedish-French victory
Belligerents
Sweden  France	Holy Roman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Carl Gustaf Wrangel Hans Christoff von Königsmarck Comte de Guébriant	Archduke Leopold Wilhelm Ottavio Piccolomini
Strength
26,000 total: 7,000 Guelph 6,000 Bernardines 13,000 Swedes 31 guns	22,000 11 guns
Casualties and losses
2,000	3,000 7 guns

The Battle of Wolfenbüttel happened on June 29, 1641. It took place near the town of Wolfenbüttel, which is now in Germany. This battle was part of the long and difficult Thirty Years' War. In this fight, soldiers from Sweden and France worked together. They were led by generals like Carl Gustaf Wrangel, Hans Christoff von Königsmarck, and Jean-Baptiste Budes, Comte de Guébriant. They faced off against the Imperial army, which was led by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria. The Swedish-French forces managed to stop the Imperial attack and made them retreat.

Why the Battle Happened

Wolfenbüttel's Importance

The town of Wolfenbüttel was not very important on its own. However, it was held by the Imperial army. This was a problem for the Swedes' friends, the Guelph allies. The Guelphs really wanted to take the town back.

The Siege Begins

A Guelph army, led by Hans Caspar von Klitzing, had been trying to capture Wolfenbüttel. They had surrounded the Imperial soldiers inside the town since the autumn before. But Klitzing's army was only about 7,000 strong. This was not enough soldiers to take the town.

Sweden's Decision to Help

At this time, the Swedish army was having some problems. Their main general, Johan Banér, had recently died. Also, some of their soldiers were unhappy because they hadn't done much for a year. The Swedes needed to show their Guelph friends that they were still strong. They also wanted to prove to other German Protestant allies that they were reliable. So, they decided to help the Guelphs attack Wolfenbüttel.

The Imperial Army Arrives

When the Imperial army heard about the Swedish plan, they quickly moved to stop them. This Imperial army was led by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria and Ottavio Piccolomini. It was a race to see who would get to Wolfenbüttel first. The Swedish and French forces arrived on June 28. The Imperial army showed up just two hours later.

The Battle Itself

Fortified Camps and Flanking Attacks

The armies that were trying to capture Wolfenbüttel had built a very strong camp. It was too difficult to attack this camp directly from the front. So, Archduke Leopold Wilhelm decided to try attacking from the sides. He ordered his soldiers to try to go around the camp.

Cavalry and Bavarian Attacks

First, Piccolomini's cavalry (soldiers on horseback) attacked the left side of the Swedish camp. But the Swedes fought them off. The cavalry had to retreat, and they didn't lose too many soldiers.

Meanwhile, another group of Imperial soldiers, the Bavarians, attacked the right side. They were led by Joachim Christian von Wahl. They had to fight through a forest. In this forest, there was a small fort held by a famous Swedish group called the "Old Blue" regiment.

Fierce Fighting and Retreat

The Bavarians fought very hard to get through the woods. They lost many soldiers. But they finally managed to take the small fort from the "Old Blue" regiment. However, their success didn't last long. French cavalry, sent by General Guébriant, quickly counterattacked. They drove the Bavarians back.

At this point, Leopold Wilhelm decided to pull his troops back. The Imperial army had lost about 3,000 soldiers. The Swedes also suffered heavy losses, with about 2,000 men killed. Many of these were from the very experienced "Old Blue" regiment. Even though the Swedes lost many soldiers, they won the battle.

Images for kids

• 

  A picture from that time showing the siege of Wolfenbüttel.