The Battle of Lutzen 1632

In 1632, the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) took another turn. Gustavus Adolphus's triumphal campaign in the Holy Roman Empire was halted at Ingolstadt, Bavaria, where the Imperial-Leaguist Generalleutnant Tilly died of wounds received in the battle Rain am Lech. The former commander of the Imperial army, Generalleutnant Wallenstein, who had lost command in 1630 due to political intrigue at the court of Vienna, was re-instated as Generalissimus. Wallenstein refused an initial battle on open ground against the Swedish King by entrenching his army at N rnberg and then forced Gustavus Adolphus to retreat by cutting his supply lines. With winter near, Wallenstein deployed his regiments into garrisons throughout Saxony, like N rnberg a Swedish ally. During this maneuvering, the Swedish King almost took Wallenstein's rear guard by surprise at the town of L tzen. During this battle, two of the most famous and brilliant commanders of the Thirty Years War tried to end the war with one fierce