Battle of Nördlingen (1645)

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This article is about the second Battle of Nördlingen fought in 1645 in Germany as part of the Thirty Years' War. See also Battle of Nördlingen (1634).

Battle of Nördlingen
Part of Thirty Years' War
Date August 3, 1645 Location Alerheim, near Nördlingen, present-day Germany Result French victory
Belligerents
France Weimar	Holy Roman Empire  Bavaria
Commanders
Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé Vicomte de Turenne	Holy Roman Empire Franz Baron von Mercy † Johann von Werth
Strength
12,000	12,000
Casualties and losses
5,000 dead or wounded	5,000 dead or wounded

The second Battle of Nördlingen (or Battle of Allerheim) was fought on August 3, 1645 southeast of Nordlingen near the village of Allerheim. The battle was between the forces of the Holy Roman Empire and their allies the Bavarian Catholic league against France and their German allies

[edit] Prelude

The Imperials and the Catholic League were facing increasingly severe pressure in the war from the French, Swedes and their allies and were struggling to prevent a French attempt to advance into Bavaria. The Imperial/Bavarian army, led by Field Marshal Franz Baron von Mercy had entrenched south east of Nordlingen. They hoped to defeat the French by forcing them into a disadvantageous attack uphill into the fire of the Imperial cannon.

[edit] Battle

The French army of approximately 12,000 men was under the command of Louis de Bourbon, Duc d'Enghien and Marshal Henri, Vicomte de Turenne. D'Enghien ordered the French troops to charge the Imperial positions resulting in ferocious fighting. After repeated French attacks a frontal assault succeded in driving the Imperials from the field. Among the casualties was the Imperial commander Franz von Mercy killed in the course of the engagment.

The French losses were also heavy including a large number of officers, as a result they were forced to delay any further advance. The Imperials were able to fall back to Donauworth in reasonable good order to make good their losses. Bavaria was at least temporarily safe. Eventually the battle provided no more than a breathing space and did not prevent the invasion of Bavaria the following year.

[edit] References

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