Thirty Years War (1618-48)
Maps, prints and letterpress text covering the major battles and sieges of the war
Battle of Bílá Hora and Prague, 1620
TABVLA III. INITIVM PVGNAE ET FLVCTVANTIS ACIEI ASPECTVM PROPONIT
1620 or laterEngraving and etching; printed from two copperplates on two sheets of paper, joined; mounted on paper (Mount Type A), mount cropped (about 2 mm of the old mount extends from the left and bottom edges) | 42.5 x 71.0 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 721141.e
A high oblique view of the opposing Imperial and Bohemian forces shown drawn up in order of battle at the Battle of Bílá Hora (White Mountain), which was fought on 8 November 1620 between Protestant rebels of Bohemia, commanded by Prince Christian of Anhalt (11 May 1568-17 April 1630) and the Catholic forces of the Holy Roman Empire (commanded by Johan Tserclaes, Count of Tilly (February 1559-30 April 1632), resulting in an Imperial victory. Thirty Years War (1618-1648).
The view shows the first clash of the battle, with four Imperial foot regiments and some cavalry (A), encouraged by a troop of horse which is forcing the enemy (Bohemians) to retreat (B) while a charge of five troops of Imperial horse force the Bohemians to retreat (C) towards Prague which is shown top right.
This is the third in a series of four plates depicting the battle (see RCINs 721141.a, c, g). The explanatory letterpress text to this view is at RCIN 721141.f.
A smaller version of this print, by Jan Sadeler (BM 1897,0113.66) was published by Raphael Sadeler II in 1621 as one of four prints with a separate title-page. These smaller prints carried the title and key in letterpress, printed on the same sheet as the view (Hollstein 140-144).
Raphael Sadeler the Younger (1584-1632) (engraver) [bottom right:] Cum priuilegio Sac. Cæs. Maiest.s Raph. Sadeler Iun. fecit.
Watermark: Coat of arms: a bunch of grapes on stand in shield, the letter ‘M’ resting on each shoulder of the shield, the letter 'A' below shield
Condition: five fold lines; creased; considerable wear and tear along folds; some brown discolouration. Verso: surface dirt; remains of Mount Type A; no gilt edges
42.5 x 71.0 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
Printed title:
TABVLA III. INITIVM PVGNAE ET FLVCTVANTIS ACIEI ASPECTVM PROPONIT. [across top of view]
Annotations:
George III heading: Prague Nov.r 1620.
Other annotations: none.
George III catalogue entry:
Prague Delineationes Aciei et Pugnæ ad Pragam Factæ 7 Novembris 1620, tabulis quatuor expressæ: per Raph. Sadeler: cum Descriptionibus.
Subject(s)
Bílá Hora, near Prague, Czech Republic (50°05ʹ00ʺN 14°20ʹ00ʺE)
Prague, Hlavní Mesto Praha, Czech Republic (50°05'16"N 14°25'14"E)
Bibliographic reference(s)
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2827
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
