Battle of Bílá Hora and Prague, 1620

TABVULA IV. VERSÂ REPENTÈ MARTIS ALEÂ MISERANDAM HOSTIVM STRAGEM, CLADEM FVGAM COMPLECTITVR

A medium oblique view of the final stage of 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 rout of the Bohemian army by Imperial forces whose strong unbroken line (A) is advancing leaving Bohemian dead and overrun Bohemain redoubts (B) in their wake. The Bohemians are seen fleeing in disorder to Prague (C), throwing themselves into the Vltava river to get to the lower town on the other side (D). At the same time, the Bohemian infantry (F) and commanders and officers escape over the walls and into the gardens of the Summer Palace (G) while, at last, the regiment of Jindrich Matyas Thurn (1567-1640), the co-commander of the Bohemian army, made a brief stand before turning to flee with the rest of the army. The whole battle, or skirmish, had lasted about one hour.

This is the fourth in a series of four plates depicting the battle (see RCINs 721141.a, c, e). The explanatory letterpress text to this view is at RCIN 721141.h.

A smaller version of this print, by Jan Sadeler (BM 1897,0113.67) 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).