Thirty Years War (1618-48)
Maps, prints and letterpress text covering the major battles and sieges of the war
Order of battle at the Battle of Leipzig, 1631
DIATYPOSIS UTRIVSQUE ACIEI, REGIÆ SVETICÆ ET ELECTORALIS SAXONICÆ, HISQVE OPPOSITÆ CÆSAREÆ AC LIGISTICÆ,SUB DUCTV COMITIS TILLII, VNA CUM ACCVRATA DESI : / GNATIONE LEGIONVM, TURMARVM, ALARVM ET...
c.1633Etching; printed from two copperplates on two sheets of paper then joined; mounted on paper, mount cropped (Type A) | 35.6 x 92.5 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 722058
A low-middle oblique view of the order of battle of the armies at the Battle of Leipzig (also known as the Battle of Breitenfeld), fought on 17 September 1631 between the combined Protestant forces of Sweden, commanded by the King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus (9 December 1594-6 November 1632) and Saxony, and the army of the Cathollic League commanded by Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly (February 1559-30 April 1632), resulting in a Swedish victory. Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Oriented with south-west to top (cardinal points).
This view shows the massed regiments of cavalry and infantry of both armies, drawn up in battle order. The Swedish and Saxon troops occupy the foreground with the guns of Count Tilly’s troops firing against them in the background. The Swedish king charges into the fray from the middle right. The view is taken from Podelwitz (51°25ʹ39ʺN 12°22ʹ53ʺE), in the bottom right foreground, looking towards the south-west with Lindenthal (51°23ʹ37ʺN 12°19ʹ50ʺE) top right and Breitenfeld, the little village from which the action takes its alternative name, directly ahead. The settlements of Klein Widezitsch (Wiederitzsch 51°23'51ʺN 12°22ʹ22ʺE) and Gross Widezitsch (Großwiederitzsch 51°23ʹ32ʺN 12°22ʹ28ʺE), lie to the south. Leipzig itself is further south and not shown.
The companion view (RCIN 722059), showing a later stage of the battle, was based on a drawing by Oluf Hanson, ingénieur géographe, surveyor of fortificiations, and architect to Gustavus Adolphus. It is reasonable to presume, therefore, that Hanson also provided the draughts for this view of the order of battle of the two armies.
This view, together with RCIN 722059, was published in 1633 in Frankfurt by Merian in the second volume of the twenty-one volume work Historische Chronick Oder Warhaffste Beschreibung aller vornehmen und denckwürdigen Geschichten: so sich hin und wider in der Welt von Anno Christi 1629 biß auff das Jahr 1633. Begun by Johann Philipp Abelinus, and illustrated by Merian, the series spanned the century from 1618 to 1718 and the first volume to be published, in 1633, was vol.2 (covering 1629-1633) in which these prints appeared. The series became known later as the Theatrum Europaeum. See the Wolfenbüttel Digital Library. The explanatory text to the letters and numbers on both views is given on pp.409-410 of this volume (see the Wolfenbüttel Digital Library et seq.)
Another state of this view (RCIN 722058), without the Merian signature, is in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek [1056 E 9 [3:5]] and can also be seen at 1506 Kaartenverzameling Gemeente Arnhem 1042.
Similar impressions can be found at RCINs 756254 and 756255.
? Oluf Hanson (active 1631) (draughtsman)
Matthäus Merian I (1593-1650) (engraver) [bottom left, inside neatline:] Matth. Merian fecit.
Watermark: Indistinct
Condition: two fold lines
35.6 x 92.5 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
Printed title:
DIATYPOSIS UTRIVSQUE ACIEI, REGIÆ SVETICÆ ET ELECTORALIS SAXONICÆ, HISQVE OPPOSITÆ CÆSAREÆ AC LIGISTICÆ,SUB DUCTV COMITIS TILLII, VNA CUM ACCVRATA DESI : / GNATIONE LEGIONVM, TURMARVM, ALARVM ET COHORTIVM UTRIVSQUE PARTIS, QVO PACTO ILLE ANTE CONFLICTVM IVXTA LIPSIAM EX ADVERSO CONSTITERINT, SUBIECTA IPSIVS PRÆLII ICONE. [across top of view]
Annotations:
George III heading: Battle of Leipzig 7 September 1651.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [right, red pencil:] 1/[18]; [right, black pencil:] II/37.
George III catalogue entry:
Leipzig Diatyposis utriusque Aciei Regiæ Sueticæ et Electoralis Saxonicæ, hisque oppositæ Cæsareæ ac Ligisticæ, sub ductu Comitis Tilii [sic]; una cum accurata designatione Legionum, Turmarum, Alarum et Cohortium utriusque partis quo pacto illæ ante conflictum juxta Lipsiam ex adverso constiterint, subjecta ipsius Prælii Icone; 7 Septembris 1631: per Matth. Merianum. 2 tab.
Subject(s)
Leipzig, Saxony, Germany (51°20'22"N 12°22'16"E)
Breitenfeld, Saxony, Germany (51°24ʹ12ʺN 12°20ʹ30ʺE)
Bibliographic reference(s)
Mark McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2931
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
