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
PRÆLII, / inter / SERENISS. SUECOR REGEM ET SAXO = / NIÆ ELECTOREM NEC NON CATHOLICÆ/ Ligæ Generalem Com a Tily /VII. SEPTEMB ANNI M.DC.XXXi. / prope Lipsiam comissi / ET SUBSECVTÆ EXERCITUS...
c.1633Etching and engraving; printed from two copperplates on two sheets of paper then joined; letterpress text in three pieces, joined, is pasted to the bottom of the view; mounted on paper (Mount Type A), cropped; 1-5 mm of mount extends from left and bottom edges | 51.1 x 94.1 cm (whole object) | RCIN 722059
A low-middle oblique view of 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 Catholic 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).
See also RCIN 722058.
This view shows Merian’s technique of depicting the movement of large bodies of troops: the original positions of the brigades, as shown on RCIN 722058, are indicated by blank rectangles in which the numbers identifying the regiments are engraved (these correspond with the explanation on pp.409-410 of vol.2 of the Theatrum Europeaum), while the new positions of the forces, during the later stage of the battle, are shown by full representation of the men and horses.
Oluf Hanson (active 1631) (draughtsman) [bottom left, following on from title, in title panel:] DELINEATO / Quam / IVSSV ET AUSPICIIS REGIIS / Suprem, Castrorum Metator et Architectus / OLUF HANSON / adornauit et a mendis Gablerianis repur = / gatam æri denuo incidendam / curauit / per / Matthæum Merianum / Cui Francofurt.
Matthäus Merian I (1593-1650) (engraver)
Watermark: View: indistinct. Text: indistinct.
Condition: view: five fold lines. Text: three fold lines; creased; heavy brown discolouration; no gilt edges; cropped to edge of text and view
51.1 x 94.1 cm (whole object)
34.9 x 94.1 cm (sheet of view)
Printed title:
PRÆLII, / inter / SERENISS. SUECOR REGEM ET SAXO = / NIÆ ELECTOREM NEC NON CATHOLICÆ/ Ligæ Generalem Com a Tily /VII. SEPTEMB ANNI M.DC.XXXi. / prope Lipsiam comissi / ET SUBSECVTÆ EXERCITUS CATHOLICI / stragis fugæq ad omnem posteritatem / memorabilis, cum instructa aciei tÿpo. [bottom left, in rectangular panel]
Dedication:
[bottom right, within an oval olive wreath superimposed on a rectangular panel:] Sereniss ac Potentisso: / Principi et Domino / DN. GVSTAVO / ADOLPHO SVECORUM / GOTHORVM, VANDALORUMQVE / REGI, MAGNO PRINCIPI FIN / landiæ, Duci Esthoniæ et / Careliæ nec non Ingriæ / Domino, / VICTORI ET TRIVMPHATORI / FÆLICI, DOMINO SVO / Clementissimo / Hoc / D. D. O. / Matthæus Merianus / Sculpt.
Additional text:
[top left, in a banner:] In Teßeram Militarem Vtriusque / Exercitus / Quæ Regi erat: / GOTT MIT VNS. / Tilio vero / IESVS MARIA / Rex Suec, Tilium cur vicerit, en tibi causam / Invocat iste homines, inuocat ille Deum.
[Letterpress text on three pieces of paper, joined and pasted below the view; title:] DESCRIPTION VERITABLE / De la sanglante bataille, que le Roy de Sueden & l’Ele- / cteur de Saxe ont liuree au Comte Iehan de Tilly, General de la Ligue / Catholique, vne lieüe de la ville de Lipsic, le 7. [Old Style] Septemb. l’an 1631, & par quelles / pregnantes raisons Sa ditte Maiesté & le dit Electeur ont esté esmeus / à prendre les armes, & resister par force au dit General / de la Ligue Catholique. [At the end of the text is an explanation to the letters and numbers on the view:] Brief recit des Regimens; qui se sont trouuez en ceste ba- / taille …
Annotations:
George III heading: Battle of Leipzig 7 September 1631.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [right, red pencil:] 1/132 [and, black pencil:] II/46; [top right, black pencil, erased:] Leipzig.
George III catalogue entry:
Leipzig Delineatio Prælii inter Suecorum Regem et Saxoniæ Electorum, nec non Catholicæ Ligæ Generalem Com. a Tilly, 7 Septem. 1631, prope Lipsiam commissi: per Oluf Hanson, incisa per M. Merianum. 2 tab. una cum Descriptione.
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. 2932
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
