Order of battle at the Battle of Leipzig, 1631 (Leipzig, Saxony, Germany) 51°20'22"N 12°22'16"E; (Breitenfeld, Saxony, Germany) 51°24ʹ12ʺN 12°20ʹ30ʺE;

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.