Thirty Years War (1618-48)
Maps, prints and letterpress text covering the major battles and sieges of the war
The battle of Saalfeld, 1640 (Saalfeld, Thuringia, Germany) 50°38ʹ54ʺN 11°21ʹ55ʺE
1640 or laterEtching; printed from four copperplates on four sheets of paper, joined; mounted on paper (Remains of type B mount); gilt edges bottom and top | 54.4 x 67.2 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 722155
A high oblique view/map of the encampments of the Swedish Allied army, commanded by Field Marshal Johan Banér (23 June 1596-10 May 1641) and Imperial forces, under Archduke Leopold Wilhelm (5 January 1614-20 November 1662) at Saalfeld, May-June 1640 and General Ottavio Piccolomini (11 November 1599-11 August 1656). Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Oriented with west-south-west to top.
The Swedish army, retreating in diminished numbers into Thuringia, were reinforced by George of Lüneburg’s forces under General Hans Caspar von Klitzing (1594-24 June 1644) and forces from Hesse-Cassel under Lieutenant-General Peter Melander (17 May 1585-17 May 1648), and Henri II d’Orléans, Duke of Longueville (6 April 1595-11 May 1663) with the late Duke of Weimar’s army. Now, with superior numbers, Banér offered the Imperialists battle at Saalfeld but this was refused by Piccolomini. The encampments lasted for about seven weeks.
The orientation of the main image is indicated, by the compass needle above the key, to be with south to top. However, the positions of the settlements of Remschitz (Remschütz 50°40ʹ16ʺN 11°21ʹ13ʺE), which lies to the north of Saalfeld, and Reschwitz (50°37ʹ13ʺN 11°22ʹ56ʺE), which is to the south, show that the true orientation of the view is with west-south-west to top. The little settlement of Vnter Wirbig (Unterwirbach 50°39ʹ57ʺN 11°17ʹ32ʺE) is to the north-west, while Gransdorf (Garnsdorf 50°38ʹ24ʺN 11°20ʹ46ʺE) is to the south-west. The hill on the skyline directly above Saalfeld in the view, ‘Der Breite B’ can be identified today with Vorderer Breite Berg (50°37ʹ58ʺN 11°19ʹ25ʺE).
The orientation of the inset map is indicated, by compass needle, with east to top, but it has the same orientation as the main view which is west-south-west to top.
Nägler, vol.4 (1871) no.1995, p.631, gives four different examples of Matthaus Merian’s monogram and notes that Merian also used the initials MM in the form which is engraved on RCIN 722155.
Matthäus Merian I (1593-1650) (engraver) [bottom right, on a boulder in a clearing in the trees, a monogram:] MM
Subject(s)
Army-SwedenArmy-Holy Roman EmpireArmy-FranceWatermark: A cockatrice holding a shield, three boulders below
Condition: four fold lines; creased; brown discolouration. Verso: remains of mount. Pressure marks to verso
54.4 x 67.2 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
Printed title:
Warhafftige Abbildung der Röm: Kaÿ: Maÿ: unterm COMANDO des Ertzhertzogen Leopold Wilhelm, Hochfürstl: Durchl: / und General Feldt Marschalcks Graffen Piccolomini an einem, und dan der Confœderirten Cronen und Fürsten, als Schweden, Franckreich, Braünschwig, Lüneburg, und Hessen, unter Comando Ge= / neral Feldt Marschalcks Banner, Duce de Longeuille, Klitzing, und Melander, andern theils im Monath Maÿ Anno 1640. beÿ Saalfeldt gegen einander Campirten Armeen, als die Kaÿs: von m/24 vi die andern zusammen über m/40 man, wie solche zu schlagen in / Vostur gestanden retranchement auffgeworffen, und endtlichen die Confœderiten im Monath Iunij widrumb weichen müßen. [above view/map, outside border]
Inset:
[bottom left, a small-scale map of Saalfeld and its hinterland showing the positions of the encamped armies and the march route, with camp sites, of the Imperial supplies baggage train between Eÿchfeldt (Eichfeld 50°43ʹ04ʺN 11°16ʹ21ʺE) and Saalfeld.] Scale: Scale bar: Schridt [96 mm =] 350. Size: 23.4 x 12.3 cm (neatline); 23.8 x 12.9 cm (image).
Additional text:[left, in cartouche surmounted by a dial with a compass needle with north to bottom, a key, A-I, K-S:] Anweisung der Litern in diser Tafel.
Annotations:
George III heading: Saalfeldt May 1640.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [along top edge of bottom right plate, ink, cropped and illegible].
George III catalogue entry:
Saalfeldt Warhafftige Abbildung der Rom. Kay. May. unterm commando des Ertzhertzogen Leopold Wilhelm Hochfurstl. Durchl. und General Feldt Marschalcks Graffen Piccolomini an einem und dan der Confœderirten Cronen und Fursten als Schweden, Franckreich, Braunschweig Luneburg und Hessen unter commando General Feldt Marschalcks Banner Duce de Longueville, Klitzing und Melander, andern theils im monath May 1640 bey Saalfeldt gegeneinander campirten Armeen: als die Kays. von m/24 und die andern zusamen uber m/40 man, wie solche zu Schlagen in vostur gestanden Retranchement auffgeworffen und endlichen die Confœderirten im monath Juny widrumb weichen mussen. 4 blattern.
Subject(s)
Saalfeld, Thuringia, Germany (50°38ʹ54ʺN 11°21ʹ55ʺE)
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. 3072
F. Schiller; Captain Blaquiere (trans.), The history of the Thirty Years War in Germany, Frankfurt am Main, 1842, p. 442
Cambridge Modern History, IV, Cambridge 1906, p. 384
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
