Battle of the White Mountain

The battles of the White Mountain Czech (: Bílá will hora ) was held the 8 November 1620, not far from Prague. It is one of the first and most important of the Guerre Thirty Year old.

She opposes an army of approximately 15 000 men ordered by Christian Ier d' Anhalt-Bernburg for the account of Frederic V, with the forces of the Holy roman Empire placed under the orders of Charles-Bonaventure de Longueval, count de Bucquoy, combined with the forces of the catholic League, under the orders of Jean 'T Serclaes, count de Tilly, thus gathering 25 000 men who obtain a crushing victory. This battle marks the end of the first period (period gipsy) of the Guerre Thirty Year old.

Be a prelude to

At the beginning the revolt of the Protestants in Bohemia starts well, and makes it possible to break the policy of insulation while electing for king, the Elector Palatine Frederic V. But the things change quickly when Maximilien Ier, duke of Bavaria gathers the forces of the catholic Ligue, and sends the count Tilly directly to Prague.

Battle

The protesting commander, Christian d' Anhalt-Bernburg, gathers his troops, and deploys them on the slopes of a hill, the white mountain Czech (: Bílá Hora , in German: Weissenberg ) blocking thus the road of Prague. The troops occupy a solid position: The right side is covered by a hunting lodge, and the left side by a brook. Another brook and some ponds are in front of them.

Tilly observing the enemy position sends its men best trained on a small bridge to cross the brook and to tackle the center, constant by an artillery fire very nourished. In hardly two hours of fierce combats, the center of the enemy line is crushed, which puts an end to the engagements.

Consequences

The Czech army is destroyed. Tilly enters Prague. The freedom of religion is removed. 27 of the chiefs of the insurrection are carried out on the place of the Hurdy-gurdy city, in the center of Prague. The Protestants leave the country. Frederic V, very recently elected king the November 4th 1619, also flees. The brevity of its reign, just a year, will be worth the nickname of to him king of winter .

The fate of the battle puts an end to independence Bohemia for one 300 years period. The Spanish troops, seeking to encircle the rebellious Dutch provinces, occupy the Palatinat. The Protestantism threatening to be overflowed in Germany, the Denmark enters the conflict.

See too

War Thirty Year old
House of summer Hvezda

Gallery

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