Josias Rantzau

Josias Rantzau , lord of Bothkamp, (* October 18th 1609 with Bothkamp close to Kiel; † September 14th 1650 with Paris) was a German man of war which became Marshal of France, one of the most adventurous characters of the Guerre Thirty Year old as of the simultaneous war that Spain and Holland delivered themselves (Guerre Eighty Year old).

Military youth and beginnings

Josias is the grandson of Paul, more young person wire of Johann. It receives a good education and would have learned nearly 8 languages.

During its youth, Josias is useful successively in the armies of prince Maurice d' Orange, of Christian IV of Denmark, king de Suède, the Emperor then again of Sweden until in 1635.

With the service of France

In 1635, it accompanies in France the Swedish chancellor Oxenstiern, when Louis XIII retains it and the command of a regiment of German infantry offers to him, raised by commission of May 11th. It is used with this body in the army of Germany under the orders of the cardinal of Valette and the duke as Saxony-Weimar.

It enters to Alsace with the cardinal, the January 17th 1636. The escape of the enemies opens the passage to him, leaving in Rantzau freedom supply Colmar and Sélestat. It goes on Erstein where its posted 100 riders. It continues them, of keep silent a great number, and makes 36 prisoners. It supplies then Haguenau.

After this countryside, one grants a regiment of German cavalry to him, and it is made Brigadier by patent of the February 18th. It is useful in Franche-Comté and loses an eye at the time of the seat of Pares. Charged with leading 1600 men to Saint-Jean-with-Losne, it leaves to fallen the night, crossed a deep and fast river, force 3 bodies of guard to Auxône, and, with the favor of the night, between the head of its troops in Saint-Jean-with-Losne. With the point of the day, it makes an exit and kills 200 men.

The violent resistance of Rantzau obliges the duke of Lorraine and Gallas with raising the seat the November 3rd, by giving up their guns and part of their luggage. Rantzau continues them, fall on their rear-guard and still makes them test a loss of 8.000 men.

By being able of the March 3rd 1637, it is named Lieutenant-general, ordering an army corps which it is charged to raise to Germany and to bring to the service of the king. Not having succeeded in this task, it is dislocated of its regiments in 1638, and with the permission of the king, it spends two years to the Denmark.

Of return in France in 1640, one employs it like Brigadier in the army of Flanders. It has a estropiée hand, and loses a leg with the head office of Arras which goes the August 10th. Employed with the same rank in the army ordered by the marshal of Meilleraye, it receives 3 wounds at the time of the seat of Aire which capitulates the July 27th 1641. It is announced by its courage, at the time of the retirement of the French Army after the catch of the city.

It fights under the marshal of Guiche, with the Bataille of Honnecourt, the May 26th 1642, where it receives four wounds and is made prisoner. Brigadier in the army ordered by the duke of Enghein, it is with the Bataille of Rocroi the May 19th and with the seat of Thionville which goes the August 10th. The 12, it receives the command of a regiment of cavalry. It goes to the attack of Sierck which falls on September 1st; the castle capitulates two days later. The September 22nd it is charged to order the help intended to join the marshal of Guébriand which makes the seat of Rothweil. When the latter is wounded, it is Rantzau which takes to the command and constrained the governor of Rothweil to go the November 19th.

Surprised and beaten by Jean de Werth with the Battle of Tuttlingen the November 24th 1643, it is made prisoner. It is made Lieutenant-general arméees of the king the April 22nd 1644, and is employed in the army of Flandres, under the orders of the marréchal of Meilleraye. It is used with the seat as Gravelines which goes the July 28th. It raises by commission of the December 10th a regiment of German infantry under the name of Royal-German.

Employed as Lieutenant-general in the army of Picardy, under the orders of Philippe of Orleans by letter of the May 19th 1645, it takes by storm the town of Cassel. It is named Marshal of France the June 30th 1645 and besieges Mardyck which capitulates the July 11th. It takes Link and Bourbourg the August 9th, Lillers Béthune and Saint-Coming at the end same month.

Ordering the army of Flanders under Philippe of Orleans and the duke of Enghein, with the marshals Gassion and Gramont, it takes share with the catch of Courtrai, of Bergues-Saint-Winocq, Furnes and Dunkirk. It obtains then the government of Dunkirk, Bergues, Mardyck, Furnes and of the forts which depend on it.

With the marshal of Gassion, it goes to the help of Landrecies, besieged by Ottavio Piccolomini. Arrived on July 1st at Harrape, it passes the Sambre the 2 to height of Câtillon with 20 guns. Solved well to force the enemy lines, it makes prepare fascines to fill the ditches, when it receives the order to give up the attack and to give up Landrecies.

While Gassion seizes Based the, Rantzau is made main of Dixmude, of Kenaque, Nieufdam and the Lock. To transport to Dixmude the weapons and the ammunition of the fort of the Lock that Rantzau makes shave, it is necessary to pass on a dam, where the marquis de Caraccèue posted himself. The convoy advances, and soon the two armies are committed on the dam without sufficient space for utilser the firearms. In the combat which with place with the sword, the Spaniards lose 300 men whereas 50 French are made prisoners. After the wound of Gassion, continuous Rantzau the Head office of Lens. The city requires to capitulate the October 2nd, and the garrison goes the 3.

The April 28th, under the orders of the duke of Enghein, it takes part in the catch of Ypres. The count of Fuensaldagne the attack a few days afterwards towards Dixmude, beats it and the captive fact. One laid off his regiment with the Paix of Munster, the October 24th. On some vague suspicions of treason, it is stopped the February 27th 1649. He manages to be justified, and leaves prison the January 22nd 1650. But following its imprisonment, he falls ill and dies of hydropisy the September 4th according to.

Marriage

Rantzau marries Hedwig Margarethe Elisabeth, girl junior by the Danish governor Gerhard Rantzau. The two husbands settle in France, convert with Catholicism, which is worth to them to be disinherited. The couple remains without children.

Epitaph

It seems that Rantzau shone more by an untameable temerity - often crowned success - that by truths talents of military strategist. Excessive passion that it had for the wine, made him miss several projects and delivered it to transport which could have become to him very disastrous. It had been mutilated so much with the war that him this epitaph was made:

“Of the body of large Rantzau, you are only one of the shares,

other half remains in the places of Mars

It dispersed everywhere his members and its glory,

Tout cut down that it was, it remained victorious

Its blood was in hundred places the price of the victory

And Mars did not leave him anything entirety but the heart. ”

Source

Historical and biographical dictionary of the French generals, since the eleventh century… 1828

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