Lennart Torstenson

Lennart Torstenson (or Lennart Torstensson ), born in Forstena (Västergötland) the August 17th 1603, dead the April 7th 1651 with Stockholm, was a man of Swedish war. He was also to advise kingdom of Sweden and governor of province. He was the son of Torsten Lennartson, governor of the fortress of Älvsborg.

He adapted the use of artillery on the battle fields, making of it a weapon more mobile than than one knew hitherto. He makes a success of some very important seats of the Guerre Thirty Year old like during the war of the Sweden against the Denmark between 1643 and 1645. The time of its command is one of most glorious of the military history of Sweden.

Its life

At fifteen years, it was one of the pages of the young king Gustave-Adolphe. It entered the military career and was used in the Swedish army during the campaigns as Prussia in 1628 and 1629.

Promoted to the command of Swedish artillery in 1629, it contributed in a decisive way to the victories acquired at the time of the battles of Breitenfeld in 1631 and of Rain amndt Lech in 1632. The same year, there was made prisoner by Wallenstein in Alte Veste and remained imprisoned a year with Ingolstadt almost.

Under the orders of Johan Banér, it made very useful during the Bataille of Wittstock in 1636, during the very vigorous defense of the Swedish Poméranie in 1637 - 1638, at the time of the battle of Chemnitz in 1638, finally during the countryside of Bohemia in 1639. The disease forced it to turn over to Sweden in 1641. It was named with the Private Council. It returned to Germany in 1641, following the death of Banér. It was then named marshal, généralissime of the armies and general governor of the Swedish Poméranie.

In 1642 it advanced through the Brandebourg and the Silesia towards the Moravie, fascinating on its road all the fortresses of some importance. Of return towards the Saxony, it crushed the imperial army at the second battles of Breitenfeld the October 23rd 1642. In 1643 it was recalled precipitately to attack Denmark. Its rapid intervention and unexpected made it possible to neutralize Danish terrestrial defense, although its own position in the Jutland was very little ensured during some time because of remarkable control of the Danish fleet by the king of Denmark Christian IV.

In 1644, it ordered for the third time the Swedish army in Germany, beating imperial Gallas in Jüterbog the November 23rd. At the beginning of November 1645, it entered with its troops in Bohemia. It gained bright the victory of Jankau the March 6th during which the united armies of the Empire and the Bavaria were victims of a tactic génialement led however that their commander-in-chief, Melchior von Hatzfeld was made prisoner. This victory opened to him the road of Vienna from where the Emperor flees then towards Prague. At the beginning of April it was with the doors of Vienna but its exhausted army could not force the passage of the the Danube and was overcome by the Léopold-Wilhelm Archduke in the district of Brigittenau. Torstenson, anchylosed by the drop, was obliged to give up its command, and in December it turned over to Sweden.

It was anobli as count in 1647. Of 1648 with 1651 he was general governor of the Western provinces. After its death, it was buried with all the honors in the church of Riddarholm which is a kind of the Pantheon Swedish.

Torstenson had its many military successes with its extreme speed of operation which surprised its enemies, although itself had become impotent, by the drop, at the point to more be able to ride a horse and that it carried out its troops since a litter in which it was made transport. He is regarded as one of the most brilliant artillery generals and, more generally like one of the largest war leaders of the Sweden.

Descent

His/her son Anders Torstenson (1641 - 1686) was general governor of Estonia of 1674 with 1681. The family line died out in 1727.

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