Historical
and Commemorative Medals
Collection of Benjamin Weiss
VICTORY ON THE BATTLE OF BREITENFELD DADLER, Sebastian: Sweden, 1631, Silver, 65 mm This medal was struck for the Saxon Elector
John George I
to commemorate the victory of the allied Swedish and Saxon troops over the
imperial army, led by the great Bavarian general, Count Johann Tilly
(1559-1632), at Breitenfeld, near Leipzig on September 17th* 1631. In the
Battle of Breitenfeld, the Saxons were forced to retreat, and Count Tilly
moved his imperial infantry forces to a position in order to attack the
exposed Swedish flank. However, a brilliant counter maneuver was executed by
the Swedish King Gustavus II
Adolphus, cutting Tilly off from his
communications at Leipzig and separating him from his artillery. The result
was the complete defeat of the imperial army. Tilly died shortly thereafter,
in 1632, while trying to prevent the Swedish army from crossing over into
Bavaria. *The difference between the date shown
here and that on the medal is likely due to the differences in the use of
the Julian and Gregorian calendars. LINK to Battle of Breitenfeld (from Wikipedia) |
|