Battle of Sievershausen

Last updated
Battle of Sievershausen
Part of the Second Margrave War
Sievershausen Schlacht.jpg
Oil painting of the battle, c. 1600
Date9 July 1553
Location
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Electorate of Saxony
Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Commanders and leaders
Maurice of Saxony  (DOW)
Henry V of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Strength
15,500
25 guns
18,000
Casualties and losses
Combined: 4,000 killed, 8,000 wounded
Painting of the battle of Sievershausen from the second half of the 16th century or the first half of the 17th century Slag bij Sievershausen.jpg
Painting of the battle of Sievershausen from the second half of the 16th century or the first half of the 17th century

The Battle of Sievershausen occurred on 9 July 1553 near the village of Sievershausen (today part of Lehrte in present-day Germany), where the forces of the Hohenzollern margrave Albert Alcibiades of Brandenburg-Kulmbach fought against the united troops of Elector Maurice of Saxony and Duke Henry V of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. With 4,000 men killed, including the Saxon elector and two of Henry's sons, it was one of the bloodiest battles on Lower Saxon territory. Margrave Albert was defeated.

Contents

Prelude

Albert of Brandenburg-Kulmbach had sparked the Second Margrave War against the Franconian Prince-bishoprics in 1552, cutting a path of destruction with his plundering mercenary army on its way to Northern Germany. Arriving in the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, he campaigned against Henry V of Wolfenbüttel, who gained support from Elector Maurice as well as from his Lüneburg cousins. The Saxon elector had just signed the Peace of Passau with Emperor Charles V as a leader of insurgent Protestant princes, and the turmoil caused by his former ally turned up at the wrong time.

The two sides first encountered on the Leine river near Sarstedt, though no action was taken. Margrave Albert headed for the city of Brunswick, when the enemy forces blocked his passage on the Fuhse creek near Sievershausen.

Battle

The battlefield in 2006 Sievershausen Schlachtfeld.jpg
The battlefield in 2006

The battle took place in an open field ( Feldmark ) between the villages of Sievershausen and Arpke. The Saxon-Brunswick troops attacked with about 15,500 men (8,000 infantry and 7,500 cavalry) and 25 guns, the margrave had 18,000 mercenaries (12,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry) at his command. The opposing cavalry forces fired their pistols at close range, causing heavy losses, and then charged home. [1] Initially Albert managed to repel the attacking forces, however, the Saxon army turned around and positioned itself behind the defending forces. After four hours of bitter fighting, the margrave fled from the battlefield. His retreat was covered by General Joachim von Röbel, who became famous as a result and ended his days as a field-marshal.

Among the many casualties were Saxon and Brunswick nobles and knights, including the two elder sons of Duke Henry V, Philip Magnus and Charles Victor, resulting in the succession of the throne of their younger brother Julius. Elector Maurice allegedly was killed by friendly fire, when a shot by one of his own men struck the abdomen and caused major injuries he two days later succumbed to. His mortal remains were transferred to Saxony; his armor kept in Freiberg Cathedral shows the bullet hole at waist level. Many rumours were circulating in connection with his death; he most likely died due to wound infection.

Aftermath

With Albert's defeat, public peace was secured and could be perpetuated in the Augsburg Settlement two years later. On the 300th anniversary of the battle in 1853, a memorial stone was erected to commemorate the death of Elector Maurice.

Since 1967, the local parish church has been a meeting place of several German peace movement groups. An anti-war museum in Sievershausen opened in 1979.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach</span> Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach

Albert II was the margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (Brandenburg-Bayreuth) from 1527 to 1553. He was a member of the Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern. Because of his bellicose nature, Albert was given the cognomen Bellator during his lifetime. Posthumously, he became known as Alcibiades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg</span> Elector of Bradenburg from 1415 to 1440

Frederick was the last Burgrave of Nuremberg from 1397 to 1427, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1398, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach from 1420, and Elector of Brandenburg from 1415 until his death. He became the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule the Margraviate of Brandenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Welf</span> European royal dynasty

The House of Welf is a European dynasty that has included many German and British monarchs from the 11th to 20th century and Emperor Ivan VI of Russia in the 18th century. The originally Franconian family from the Meuse-Moselle area was closely related to the imperial family of the Carolingians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice, Elector of Saxony</span> Elector of Saxony from 1547 to 1553

Maurice was Duke (1541–47) and later Elector (1547–53) of Saxony. His clever manipulation of alliances and disputes gained the Albertine branch of the Wettin dynasty extensive lands and the electoral dignity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian the Younger of Brunswick</span> German Protestant military leader during the Thirty Years War

Christian the Younger of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, a member of the House of Welf, titular Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Halberstadt, was a German Protestant military leader during the early years of the Thirty Years' War, fighting against the forces of the Imperial House of Habsburg, Habsburg Spain, and the Catholic League.

Magnus I (1304–1369), called the Pious, was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg</span>

Julius of Brunswick-Lüneburg, a member of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruling Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1568 until his death. From 1584, he also ruled over the Principality of Calenberg. By embracing the Protestant Reformation, establishing the University of Helmstedt, and introducing a series of administrative reforms, Julius was one of the most important Brunswick dukes in the early modern era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry IV, Duke of Saxony</span> Duke of Saxony

Henry IV the Pious, Duke of Saxony was a Duke of Saxony from the House of Wettin. Succeeding his brother George, Duke of Saxony, a fervent Catholic who sought to extinguish Lutheranism by any means possible, Henry established the Lutheran church as the state religion in his domains.

The Second Margrave War was a conflict in the Holy Roman Empire between 1552 and 1555. Instigated by Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, who was attempting to form a Duchy of Franconia under his rule, the war resulted in widespread devastation in Franconia, while also affecting the Rhineland and Lower Saxony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg</span>

Henry V of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, called the Younger,, a member of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruling Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1514 until his death. The last Catholic of the Welf princes, he was known for the large number of wars in which he was involved and for the long-standing affair with his mistress Eva von Trott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County of Blankenburg</span> State of the Holy Roman Empire (1123–1815)

The County of Blankenburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Blankenburg, it was located in and near the Harz mountains.

Catherine of Brunswick may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emilie of Saxony</span> Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Emilie of Saxony was the third wife of Margrave George the Pious of Brandenburg-Ansbach. Since his two earlier wives died before his accession, she was the only one to hold the title of Margravine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisabeth of Brandenburg-Küstrin</span> Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Elizabeth of Brandenburg-Küstrin, was a princess of Brandenburg-Küstrin and margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Kulmbach by marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg</span> Electress consort of Saxony

Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg was a member of the House of Welf, a princess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and by marriage, the Electress of Saxony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry IV, Burgrave of Plauen</span>

Henry IV of Plauen, was High Chancellor of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Burgrave of Meissen, Lord of Plauen, Gera, Greiz, Schleiz and Bad Lobenstein, Lord of Toužim, Hartenštejn Castle, Andělská Hora Castle and Žlutice. He also used the traditional title of Lord of Lázně Kynžvart and, apart from an intermezzo in 1547, he was Lord of Bečov nad Teplou as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin</span> Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin

John of Brandenburg-Küstrin, was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and a Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisabeth of Bavaria, Electress of Brandenburg</span> Electress consort of Brandenburg

Elisabeth of Bavaria-Landshut, nicknamed "Beautiful Beth", was an Electress of Brandenburg by marriage to Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg. She acted as regent of Brandenburg during the absence of her spouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudolf I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg</span> Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg from 1298 to 1356, First Elector Saxony from 1356

Rudolf I, a member of the House of Ascania, was Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg from 1298 until his death. By the Golden Bull of 1356 he was acknowledged as Elector of Saxony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hedwig of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel</span>

Hedwig of Brandenburg, a member of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1568 to 1589, by her marriage with the Welf duke Julius.

References

  1. Delbrück 1985, p. 123.

Bibliography

52°22′33″N10°06′46″E / 52.37583°N 10.11278°E / 52.37583; 10.11278