[Elias Tarfarius]

Chapter VII
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Fruitful Victories




Christian of Brunswick lost his zeal for the war and began negociations with Ferdinand in May of 1621

Christian was the third son of Duke Heinrich Julius (1564-1613). As youngest son the Protestant prince became, at seventeen years of age, the administrator of the Catholic bishopric of Halberstadt, which made him financially independent. After the death of his father Heinrich Julius in 1613, Christian was raised in Copenhagen by his uncle, the Danish king Christian IV. (1577-1648). He also attended the university in Helmstedt. However, Christian did not have the artistic sense of his father Heinrich Julius, but he inherited the sober and pragmatic thinking of his grandfather, Julius (1528-1589).

In the Twenty Years' War he fought doggedly for the Protestant cause, so that later, as administrator of Halberstadt, he received the nickname, "the mad man of Halberstadt." He eagerly sent his cousin, George Luneberg, to defend Frederick V's new realm while he set about raising a new army of his own, confiscating Church properties to pay for it. This army was destroyed by Wallenstein and Christian now had become the noble prisoner of "Emperor" Ferdinand II. Upon his arrival at Vienna, the rebel prince was treated quite well, much to his surprise, and he was not pressed to settle political affairs just yet. This good treatment induced the prince to offer peace to Ferdinand; 124,000 florins in exchange for the cession of hostilities between Austria and Brunswick. Ferdinand politely rejected this, prefering to enforce peace upon Christian, not to gently except it from him as though he were an equal. Peace would only come when Hanover had fallen to Imperial arms.

The Peace of Salzburg, October 25th 1621

Tilly captured Heidelberg, capital of the Palatinate, in August, Moravia was subdued in September, Pappenheim entered Silesia, and Hanover capitulated on the 22nd of October. A rider brought the news to Ferdinand at Salzburg and there he played his hand against the weary Christian. On the 25th, the prince had no choice but sign a peace treaty with Austria which forced him to declare Trentist Catholicism the religion of all his lands and pay a one-time indemnity of 100,000 reichthalers. George Luneburg demoblized his army in Bohemia and Christian was sent home a broken man, his dreams of military glory and Protestant triumph smashed.

Mansfield goes on the offensive against Tilly, December 1621

Mansfield moved to retrieve the situation on the Rhein but only began operations in November. Tilly made his winter quarters in the conquered Heidelberg and did not expect any actions till spring. Therefore, posted no pickets at the crossings below and above the city, allowing Mansfield and his army to cross unnoticed till he offered battle on the 6th of December. In a sharp action lasting about two hours Tilly repulsed Mansfield's larger, but more disorderly force. For now, the city would remain in the hands of the Graf.