Episode 339: Denmark Intervenes

known for his bold and decisive actions in battle. He entered the war with high hopes, aiming to champion the Protestant cause and expand Danish influence in northern Germany. But eventually the tide is going to turn against him. A series of defeats will weaken his army and his once bright prospects will start to quickly dim. At this point, the stage becomes set for a decisive confrontation at the Battle of luter Brenberg, which is really our first decisive

battle since the Battle of Waite Mountain. Christian the Fourth, despite some of the setbacks, remained proud and headstrong. He made a fateful decision, however, prior to the battle, he decided to divide his forces. He sent a detachment to join the Count of Wallenstein, a powerful imperial general with whom he had formed a somewhat shaky alliance, while Christian the fourth remained with his main army. This decision would

prove to be a grave miscalculation. Tilley, who as we know, was an excellent, cunning, and ruthless commander, he seized upon this opportunity presented by the divided Danish forces. He focused his attack on Christian the Fourth's weakened left flank, launching furious assault after furious assault in the battle that overwhelmed

the Danish defenses. Making matters worse, the Danish baggage train, carrying vital supplies and specifically artillery, was quickly routed and captured by Tilly's forces, removing Christian the Fourth's artillery from the battle in one fell swoop. The loss of the baggage train proved to be a devastating blow to the Danish army. Demoralized and lacking essential provisions, their resistance quickly crumbled. Christian the Fourth, realizing that the battle was lost, ordered

a hasty retreat. This effectively ended the once mighty Danish army's role in the battle, which was now shattered and defeated and fled the field. The Battle of Luton Arterberg marked a turning point in the Thirty Years War and honestly the end of the effort of the Danes to gain control over the region of northern Germany. Christian the Fourth, forced to abandon the mainland and seek refuge on his ships,

had suffered a humiliating defeat. The victory cemented Imperial control over northern Germany and also, of course, Catholic control over Northern Germany. Now, of course, I said that Christian divided his forces. So meanwhile, on the other front of the sprawling conflict, another imperial general, Wallenstein, was engaged in a campaign in Upper Germany. Now, his objective was to subdue the rebellious Transylvanian Prince Bethlen. Wallenstein, known for his strategic brilliance,

had envisioned a swift and decisive campaign. However, unforeseen circumstances quickly delayed his plans and tested his resolve. The harvest season had arrived and the logistical demands of gathering crops slowed Wallenstein's advance. The delay proved costly, as it allowed Bethlen the opportunity to see the strategic city of Buddha before Wallenstein could intervene. This is half of the modern day Budapest. To add to his woes, Wallenstein's army was

struck by disease, further weakening his forces. Now, despite all these setbacks, Wallenstein was not deterred. He regrouped his forces and negotiated a treaty with Bethlen in December of sixteen twenty six, securing a temporary truce. The treaty, though not a complete victory, allowed Wallenstein to extricate his army from a difficult situation and regroup for future campaigns. Back in the heart of the Holy Roman Empire, the political landscape

had now started to shift. The growing power of Wallenstein and the imperial forces were causing unease amongst many of the German princes. They feared that the Emperor Ferdinand the Second was using the war as an excuse to consolidate his power and to erode the traditional liberties. Frankly, they're probably right now. To address these concerns, there was an electoral congress held in sixteen twenty seven in the city

of Mulhausen. His gathering of the most powerful princes of the Empire was intended to discuss the pressing issues of the war and ideally the future of the empire itself. However, the Congress was dominated by the Emperor and his supporters, who sought to maintain and even expand their grip on power. One of the most vocal critics of Wallenstein and the emperor's policies was Maximilian of Bavaria, a powerful prince who had emerged as a leading figure in the Catholic League.

This again illustrates the fallacy in claiming that the Thirty Years War was all about religion, because here we have a leading Catholic complaining about a Catholic emperor expanding his power. Maximilian accused Wallenstein of exceeding his authority and undermining the rights of the princes. He called for reforms to curb Ollenstein's power and restore the balance of power within the empire. Now, despite Maximilian's rather impassioned please, the Congress failed to achieve

any meaningful reforms. The Emperor, determined to pursue his goal of a united Catholic Empire, resisted any attempts whatsoever to limit his authority. Ferdinand really now for the first time, saw the Thirty Years War as the opportunity to turn the Holy Roman Empire into something that looked a lot more like France or Spain or England, a united sovereign state led by a king. Now the Congress ended in a stalemate, leaving the underlying tensions unresolved and continuing to

set the stage for future conflict. While the political machinations of the Empire played out, Christian the Fourth of Denmark, licking his wounds after the defeat of luder Bredenberg, was forced to come to terms with the reality of his situation. Sprout warrior king, now humbled by defeat, had no choice. He had to make peace with his enemies. So in sixteen twenty nine, Christian signed the Piece of Lubeck, formally

ending Denmark's involvement in the Thirty Years War. The treaty allowed Christian fourth the ability to retain his throne, though it was still a tough pill to swallow. However, he was forced to see territory, and he had to pay a heavy indemnity, a stark reminder of his failed ambitions, and honestly a warning to other foreign nations about the risks of getting involved in this never ending conflict. Now, the piece of Lubec marks the end of one chapter in what is going to be the long and bloody

saga of the Thirty Years War. But of course we're only six or seven years in year, so the conflict is far from over. New actors are about to emerge on the stage, and the battle will continue to raid for years to come. But that will be right after this. As the year sixteen twenty eight dawned across Europe, the

Thirty Years War continued to rage. To the north, a new power was rising in the person of Gustavus Adolphus, the ambitious young King of Sweden, who now set his sights on expanding his power base in the Baltic region. Gustavus Adolphus, also known as Gustave the Second adolph was born on December the ninth, fifteen ninety four, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the eldest son of King Charles the tenth

of Sweden and Queen Christina of Holstein Orp. Gustavus was part of the Basa dynasty, a royal family that played a crucial role in establishing Sweden as a European power. Gustavus Adolphus grew up during a period of intense political and religious turbulence. His father, Charles the Tenth, was a staunch supporter of Protestantism and had taken the throne after a power struggle with his Catholic half brother, Sigismund the Third, who was both the king of Poland and Sweden until

he was dethroned by Charles in fifteen ninety nine. This conflict would set the stage for Gustalfus's reign and broader conflicts in the era, including the Thirty Years War. From a young age, Gustavus was groomed to rule. His education was rigorous and focused on subjects essential for a future king. He studied languages, law, history, military tactics, and diplomacy. By the time he was a teenager, he was fluent in several languages, including Latin, German, Dutch, French, an Italian, along

with his native Swedish. His early education also included classical studies in military theory, setting the stage and foundation for his future as a military strategist. Gustavus's early years were marked by a strong involvement in politics, and military affairs. As a teenager, he was already participating in the meetings of the Rikstag, the Swedish parliament, and was introduced to

the complexities of governance and state craft. He demonstrated a keen interest in military matters, often accompanying his father on campaigns and learning about leadership right on the battlefield. In sixteen eleven, at the age of sixteen, Gustavus officially became king after the death of his father, Charles the ninth. His ascension to the throne was during a very difficult period,

as Sweden was involved already in multiple conflicts. In fact, his country was at war with Denmark, Norway, Russia, and pol in Lithuania, making the young king's early years quite the baptism by fire. These challenges, however, shaped Gustavus's approach to governance and military strategy, as he had to prove himself capable of leading the country through a series of external threats. In the first few years of his reign, Gustavs showed a remarkable skill in managing both domestic and

foreign affairs. He was known for his intelligence, charisma, and dedication to his role as king. During his early reign, Gustavus initiated a series of military and administrative reforms that would eventually transform Sweden into a leading European power. His reforms included the modernization of the Swedish army, which we'll talk about in much greater detail in the next episode, the establishment of a standing army, an improvement in the

country's finances and bureaucracy. These early experiences laid the groundwork for Gustavus Adolphus's rise as a formidable military leader and central figure in the Thirty Years War. In fact, as we will see next time, he's going to become known as the Lion of the North. His innovative military tactics and leadership would later influence European warfare and establish Sweden

temporarily as a dominant force on the continent. Now, the defeat of his Danish rival, Christianed the Fourth at the hands of imperial forces in sixteen twenty six left a power vacuum that Gustavus Adolphus was eager to fill. He immediately launched a bold invasion of Livonia, which was at that time a Polish possession, igniting a new front in the already expanding conflict. Gustavus Adolphus's invasion was met with stiff resistance by the Polish king Sigismund the Third, his uncle.

These two monarchs clashed in a series of bloody battles, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. The war in the Baltic region quickly became a brutal stalemate, a back and forth fight that drained the resources of both kingdoms. Now, while this was going on in the heart of the Holy Roman Empire, Ferdinand the Second, the Habsburg Emperor, saw an opportunity to exploit the chaos and

further his own ambitions. He dreamt of a restored Catholic dominance, a return to the glory days of the Holy Roman Empire prior to the Protestant Reformation. Now, the war in the Baltic gave Ferdinand the perfect excuse to intervene and to expand imperial influence northward and challenge the growing power of Protestant states like Sweden and Denmark. Ferdinand found a willing instrument in Wallenstein, was, as we know, a brilliant

but ruthless general who rose to prominence through military success. Wallenstein, ever eager for power or glory shared in the Emperor's vision of a resurgent Holy Roman Empire. He saw the Baltic as a strategic prize, a key to controlling both trade and projecting imperial power. Wallenstein's ambitions expanded beyond the Baltic. He laid siege to the key city of Strassland, a key member of the Hanseatic League, the old trading league that used to dominate commerce along the Baltic region and

throughout northern Germany. His goal there was to establish a naval base that would give the Empire control of the vital sea lanes. The siege of Strassland quickly became a focal point of the struggle for dominance in the Baltic, a clash between Wallenstein's imperial ambitions and the determination of the Hanseatic League to maintain its independence. But the war in the Baltic was only one theater in this unfolding conflict.

In Italy, the death of Binche of the second Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua triggered a succession crisis that managed now to draw these clashing powers south. Charles de Nevers, a French nobleman, claimed the duchy, while the Habsburg's back arrival claimant. The dispute quickly escalated, with France and Spain already locked

in the bitter rivalry, intervening on opposing sides. Italy then became a new battleground in the struggle for European supremacy, a bloody side show, however, to the main conflict in Germany, but yet another indication of why there were so many driving forces that just kept the conflagration of the Thirty Years' War going year after year after year. Meanwhile, in France, Cardinal Richelieu, the ambitious chief minister of King Louis, was

determined to consolidate royal power and crush his opposition. He saw the Huguenots, the French Protestant minority, as a threat to his plan, and so while the conflict was going on in Germany, in sixteen twenty seven, Richelieu launched a siege of La Rochelle. As we can probably remember from the episodes of Henry the Fourth, the Hugenots' most important stronghold, that was where he retreated to and reconsolidated power before

taking back the throne. The siege of La Rochelle became sort of a test of will between Richelieu's determination to crush the Huguenots and the huguenots desperate fight for survival. The siege of La Rochelle also had international ramifications. England, still under the leadership of King Charles the First, sent a fleet to relieve the city, but this English intervention was ultimately unsuccessful, and La Rochelle fell to Richelieu's forces

in sixteen twenty eight. The fall of La Rochelle marked a major victory for Richelieu and a significant blow to the Hugenot cause. That's going to have major implications for Huguenots in France going forward, forward, all the way honestly through the French Revolution. As the wars in the Baltic Italy and France rage on, Ferdinand the Second made a faithful decision in sixteen twenty nine, he issued the famous

Edict of Restitution. This was a decree that sought to restore all Catholic church lands that had been secularized since fifteen fifty two. The Edict of Restitution was honestly nothing less than an attempt to roll back the entire Reformation. It was a provocation that literally set on fire all Protestants across the Empire. It was a gamble. It was a bold stroke that Ferdinand the Second hoped would strengthen

his position and secure essentially perpetual Catholic dominance. Wallenstein was tasked with implementing the Edict of Restitution in territory under his controls, and he carried out his orders with ruthless efficiency, seizing Protestant lands left and right and restoring them to the Catholic Church. His actions only further alienated the Protestants and contributed to growing unrest in the Empire. In the end, the Edict of Restitution proved to be a major miscalculation.

It backfired spectacularly, fueling resentment among Protestants and sparking resistance. Any fragile piece that had existed in any part of the Empire at all immediately collapsed, and the war spread further. So the year sixteen thirty ended with Europe engulfed in essentially now a continent wide conflict. Gustavis Adolphus, having secured his position in the Baltic, now prepared to intervene in Germany, bringing with him a powerful Swedish army that could tip

the balance of war. Richelieu in France. Emboldened now by his victory at law, Rochelle looked to expand French influence eastward over the Rhine and into Germany. Ferdinandon, now facing a resurgent Protestant threat, is forced to rely increasingly on Wallenstein, who's growing power and ambition makes him a potential threat to the emperor's own authority. Next week, we turn the page to the pivotal year of sixteen thirty, as Gustavus Adolphus and Cardinal Richelieu slam into Germany.