Monday, March 3, 2008

Saxon Allies

The Saxons fought for both the Swedes and the Imperialists in different stages of the Thirty Years War.  Most of the units listed are from the Swedish period. Saxon units often used a dark green sash as a field sign after 1630.
 
Unit History – Bose IR (Saxon 1631 – 1639)
Raised in 1631, it was 8 companies strong in 1632 at the battle of Lutzen. At the battle, it fought brigaded with the Saxe-Weimar regiment Wilhelm Leib IR and the Saxon Pforte IR under the command of Karl von Bose.
In 1634, the unit was part of the forces at Liegnitz and was 10 companies strong.
Fought at Wittstock (1636) as part of the Imperial army in the 3rd echelon and covered the Imperial retreat at the end of the battle.
The unit was disbanded in 1639.










Unit History – Pforte IR (Saxon 1631 – 1639)
Originally raised as the regiment von Starschädel in 1631.
At Breitenfeld, the raw unit was part of the Saxon center under Duke Sachsen-Altenburg. During the battle, the unit’s commander, von Starschädel was killed.
Later, under the command of Oberst Hans von der Pforte it fought at Alte Veste and was one of the Saxon regiments in the rear line at Lutzen. At Lutzen, it was 8 companies strong and fought brigaded with the Saxe-Weimar regiment Wilhelm Leib IR and the Saxon Bose IR under the command of Karl von Bose.
In 1634, the unit was part of the forces at Liegnitz and was 10 companies strong.
Fought at Wittstock (1636) as part of the Imperial army in the 3rd echelon and covered the Imperial retreat at the end of the battle.
The unit was merged into the Löser IR in 1639.













Unit History – Dam von Vitzthum IR (Saxon 1632 – 1638)  Raised in June 1632 Damien (Daniel) von Vitzthum is one of the Saxon regiments at Lutzen. At the battle, the unit was under the command of Oberst Damien v. Vitzthum-Eckstädt and the 6 company strong unit was probably detached to guard the camp at Naumberg as it took no casualties. 
In 1634, the unit was part of the forces at Liegnitz and was still 6 companies strong.
The unit was merged into the Schwalbach IR in 1638; the flag’s motto was “Me Me Vindico” or “I Deliver Myself”











Unit History – Gersdorff Horse (Saxon 1634 – 1638) 
Raised in 1634, the unit was part of the Saxon forces at Liegnitz later that year and was 6 companies strong under the command of Oberst Christoff.
5 companies fought at Wittstock (1636) as part of the Imperial army in the 3rd echelon under the command of Wildberg.
The unit was disbanded in 1638 and merged into the Kalkstein Horse.








Unit History – Sachsen Lauenburg Horse (Saxon 1634 – 1640)
The regiment of horse was raised in 1634 by Duke Franz Albrecht von Sachsen Lauenburg. In 1634, the unit was part of the Saxon forces at Liegnitz and was 8 companies strong under the command of Oberst Gamla.
In late 1634, the unit became the Trauditzsch Horse as Franz Albrecht was imprisoned for assisting Wallenstein’s attempts to gain power. Franz Albrecht remained in prison until 1635. By 1640, Franz Albrecht had regained the trust of the Imperial crown, was commanding a corps and nearly freed Schlesien for the Imperialists.
June 1642, he fought the Swedish General Torstenson near Schweidnitz suffering serious wounds before being captured. He died shortly after his capture.
The remaining squadron fought at Wittstock (1636) in the 1st echelon under the command of Marrazino.
The horse unit was disbanded in 1640 and merged into the Taube Horse.







Unit History – Bindauf Horse (Saxon 1631 – 1650) 
The unit was raised in May 1631.
At Breitenfeld, the raw unit was part of the Saxon left under von Bindauf. On the Saxon left were the Sachsen-Altenburg, Bindauf and Steinau horse. These green units initially resisted the attack of the Imperial Baumgarten Horse and Alt-Sachsen Cuirassiers wavering under the pistol fire but broke when attacked in the flank by the Cronberg Horse. The unit’s commander and lead of the left flank, von Bindauf, was killed in the Saxon retreat. Von Steinau and the majority of his horse were captured during the Saxon retreat.
After the battle, the unit saw a series of transitions, 1632 becoming Prinz Holstein, 1633 Fürst v. Sachsen, before becoming the Hanau Horse in 1635.
Part of the Saxon forces opposing the 1634 Imperial invasion under Holk, it had a strength of 12 companies.
10 companies fought at Wittstock (1636) as part of the Imperial army in the 3rd echelon under the command of Wildberg.
At Schweidnitz (1642), a squadron fought and was part of a sound defeat. The squadron then fought at 2nd Breitenfeld (1642) on the left wing in the 2nd echelon commanded by Schleinitz.
At Jankow (1645) the squadron was in the 2nd echelon in the center under the overall command of Callenberk.
The unit was disbanded in 1650.







Unit History – Hoffkirchen Arquebusiers (Saxon 1631 – 1638)
The unit was raised in June 1631; it was not present at Breitenfeld.
The regiment was part of the Swedish army at Alte Veste.
At Lützen, the unit was part of the 2nd echelon on the Left Wing under Ernst v. Anhalt. They supported the Swedish center counterattacking the advancing Imperialists.
After the battle, the unit became the Geisto Horse in 1633 before becoming the v. Stein in 1635.
Part of the Saxon forces opposing the 1634 Imperial invasion under Holk, it had a strength of 5 companies. The remaining squadron fought at Wittstock (1636) in the 1st echelon under the command of Marrazino.
The unit was disbanded in 1638. The cornet’s motto was “Spes Mea Christus” or My Hope is Christ.









Unit History – Ernst von Anhalt (Saxon 1631 – 1650) 
The unit was raised in November 1631 after Breitenfeld.
The regiment was part of the Swedish army at Alte Veste.
At Lützen, the unit was part of the 2nd echelon on the Left Wing under Ernst v. Anhalt. They supported the Swedish center counterattacking the advancing Imperialists.
After the battle, the unit saw a series of transitions, 1633 becoming Schirrstadt, 1637 Jung-Schleinitz, 1647 Seydewitz, before becoming the Naso Horse later in 1647.
The single squadron fought at Wittstock (1636) in the 1st echelon under the command of Marrazino.
The squadron then fought at 2nd Breitenfeld (1642) on the left wing in the 2nd echelon commanded by Schleinitz.
At Jankow (1645) the squadron was in the 2nd echelon in the center under the overall command of Callenberk.
The unit was disbanded in 1650.







Additional Saxon cavalry flags from the Von der Milbe Horse, Mounted Jagers and the Schmidt Horse       

Sources
Text: Uniforms of the Thirty Years War by Bill Boyle in Time Portal Passage Summer 2000
Battles of the Thirty Years War From White Mountain to Nordlingen, William P. Guthrie, Greenwood Press, 2002.
Osprey's Lützen 1632 (Campaign Series), Richard Brezezinski, 2001
Flags: Fahnen und Standarten zur Zeit des Dreißigjährigen Krieges Band I – Kursachsen, Antje & Jürgen Lucht, 2013. (www.peterstor.de).

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