The Battle of Oldendorf (German: Schlacht bei Hessisch-Oldendorf[1]) on 8 July 1633[2] was a battle of the Thirty Years' War between the Swedish Empire and the Holy Roman Empire near Hessisch-Oldendorf, Lower Saxony, Germany.[3] The result was a decisive victory of the Swedish Army.[1][3]
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The Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, William V, as a Protestant ally of Sweden had campaigned in Westfalia, Ruhr area and Sauerland and successfully reduced imperial presence there.[1] The imperial defense of the Weser area in 1633 was led by Jobst Maximilian von Gronsfeld.[4]
The battle was preceded by a Swedish siege of the nearby imperial-held town of Hameln, laid in March 1633 with support of Hessian and Lüneburgian troops.[5]
On 8 July, the Swedish army commanded by George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg[3][6] and Marshal Dodo zu Innhausen und Knyphausen[3][6] faced an Imperial relief army commanded by Field Marshal Jobst Maximilian von Gronsfeld,[3][6] Count John (Johann, Jean) of Merode[3][6] and Lothar Dietrich Freiherr von Bönninghausen.[6] Merode commanded 4,450 infantry and 1,245 cavalry, Bonninghausen 4,475 infantry and 2,060 cavalry, Gronsfeld 2,000 infantry and 600 cavalry.[6] The armies met near Hessisch-Oldendorf, northwest of besieged Hameln.[3]
Both armies attacked, a rare event in the Thirty Year's War which besides Oldendorf only occurred in the Second Battle of Breitenfeld.[nb 1][7] The left wing of the Swedish forces was commanded by the general of Hesse-Kassel and later imperial field marshal Count Peter Eppelmann Melander von Holzapfel.[8] Later field marshal Torsten Stalhansk led a Swedish brigade.[9] Later field marshal Gottfried von Geelen participated in the battle on the imperial side.[10]
Gronsfeld was captured[3] after his wing was routed by Melander,[11] leaving over 3000 dead and wounded and 1000 prisoner. The Swedish lost 700 soldiers.[12]
The Swedish victory in Oldendorf and the subsequent victory in the Battle of Pfaffenhofen on 11 August balanced the Swedish defeat in the Battle of Steinau on 10 October; overall, Swedish and Imperial forces were "on even terms" in 1633.[2] This only changed in the following year: While the Swedish forces won the Battle of Liegnitz on 8 May and the Battle of Landshut on 22 July,[2] their defeat in the Battle of Nördlingen on 6 September 1634 brought about a change in the balance of power.[13]
Melander, Swedish commander at Oldendorf, intrigued with the Holy Roman Emperor in 1635 to merge Hesse-Kassel's forces into the Imperial army and have Hesse-Kassel sign the Peace of Prague.[4] These plans failed, and personal quarrels led him to quit service to re-enter it as the Imperial commander of Westphalia in 1645.[4] The Peace of Prague reconciled many Protestant states with the Holy Roman Emperor, most notably the Electorate of Saxony.[13] As a consequence, Sweden's and Hesse-Kassel's forces stood alone against a growing anti-Swedish, pro-Habsburg coalition in 1635 - a disequilibrium eventually stirring France's intervention in the Thirty Years' War.[13]
In 1647, Hessisch-Oldendorf became the winter quarters of the Swedish army commanded by Carl Gustaf Wrangel retreating from Bohemia, followed by then imperial commander Melander who took quarter in Hesse.[14]