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Battle Of Breitenfeld (1642)




The Second Battle of Breitenfeld ( October 23 , 1642 ), also known as the "First Battle of Leipzig ", took place at Breitenfeld (4 miles north-east of Leipzig ), Germany during the Thirty Years' War .

The Swedish Army led by Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson beat an army of the Holy Roman Empire led by Archduke Leopold William Of Habsburg and his deputy, General Ottavio Piccolomini .

The Imperial army had 15,000 casualties and 5,000 were taken prisoner. 46 guns were seized.
The Swedish Army lost 4,000 killed and wounded; among the latter, General Torsten Stålhandske who led the Finnish '' Hakkapeliitta '' Cavalry received a serious wound.

The battle enabled Sweden to occupy Saxony . His defeat made Emperor Ferdinand III more willing to negotiate peace, and renounce the Preliminaries of Hamburg .


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