Battle of Breitenfeld
1631 CE · Germany (Saxony)
The Battle of Breitenfeld was fought in 1631 CE in Germany (Saxony) between Sweden and Saxony vs the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic League; decisive Protestant victory, the first major one of the Thirty Years' War.
Battle of Breitenfeld: quick facts
- Date
- 1631 CE
- Location
- Germany (Saxony)
- Belligerents
- Sweden and Saxony vs the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic League
- Commanders
- Gustavus Adolphus vs Count Tilly
- Result
- decisive Protestant victory, the first major one of the Thirty Years' War.
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Breitenfeld?
King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden won a revolutionary victory over the Imperial Catholic League army under Tilly at Breitenfeld near Leipzig. Despite his Saxon allies routing early in the battle, Gustavus Adolphus used his innovative combined arms tactics, mobile light artillery, and flexible formations to outmaneuver and destroy the Imperial tercios. The victory proved that the traditional deep infantry formations could be beaten by more modern methods and established Sweden as the champion of the Protestant cause in the Thirty Years' War.
Did you know?
Gustavus Adolphus introduced the first standardized military uniforms and lightweight leather cannons that could be moved by just two men, revolutionizing European warfare at Breitenfeld.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Breitenfeld on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.