Lennart Torstensson had fulfilled his task in Denmark and returned
to Germany. At Jueterbogk, in Brandenburg, he met the imperial army,
which had been sent to cut off his retreat from Denmark, and entirely
routed it. After this victory Torstensson hastened to Bohemia, resolved
to “attack the emperor in his heart and force him to make peace.” At
Jankowitz, in Bohemia, Torstensson administered a new and crushing
defeat to the imperialists, in 1645. The emperor, who himself had
ordered his army to battle, had arrived in Prague to witness the defeat
of the Swedes, which the Holy Virgin had promised him in a dream. He
soon learned the news, which was quite different from that expected.
The imperial commander-general, five generals and eight colonels were
made prisoners by the Swedes, who captured the artillery and baggage of
the enemy. The health of Torstensson was at that moment so good that he
was able to lead the movements on horseback. He said that such a bloody
battle would not be seen for a long time.
Torstensson invaded Moravia, the fortresses surrendering and the
inhabitants fleeing in terror. For a second time he stood at the walls
of Vienna. The very fortifications which protected the bridge across
the Danube were captured by the Swedes. The enemy, whom the elector
of Saxony had promised to chase out of Germany, was now knocking at
the gate of the emperor, who heard the report with consternation. But
Lennart Torstensson was forced to surrender to a perfidious enemy, who
came to his door without knocking. His rheumatic ailment returned with
such violence that he was obliged to renounce his command and return
from the fields where he had led none but victorious armies. He was
succeeded by Charles Gustavus Wrangel. The latter had to give up the
siege of Vienna, but maintained, in connection with the French, the
supremacy in Germany until an honorable peace was won. Upon his return
to Sweden, Lennart Torstensson was covered with distinctions, being
made a baron and a count on one and the same day. He was appointed
governor-general of West Gothland, Vermland, and the lately conquered
Halland, with his seat at Gothenburg, where he built himself a palace
(still the official residence of the governor of Gothenburg and
Bohuslæn). Lennart Torstensson died in 1651, leaving behind the fame of
one of the greatest warriors known to history, and a spotless memory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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