Jean Tserclaes, Count Tilly (February 1559-30 April 1632) was the commander of the Catholic League forces during the Thirty Years' War. Learning the art of command under the Spanish generals the Duke of Parma and Ambrogio Spinola, he fought against the Dutch in the Dutch Revolt before being given command of the Catholic League during the suppression of the rebellion in Bohemia. Tilly was killed y a cannonball bat the Battle of Rain am Lech in 1632.
Biography[]
Jean Tserclaes, Count Tilly, was a Flemish Catholic who learned the art of military command under the Duke of Parma and Ambrogio Spinola in the Dutch independence war. A devout and professional man, he was commended for the tight discipline of his foot soldiers.
The Catholic Cause[]
Tilly's death
At the outbreak of the Thirty Years War, Tilly commanded the army of the Catholic League. After his victory at White Mountain ended the Bohemian revolt, he turned to Germany, campaigning successfully against Mansfeld, among others, in 1622-23. When Christian IV entered the war, Tilly defeated the Danish king at Lutter in August 1626. But, in 1631, he had the misfortune to face the Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus.
In May, Tilly took the key Protestant city of Magdeburg by storm. The city was burned and the massive loss of life was used by his enemies to blacken his reputation. Four months later, he was defeated by the Swedes under Gustavus Adolphus at Breitenfeld. He withdrew and fought on, but was struck by a cannonball at an encounter near Rain am Lech in April 1632, dying two weeks later.