Taler 1634, Würzburg. 28.87 g. Punch mark "W" obverse. Extremely rare.
Duke Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar was a Protestant general during the Thirty Years' War, who fought in various services against the imperial party throughout the war.
He was the youngest son of Duke John III of Saxe-Weimar. In 1622, the then seventeen-year-old initially joined the service of Frederick V of the Palatinate (1610-1623), later serving as an officer in Danish and Dutch service until military defeats in the Protestant camp forced him to retire from military service for four years starting in 1627. After Sweden entered the war, Bernhard joined the troops of the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf. Within a year, he commanded the Swedish King's personal regiment and led his own command in southern Germany. Bernhard rose to fame when he assumed supreme command at the Battle of Lützen following the death of Gustav II Adolph and prevented the Swedish Protestant army from being forced into retreat. Subsequently, Bernhard shared command of the Swedish Protestant troops with Swedish Field Marshal Gustav Horn and became Duke of Franconia - a 'new' Duchy created from the conquered Bishoprics of Bamberg and Würzburg.
In 1634, the Swedish army suffered a severe defeat at the Battle of Nördlingen, resulting in the loss of the Duchy of Franconia. The following year, Bernhard effectively transferred to French service. At the end of 1638, he succeeded in capturing the strategically important fortress of Breisach (see lot xxx), which had been of great value to the Spanish supply lines, before dying of illness on July 18, 1639. He is considered one of the most successful Protestant generals of the Thirty Years' War.
Land:
German States, Saxe-Weimar
