Battle of White Mountain
1620 · White Mountain, western outskirts of Prague (modern Czechia) · World · Modern
In less than two hours the Bohemian coalition collapsed along the whole line, and Frederick V abandoned Prague and fled abroad.
Belligerents
Catholic League and Holy Roman Empire
- Commanders
- Count of Tilly, Count of Bucquoy
- Strength
- About 27,000
Bohemian Protestant estates coalition
- Commanders
- Frederick V (the Winter King), Christian of Anhalt
- Strength
- About 21,000
Background
After the Defenestration of Prague in 1618, the Protestant nobles of Bohemia elected the Calvinist Frederick V as king in open defiance of the Habsburg emperor, and the Thirty Years' War broke out.
Course of the battle
- Hasty deploymentThe Bohemian coalition hastily formed up on the heights of White Mountain, short of both morale and supplies.
- League army assaultThe Catholic League army under Tilly launched a frontal charge, and the Bohemian army quickly wavered.
- General routThe Protestant coalition broke up with almost no resistance; Frederick fled after reigning only a year, earning the name "Winter King."
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1620 |
|---|---|
| Place | White Mountain, western outskirts of Prague (present-day Czechia) |
| Result | In less than two hours the Bohemian coalition collapsed along the whole line, and Frederick V abandoned Prague and fled abroad. |
| Winner | Catholic League and Holy Roman Empire |
| Casualties | The Bohemian coalition lost several thousand killed, while the Catholic League side suffered only light losses. |
| Territorial change | Bohemia was re-Catholicized, Protestant nobles' lands were confiscated on a large scale, and Habsburg control over the region became more secure than ever. |
Impact
This swift battle escalated a local Bohemian revolt into the Thirty Years' War that engulfed all of Europe, and taught the Protestant princes that they needed strong outside help (Sweden, France) to stand up to the Habsburgs.
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