Battle of Tuttlingen

The Battle of Tuttlingen was fought in Tuttlingen on 24 November 1643. Involved in the conflict was on one side the French army in Germany led by Marshal Josias Rantzau, composed of French soldiers and the so called Weimarans or Bernhardines, German troops once in service of Bernard of Saxe-Weimar. Its contrahent was the army of the Holy Roman Empire led by Franz von Mercy. Technically, Mercy led a military force composed of his Bavarian army, supported by Imperial, Spanish, and Lorrainer troops.

In early November the French-Weimarian forces had besieged Rottweil to secure winter quarters along the Danube at Tuttlingen. They captured Rottweil on 18 November but their commander Guébriant was mortally wounded in the siege. His successor Rantzau who just had arrived with reinforcements from Lorraine was despised by officers who originated from the former German army of Bernard of Saxe-Weimar. Outlying detachments of the French were posted at Mühlingen and Möhringen. With the French inactive and himself reinforced by Imperial troops under Hatzfeld and Lorrainer troops under the exiled Duke Charles, Mercy convinced the other generals to a surprise attack on the French encampment. To maximize surprise, the Imperials approached from the south-east instead of further to the north where the Danube and the French garrison at Rottweil blocked their way.

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