The siege of Frankenthal was a siege of the

Palatinate campaign The Palatinate campaign (30 August 1620 – 27 August 1623), also known as the Spanish conquest of the Palatinate or the Palatinate phase of the Thirty Years' War was a campaign conducted by the Imperial army of the Holy Roman Empire agains ...

during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

. A Spanish army under

Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (1 September 1453 – 2 December 1515) was a Spanish general and statesman. He led military campaigns during the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars, after which he served as Viceroy of Naples. For his e ...

besieged the Palatinate fortified city of

Frankenthal Frankenthal (Pfalz) (; ) is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. History Frankenthal was first mentioned in 772. In 1119 an Augustinians, Augustinian monastery was built here, the ruins of which — known, aft ...

and its mostly English garrison commanded by

John Burroughs John Burroughs (April 3, 1837 – March 29, 1921) was an American naturalist and nature essayist, active in the conservation movement in the United States. The first of his essay collections was ''Wake-Robin'' in 1871. In the words of his bi ...

. The siege lasted from 1621 to March 20, 1623, when King James I ordered the city to surrender.

Background

In the early seventeenth century, the city's fortifications were upgraded by

Frederick IV, Elector Palatine Frederick IV, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (; 5 March 1574 – 19 September 1610), only surviving son of Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elisabeth of Hesse, called "Frederick the Righteous" (; French: ''Frédéric IV le juste''). Life Bor ...

in preparation for war. Frederick also refortified

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...

and created the fortress-city of

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...

.Childs, John. ''Warfare in the Seventeenth Century'', eds. John Keegan. London: Cassell & Co., 2001 p. 17. Frankenthal had an important strategic role within the

Electorate of the Palatinate The Electoral Palatinate was a Imperial State, constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire until it was annexed by the Electorate of Baden in 1803. From the end of the 13th century, its ruler was one of the Prince-electors who elected the Holy ...

. On May 23, 1618, the

Kingdom of Bohemia The Kingdom of Bohemia (), sometimes referenced in English literature as the Czech Kingdom, was a History of the Czech lands in the High Middle Ages, medieval and History of the Czech lands, early modern monarchy in Central Europe. It was the pr ...

rose in revolt against

Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, Hungary, and List of Croatian monarchs, Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Archduke Charles II, Archduke of Austr ...

and offered the crown to

Frederick V, Elector Palatine Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Given name Nobility = Anhalt-Harzgerode = * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) = Austria = * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria fro ...

, who, by accepting the Bohemian offer, brought the Electorate of the Palatinate into the war, thus broadening the conflict.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frankenthal 1621–1623 1621 in the Holy Roman Empire 1622 in the Holy Roman Empire 1623 in the Holy Roman Empire Conflicts in 1621 Conflicts in 1622 Conflicts in 1623 Sieges involving Spain Sieges involving England Sieges involving the Holy Roman Empire Sieges of the Thirty Years' War Military history of Rhineland-Palatinate Palatinate campaign James VI and I Battles of the Thirty Years' War involving England Battles of the Thirty Years' War involving Spain Battles of the Thirty Years' War involving the Palatinate Battles of the Thirty Years' War involving the Holy Roman Empire