Battle of Herbsthausen

Battle of Herbsthausen
Part of the Thirty Years' War
Battle of Mergentheim (“Mariendal” in the drawing), or Battle of Herbsthausen, of 1645. Plan of action, French depiction.
Date 5 May 1645 Location Herbsthausen, Bad Mergentheim Result Bavarian victory
Belligerents
Electorate of Bavaria	Kingdom of France
Commanders and leaders
Franz von Mercy Johann von Werth	Vicomte de Turenne Reinhold von Rosen  (POW)
Strength
9,650 total 4,300 infantry, 5,300 cavalry, 9 guns	6,000 men[1]
Casualties and losses
600 killed and wounded [2]	4,400 killed, wounded and captured [2]

The Battle of Herbsthausen, also known as the Battle of Mergentheim, took place near Bad Mergentheim, in the modern German state of Baden-Württemberg. Fought on 5 May 1645, during the Thirty Years War, it featured a French army led by Turenne, defeated by a Bavarian force under Franz von Mercy.

In February 1645, Mercy detached 5,000 of his veteran Bavarian cavalry to support the Imperial army in Bohemia, most of whom were lost in the defeat at Jankau on 6 March. Thereafter, he avoided battle until he had assembled enough troops, then surprised Turenne at Herbsthausen on 5 May. The inexperienced French infantry quickly disintegrated and suffered over 4,400 casualties, compared to Bavarian losses of 600.

Despite his victory, Mercy was unable to gain a clear strategic advantage and was killed at Second Nördlingen in August. Although fighting continued, both sides accepted their inability to impose a military solution and stepped up the negotiations that ultimately concluded with the 1648 Peace of Westphalia.