With the entrance of King Christian IV of Denmark into the Thirty Years' War in 1625, Protestant forces that had been dealt one defeat after another were suddenly infused with fresh hope as Denmark became the first major European nation to formally enter the war since the Austrian defeat in the early years. With the new alliance came ambitious plans involving Christian of Brunswick, fresh from victory at Fleurus in previous year. The projected campaign assigned Christian to assault the forces of Count von Tilly in the Rhineland, and for Mansfeld to challenge Wallenstein in the bishiporic of Magdeburg. Moving first, Mansfeld began his march towards Dessau in early spring, 1625. Wallenstein learned of his movements though and hurried his troops, some 20,000 strong to Dessau as hell and established a bridgehead on the eastern side of the Elbe River. The two sides met soonafter and on April 25th Mansfeld began the battle against the inexperianced Wallenstein. With his infrantry and artillery skilled to give illusion that his army was smaller than the Protestants, von Mansfeld attempted to use the sheer weight of the number of his men to push across the river. This proved a great mistake as when the full extent of Wallenstein's forces was exposed, the assault quickly proved to be a deathtrap for Mansfeld. Before he managed to retreat, Mansfeld's casualties numbered at some 4,000 men, a third of his army. He hastily retreated up the Oder River into Silesia, and began a march for the Dalmatian coast to offer his army and it's services to Venice. En route, he died and his army disbanded. Wallenstein, who at this point was pursuing Mansfeld, sent 8,000 troops to assist Tilly who was stationed near Brunswick The victory of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) The Thirty Years War was a conflict fought between the years 1618 and 1648, principally on the territory of todays Germany, but also involving most of the major continental powers. ... April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (116th in leap years). ... Events September 30 - Nurhaci, chieftain of the Jurchens and founder of the Qing Dynasty dies and is succeeded by his son Hong Taiji. ... Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. ... Casus belli is a Latin expression from the international law theory of Jus ad bellum. ... This article is about the 17th century German union. ... The Battle of Lutter (Lutter am Barenberge) took place during the Thirty Years War on 27 August 1626 between the forces of the Protestant Christian IV of Denmark and those of the Catholic League. ... An image of Christian IV. Christian IV (1577–1648), king of Denmark and Norway, the son of Frederick II, king of Denmark and Norway, and Sophia of Mecklenburg, was born at Frederiksborg castle in 1577, and succeeded to the throne on the death of his father (April 4, 1588), attaining... Brief Summary Younger brother of the Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel. ... Fleurus is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... Count Tilly on a portrait by van Dyck Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly (February, 1559 - April 30, 1632) was a general in Bavarian and later imperial service during the Thirty Years War, who Ferdinand II depended upon (since Wallenstein was a threat). ... Mansfeld can refer to: Ernst, Graf von Mansfield, a general of the Thirty Years War Mansfelder Land, a district of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Categories: 1583 births | 1634 deaths | Assassinated people ... Magdeburg, the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, lies on the Elbe river. ... The Elbe River (Czech Labe, Sorbian/Lusatian Łobjo, Polish Łaba, German Elbe) is one of the major waterways of central Europe. ... Tilly can refer to: Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly Jennifer Tilly, actress Meg Tilly, actress, dancer, and author Tilly, a novel by Frank E. Peretti A village of Belgium: Tilly, in the municipality of Villers-la-Ville Several communes of France: Tilly, in the Eure département Tilly, in the... Braunschweig may also refer to the administrative region of Germany. ...