DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8058#0019
May 5, at 3 o'clock in the morning the Swedish colonel Abel
Moda , under the chief command of prince Christian of Birkenfeld,
obtained possession of the town by stratagem, without the loss of
a single man , of which the garrison of the castle was apprised first
an hour after, when they opened a tremendous fire upon it. Christ-
ian von Birkenfeld now resolved to attack the castle most vigorously.
On the 19th he stationed some troops near the old castle, whilst
he himself, at the head of two Scotch regiments, marched against
the pheasants'-garden, and in about an hour's time took the fortifi-
cations thrown up there, which induced the troops of the besieged
to retreat into the castle. The troops stationed near the old castle
now began to draw nearer towards the lower castle, and the be-
siegers beginning to fire furiously upon the castle from the En-
gelsiviese (angel's meadow) and the old castle, as well as from
the works that had been thrown up in the orange - garden,
the commander of the garrison von Hartenberg was prompted
to offer to capitulate, on condition that himself and his people
should not be detained prisoners of war, which being granted,
he marched out of the castle, May 26, 1633, surrendering it
to the Swedes. During the siege the fire of the Swedes had
done considerable injury to the roofs and windows; to the new
building of Frederic V.; the statues of the electors placed on the
outside of the church, and to the table over the door of
the latter.
After the battle of Ndrdlingen, so fatal to the Swedes, they
retreated through the Palatinate towards Worms and Mayence ,
closely pursued by the Bavarians. Nov. 6 and 7, 1634, the imperial
troops appeared before Heidelberg, surprised the suburb, fired
upon the middle gate and effected two breaches near the thiefs'-tower,
through which they, in spite of the heavy fire from the castle and
the desperate defence of the garrison and citizens, penetrated into
the town, where they committed the most shocking excesses. Nov.
13, they occupied the mount near the old castle, conveyed heavy
pieces of ordonance into the pheasants'-house-and garden, firing
upon the castle and demanding of Abel Moda, that he should sur-
render within 24 hours, which summons not being complied with,
the fire of the besiegers became more furious, and Nov. 18, ad-
ditional guns were conveyed to the bank of the Neckar near the
mill, in order to ply the castle from that quarter likewise; but
when all these attempts failed to produce the desired result, they
marched off, Nov. 20, after having completely pillaged the
town.
During this siege 900 shots were fired upon the castle. From
14 demi - culverins allone 136 bulls of 24 pounds weight were
thrown into it, which did not, indeed, kill many people, but did
very great injury to the castle. A fortnight after the imperialists
and Bavarians returned, forcing the town to capitulate, and, march-
ing against the castle, threw redhot balls into it, but were, Dec.
12, 1634, by a French army of 12000 men, who came to the
assistance of the besieged, compelled to retreat, after the loss of
80 men killed, and of numerous pieces of ordonance, 76 houses
having been burnt down by them in this assault.
In the summer of 1635, the castle was again invested by the
imperialists and Bavarians, and not being capable of making an
effectual resistance, it was surrendered upon capitulation by Abel
Moda, July 17. During this assault the Swedish lieutenant-colonel
Hounck, an Englishman, who, together with Abr. Mepell, his
companion in arms, had done the most signal services to the be-
sieged, was killed and buried at the foot of the balcony of the
castle in a vault, the tombstone of which is still to be seen, (30,
on Tab. I.).
Frederic V. died during the thirty-years war, Nov. 19, 1632,
Moda , under the chief command of prince Christian of Birkenfeld,
obtained possession of the town by stratagem, without the loss of
a single man , of which the garrison of the castle was apprised first
an hour after, when they opened a tremendous fire upon it. Christ-
ian von Birkenfeld now resolved to attack the castle most vigorously.
On the 19th he stationed some troops near the old castle, whilst
he himself, at the head of two Scotch regiments, marched against
the pheasants'-garden, and in about an hour's time took the fortifi-
cations thrown up there, which induced the troops of the besieged
to retreat into the castle. The troops stationed near the old castle
now began to draw nearer towards the lower castle, and the be-
siegers beginning to fire furiously upon the castle from the En-
gelsiviese (angel's meadow) and the old castle, as well as from
the works that had been thrown up in the orange - garden,
the commander of the garrison von Hartenberg was prompted
to offer to capitulate, on condition that himself and his people
should not be detained prisoners of war, which being granted,
he marched out of the castle, May 26, 1633, surrendering it
to the Swedes. During the siege the fire of the Swedes had
done considerable injury to the roofs and windows; to the new
building of Frederic V.; the statues of the electors placed on the
outside of the church, and to the table over the door of
the latter.
After the battle of Ndrdlingen, so fatal to the Swedes, they
retreated through the Palatinate towards Worms and Mayence ,
closely pursued by the Bavarians. Nov. 6 and 7, 1634, the imperial
troops appeared before Heidelberg, surprised the suburb, fired
upon the middle gate and effected two breaches near the thiefs'-tower,
through which they, in spite of the heavy fire from the castle and
the desperate defence of the garrison and citizens, penetrated into
the town, where they committed the most shocking excesses. Nov.
13, they occupied the mount near the old castle, conveyed heavy
pieces of ordonance into the pheasants'-house-and garden, firing
upon the castle and demanding of Abel Moda, that he should sur-
render within 24 hours, which summons not being complied with,
the fire of the besiegers became more furious, and Nov. 18, ad-
ditional guns were conveyed to the bank of the Neckar near the
mill, in order to ply the castle from that quarter likewise; but
when all these attempts failed to produce the desired result, they
marched off, Nov. 20, after having completely pillaged the
town.
During this siege 900 shots were fired upon the castle. From
14 demi - culverins allone 136 bulls of 24 pounds weight were
thrown into it, which did not, indeed, kill many people, but did
very great injury to the castle. A fortnight after the imperialists
and Bavarians returned, forcing the town to capitulate, and, march-
ing against the castle, threw redhot balls into it, but were, Dec.
12, 1634, by a French army of 12000 men, who came to the
assistance of the besieged, compelled to retreat, after the loss of
80 men killed, and of numerous pieces of ordonance, 76 houses
having been burnt down by them in this assault.
In the summer of 1635, the castle was again invested by the
imperialists and Bavarians, and not being capable of making an
effectual resistance, it was surrendered upon capitulation by Abel
Moda, July 17. During this assault the Swedish lieutenant-colonel
Hounck, an Englishman, who, together with Abr. Mepell, his
companion in arms, had done the most signal services to the be-
sieged, was killed and buried at the foot of the balcony of the
castle in a vault, the tombstone of which is still to be seen, (30,
on Tab. I.).
Frederic V. died during the thirty-years war, Nov. 19, 1632,