Count Johann von Werth (
1595-
1652), German general of cavalry in the
Thirty Years' War, was born between 1590 and 1600 at Büttgen in the duchy of
Jülich. His parents belonged to the numerous class of the lesser nobility,
and at an early age he left home to follow the career of a soldier of fortune in
the Walloon cavalry of the Spanish service. In
1622, at the taking of
Jülich, he won promotion to the rank of lieutenant. He served as a colonel
of cavalry in the
Bavarian army in
1630. He obtained the command of a regiment,
both titular and effective, in
1632, and in
1633 and
1634 laid the foundations
of his reputation as a swift and terrible leader of
cavalry forays. His services
were even more conspicuous in the great pitched battle of
Nordlingen[?] (1634),
after which the emperor made him a
Freiherr of the Empire, and the
elector of Bavaria gave him the rank of lieutenant field-marshal. About this
time he armed his regiment with the
musket as well as the
sword. In
1635 and
1636 his forays extended into
Lorraine and
Luxemburg, after which he projected
an expedition into the heart of
France. Starting in July 1636, from the country
of the lower
Meuse, he raided far and wide, and even urged the cardinal infante,
who commanded in chief, to "plant the double eagle on the
Louvre." Though this
was not attempted. Worth's horsemen appeared at Saint-Denis before the uprising of
the French national spirit in the shape of an army of fifty thousand men at
Compiegne[?] forced the invaders to retire whence they had come. The memory of this
raid lasted long, and the name of "Jean de Wert" figures in folk-songs and
serves as a bogey to quiet unruly children. In
1637 Werth was once more in the
Rhine valley, destroying convoys, relieving besieged towns and surprising the
enemy's camps. In February
1638 he defeated the
Weimar troops in an engagement
at
Rheinfelden[?], but shortly afterwards was made prisoner by Bernhard of
Saxe-Weimar. His hopes of being exchanged for the Swedish marshal Horn were
disappointed for Bernhard had to deliver up his captive to the French. The
terrible Jean de Wert was brought to
Paris, amidst great rejoicings from the
country people. He was lionized by the society of the capital, visited in prison
by high ladies, who marvelled at his powers of drinking and his devotion to
tobacco. So light was his captivity that he said that nothing bound him but his
word of honour[?]. However, he looked forward with anxiety for his release, which
was delayed until March
1642 because the imperial government feared to see Horn
at the head of the Swedish army and would not allow an exchange.
When at last he reappeared in the field it was as general of cavalry in the
imperial and Bavarian and Cologne services. His first campaign against the
French marshal Guebriant was uneventful, but his second (1643) in which Count
Mercy was his commander-in-chief, ended with the victory of Tüttlingen, a
surprise on a large scale, in which Werth naturally played the leading part. In
1644 he was in the lower Rhine country, but he returned to Mercy's headquarters
in time to take a brilliant share in the battle of Freiburg. In the following
year his resolution and bravery, and also his uncontrolled rashness, played the
most conspicuous part in deciding the day at the second battle of Nordlingen.
Mercy was killed in this action, and Werth succeeded to the command of the
defeated army, but he was soon superseded by Field-marshal Geleen. Johann von
Werth was disappointed, but remained thoroughly loyal to his soldierly code of
honour, and found an outlet for his anger in renewed military activity. In 1647
differences arose between the elector and the emperor as to the allegiance due
from the Bavarian troops, in which, after long hesitation, Werth, fearing that
the cause of the Empire and of the Catholic religion would be ruined if the
elector resumed control of the troops, attempted to take his men over the
Austrian border. But they refused, to follow, and escaping with great difficulty
from the elector's vengeance Werth found a refuge in Austria. The emperor was
grateful for his conduct in this affair, ordered the elector to rescind his ban,
and made Werth a count. The last campaign of the war (1648) was uneventful, and
shortly after its close he retired to live on the estates which he had bought in
the course of his career, and on one of these, Benatek near Königgratz, he died
on January 16 1652.
initial entry from a 1911 encyclopedia
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