page_title: Battle of Fürth
section_title: Build-up
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Fürth / Build-up
context_page_description: The Battle of Fürth was fought on September 3, 1632 between the Catholic forces of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II and the Protestant forces of King Gustavus II of Sweden during the period of Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years War.
  The tactical victory by the Catholic forces allowed the Imperial army to quickly advance into Saxony, while the Swedish forces were forced into retreat.
context_section_description: When Gustav Adolph marched on Fürth in late August 1632, it was arguably the greatest blunder in his German campaign.  His opponent in the battle, and Tilley's successor, was General Albrecht von Wallenstein.  In the spring of 1632, Gen. Wallenstein had raised a fresh army within just a few weeks and had taken to the field.  He had quickly driven the Saxon army from Bohemia, and then advanced northwestward (aiming to campaign into Protestant-aligned Saxony).  Wallenstein set camp and built defensive earthworks at Fürth.  There he encountered Gustav, who had previously fired the town of Fürth in June, and who had come back up from the south and taken Nuremberg in order to oppose the general's designs on Saxony.  Gustav soon tested Wallenstein's strength at the Battle of the Alte Veste (the "old fort") in late August, which resulted in a nominal Catholic victory, and forced the Protestant forces to quickly encamp in a defensive position, being nearly cut off from additional help.  Gustav, the practiced besieger, now found himself besieged by Gen. Wallenstein's much larger force.
caption: King Gustavus II Adolph
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