Arvid Wittenberg

1606 (age 51)

Porvoo, Finland, died in prison in Zamość, Poland

Born in Porvoo, Finland, died in prison in Zamość, Poland, 7 September 1657. Arvid Wittenberg preferred call himself by the original Wittenberg family name, which was Wirtenberg von Debern. The title of count was given to Arvid Wittenberg in 1652. Arvid Wittenberg began his military career in 1622 and participated as a Colonel in the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634. He was captured there but later freed. He then participated in the battles of Wittstock 1636 and Chemnitz 1639 before being promoted to major general. He later came under the command of Lennart Torstenson with whom he participated in the rest of the Swedish campaign in the Thirty Years" War until the Torstenson resigned in 1645, including the battles of Breitenfeld 1642 and Jankov 1645, in which he on both occasions commanded the Swedish right flank. He then took command of the Swedish army until the arrival of Carl Gustaf Wrangel. As Charles X Gustav prepared for Second Northern War, Wittenberg was promoted to field marshal in 1655 and was assigned command of an army of 17,000 men to attack Poland with. He surrounded the Polish army of nobles and forced it to capitulate at Ujście on 25 July 1655, and conquered the voivodships of Poznań and Kalisz. He besieged Krakow, which capitulated 7 October 1655, and forced the Polish commander Koniecpolski and his army to submission. Contrary to what had been stated in the terms of capitulation, he was placed in prison in Zamość where he later died. Arvid Wittenberg combined military skills with a hard and cruel treatment of enemies, which made him hated amongst the Poles. In the summer of 1673, Leonard Johan married Wrangel"s daughter Polidora Christiana. Arvid Wittenberg was also the father of Beata Magdalena Wittenberg.

Arvid Wittenberg

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Councillor Field Marshal

Background

Arvid Wittenberg was born on Johannesberg in Porvoo, Finland as a son of the assessor Johannes Wirtenberg von Debern and Magdalena Schönfeld or Magdalena Johansdotter till Skinnarbacka.

Career

Born in Porvoo, Finland, died in prison in Zamość, Poland, 7 September 1657. Arvid Wittenberg preferred call himself by the original Wittenberg family name, which was Wirtenberg von Debern. The title of count was given to Arvid Wittenberg in 1652.

Arvid Wittenberg began his military career in 1622 and participated as a Colonel in the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634.

He was captured there but later freed. He then participated in the battles of Wittstock 1636 and Chemnitz 1639 before being promoted to major general.

He later came under the command of Lennart Torstenson with whom he participated in the rest of the Swedish campaign in the Thirty Years" War until the Torstenson resigned in 1645, including the battles of Breitenfeld 1642 and Jankov 1645, in which he on both occasions commanded the Swedish right flank. He then took command of the Swedish army until the arrival of Carl Gustaf Wrangel.

As Charles X Gustav prepared for Second Northern War, Wittenberg was promoted to field marshal in 1655 and was assigned command of an army of 17,000 men to attack Poland with.

He surrounded the Polish army of nobles and forced it to capitulate at Ujście on 25 July 1655, and conquered the voivodships of Poznań and Kalisz. He besieged Krakow, which capitulated 7 October 1655, and forced the Polish commander Koniecpolski and his army to submission. Contrary to what had been stated in the terms of capitulation, he was placed in prison in Zamość where he later died.

Arvid Wittenberg combined military skills with a hard and cruel treatment of enemies, which made him hated amongst the Poles.

In the summer of 1673, Leonard Johan married Wrangel"s daughter Polidora Christiana. Arvid Wittenberg was also the father of Beata Magdalena Wittenberg.

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He was given the command of Warsaw which he defended against the Polish army under John II Casimir of Poland until the city was given up 21 June 1656.

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