View source for Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim

{{Short description|Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire (1594–1632)}}
{{More footnotes|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim
|birth_date=29 May 1594
|death_date=17 November 1632 (aged 38)
|image=File:Gottfried Henrich von Pappenheim-Treuchtlingen, 1594-1632 - Nationalmuseum - 15460.tif
|caption=Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim
|nickname=
|birth_place=[[Pappenheim]] on the [[Altmühl]], [[Bavaria]]
|death_place=[[Leipzig]], [[Saxony]]
|allegiance= {{flag|Holy Roman Empire}}<br>{{flag|Electorate of Bavaria}} 
|branch=
|serviceyears=1618–1632
|rank=
|unit=
|commands=
|battles='''[[Thirty Years' War]]'''
*[[Battle of the White Mountain|Battle of the White Mountain (1620)]]
*[[Upper Austrian peasant war of 1626|Upper Austria peasant war]]
*[[Sack of Magdeburg|Sack of Magdeburg (1631)]]
*[[Battle of Breitenfeld (1631)]]
*[[Capture of Maastricht|Capture of Maastricht (1632)]]
*[[Battle of Lützen (1632)]]{{DOW}}
|awards=
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}

'''Gottfried Heinrich [[Graf]] zu Pappenheim''' (29 May 1594 &ndash; 17 November 1632) was a German [[field marshal]] of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] in the [[Thirty Years' War]]. A supporter of the [[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League]], he was mortally wounded during the [[Battle of Lützen (1632)|Battle of Lützen]] fighting the Protestant forces under Swedish king [[Gustavus Adolphus]].

==Biography==
Pappenheim was born in the little town of [[Treuchtlingen]], a secondary seat of his family, the ruling Lords of [[Pappenheim]] on the [[Altmühl]] in [[Bavaria]], a free lordship of the empire ''(see: [[Pappenheim (state)]])'', from which the ancient family to which he belonged derived its name. He was the second son of Veit zu Pappenheim, Lord of Treuchtlingen and Schwindegg, and his second wife Maria Salome von Preysing-Kopfsburg. He was educated at [[University of Altdorf|Altdorf]] and [[University of Tübingen|Tübingen]], and subsequently traveled in southern and central Europe, mastering the various languages, and seeking knightly adventures. His stay in these countries led him eventually to adopt the [[Roman Catholic]] faith in 1614, to which he devoted the rest of his life. At the outbreak of the great war, he abandoned the legal and diplomatic career on which he had embarked, and in his zeal for the faith took service in [[Poland]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=739}} The experience gained serving in the Polish army (especially in the way of fighting cavalry) was to his advantage in fighting on the side of the [[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League]].

He soon became a lieutenant-colonel, and displayed great courage and ability at the [[battle of the White Mountain]] near [[Prague]] (8 November 1620), where he was left for dead on the field. In the following year, he fought against [[Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld]] in western Germany, and, in 1622, became colonel of a regiment of [[cuirassiers]]. In 1623, as an ardent friend of Spain, the ally of his sovereign and the champion of his faith, he raised troops for the Italian war and served with the Spaniards in [[Lombardy]] and the [[Grisons]]. It was his long and heroic defence of the post of [[Riva di Chiavenna|Riva]] on the [[Lake Mezzola]] that first brought him conspicuously to the front. In 1626, [[Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria|Maximilian I of Bavaria]], the head of the League, recalled him to Germany and entrusted him with the suppression of a [[Peasants' War in Upper Austria|peasant rebellion]], which had broken out in [[Upper Austria]]. Pappenheim swiftly carried out his task, encountering a most desperate resistance, but always successful; and in a few weeks he had crushed the rebellion with ruthless severity (i.e. [[Gmunden]], [[Vöcklabruck]] and [[Wolfsegg]], 15–30 November 1626).{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|pp=739–740}}

After this, he served with [[Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly|Tilly]] against [[Christian IV of Denmark]], and besieged and took [[Wolfenbüttel]]. His hopes of obtaining the sovereignty and possessions of the evicted prince of [[Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]] were, after a long intrigue, definitively disappointed. In 1628, he was made a count of the empire. The [[Sack of Magdeburg|siege and storm]] of [[Magdeburg]] followed, and Pappenheim, like Tilly, has been accused of the most savage cruelty in this massacre. So much could not be said of his tactics at the [[Battle of Breitenfeld (1631)|battle of Breitenfeld]], the loss of which was not a little due to the impetuous cavalry general, who was never so happy as when leading a great charge of horse. However, he covered the retreat of the imperialists from the lost field with care and skill, and subsequently won great glory by his operations on the lower [[Rhine]] and the [[Weser]] in the rear of the victorious army of [[Gustavus Adolphus]]. Much-needed reinforcements for the king of Sweden were constantly detained by Pappenheim's small and newly raised force in the northwest.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=740}}

His operations were far-ranging and his restless activity dominated the country from [[Stade]] to [[Kassel]], and from [[Hildesheim]] to [[Capture of Maastricht|Maastricht]]. Being now a [[field marshal]] in the imperial service, he was recalled to join [[Albrecht von Wallenstein|Wallenstein]], and assisted the generalissimo in [[Saxony]] against the Swedes; but, was again despatched towards [[Cologne]] and the lower Rhine. In his absence, a great battle became imminent, and Pappenheim was hurriedly recalled. He appeared with his horsemen in the midst of the [[Battle of Lützen (1632)|battle of Lützen]] (16 November 1632, 6 November 1632 on Swedish reckoning). His furious attack was for the moment successful. As [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine|Rupert]] at [[battle of Marston Moor|Marston Moor]] sought [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]] as his worthiest opponent, so now Pappenheim sought Gustavus. At about the same time as the king was killed, Pappenheim received a mortal wound in another part of the field.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=740}} He died later the same day or early the next morning en route to [[Leipzig]], where his body was embalmed at the [[Pleissenburg]] fortress.

==Legacy==
* The form of rapier called the [[Pappenheim-hilt rapier|Pappenheimer]], is reportedly named after him.<ref>''Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language: Deluxe Edition''.<!-- publication info; ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref>
* In Polish military terminology, "pappenheimer" refers to a type of helmet worn by heavy cavalry during the Thirty Years' War.<ref>Zdzislaw Zygulski jun., ''Bron w dawnej Polsce'', Warszawa 1975, p. 216<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref>
* In German the phrase "I know my Pappenheimer" (Ich kenne meine Pappenheimer) referring to a person acting as expected in a negative sense. Originating from Schillers Wallenstein plays, though there meant in positive way.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://germanyinusa.com/2011/07/22/word-of-the-week-pappenheimer/ | title=Word of the Week: Pappenheimer – GermanyinUSA | date=22 July 2011 }}</ref> In Dutch the expression retains its positive meaning, though it can also be used ironically.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://onzetaal.nl/schatkamer/lezen/uitdrukkingen/ik-ken-mijn-pappenheimers | title=je pappenheimers kennen (herkomst en betekenis) | language=Dutch}}</ref>
* A drinking song honouring "General Pappenheimer" is sung by student associations around Europe.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://immaterieelerfgoed.be/nl/erfgoederen/cantussen | title=Immaterieel erfgoed: cantussen | language=Dutch}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
{{Gallery
| File: Wallenstein Hilfegesuch an Pappenheim 1632.jpg
 | Letter from Wallenstein, containing Pappenheim's last orders as well as stains of his blood.<br />({{Wikisourcelang-inline|de|Wallenstein Hilfegesuch an Pappenheim 1632|Pappenheim's last order}})
| File: Pappenheim Curassiers.PNG
 | Cuirassiers of Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim
| File: Wappen at pinsdorf.png
 | The Bauernhügel monument in [[Pinsdorf]], [[Upper Austria]], commemorates the peasant insurgents suppressed by Papenheim. It appears on the village's coat of arms
| File: AT 7797 Heeresgeschichtliches Museum Feldherrenhalle - Statuen-0301 2 3 4.jpg
 | Statue in the hall of generals in the [[Museum of Military History, Vienna]]
| title        = 
| align        =
| footer       =
| height       =
| width        =
}}

==Notes==
{{German title Graf}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* ''Kriegsschriften von baierischen Officieren I. II. V.'' (Munich, 1820);
* Hess, ''Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim'' (Leipzig, 1855);
* [[Ersch]] and [[Grüber]], ''Allgem. Encyklopädie'', III. II (Leipzig, 1838);
* [[Wittich]], in ''[[Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie|Allgem. deutsche Biographie]]'', Band 25 (Leipzig, 1887), and works there quoted.
* {{EB1911|wstitle = Pappenheim, Gottfried Heinrich, Count of|volume=20|pages=739–740}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pappenheim, Gottfried Heinrich Graf Zu}}
[[Category:1594 births]]
[[Category:1632 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Treuchtlingen]]
[[Category:Counts of the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism]]
[[Category:German Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Field marshals of the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Field marshals of Bavaria]]
[[Category:Knights of the Golden Fleece]]
[[Category:University of Altdorf alumni]]
[[Category:University of Ingolstadt alumni]]
[[Category:University of Tübingen alumni]]
[[Category:German military personnel of the Thirty Years' War]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Bavaria]]