Page 79 - All About History - Issue 59-17

Battle of Sempach

Swiss

Heavy Confederation
10casualties
In total, the Austrians lose infantrY: 3,000
upwards of 1,800 men — almost cavalrY: 0
half of their army — while Swiss
06 05 casualties are extremely light
with only 200 men lost. Sempach
returned to Swiss hands.
04

03
08

petermann von

Fleeing gunDoLDIngen
07 09Austrians leader
The count of Hohenzollern, who A courageous leader who inspired
commands the rearguard, leads his troops and fought alongside
09 his mounted division away from them until his death.
the battle once he realises that
Leopold is dead. He is joined Strengths He thought on his feet,
in his flight by the pages and quickly mobilising Swiss forces to
squires holding the horses for the counter the Austrian invasion.
knights of the vanguard and main Weaknesses Failed to send scouts
body. The pages mount up and to track the enemy’s approach.
02 ride off to save themselves.

heavy Infantry
KeY unit
The Swiss fought in a phalanx-like
Leopold’s square with deep files suited for
08death either attack or defence.
The Austrian counterattack fails Strengths They had the training,
to reverse the situation on the discipline and morale to execute an
battlefield — the momentum effective shock attack.
has irretrievably switched to the Weaknesses They lacked steel
Swiss army. Leopold fights with caps and breastplates to adequately
great ferocity but he and his defend themselves against any
household troops are slain. armoured opponents.

haLberD
KeY Weapon
A 2.4-metre ash handle mounting a
broad-headed axe that had a point
Swiss Leopold leads to puncture armour. It also had a
06flank attack 07the counterattack spike opposite the axe blade that
functioned as a hook to unhorse
The Swiss reinforcements quickly form Duke Leopold, who has been watching the action passing riders.
a square before wheeling to strike the from his horse, orders the knights of the main Strengths A versatile weapon
Austrian left flank. Swiss halberdiers body to dismount to reinforce the hard-pressed that was highly effective in close-
hack their way through the exhausted Austrian vanguard. He participates in the Austrians’ quarters fighting.
ranks of the weary Austrian vanguard. disordered rush uphill as Swiss drummers beat the Weaknesses Its short handle was © Getty Images, Nicholas Forder, Alamy
signal for a fresh attack against the new threat.
outdistanced by long-shafted pikes.

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