Tilly, Count of (1559-1632), was a leading Roman Catholic general during the Thirty Years’ War, a struggle between European Catholics and Protestants. Tilly devoted his life to trying to restore the influence of Roman Catholicism in central Europe.
Tilly was born in February 1559 in Gembloux, Belgium. His given and family name was Johann Tserclaes. When the Thirty Years’ War broke out in 1618, Tilly took command of the Catholic League. He won important early victories over both the Bohemians and Danes, and he led the brutal destruction of Magdeburg, Germany, in 1631. However, he was defeated later that year at the decisive Battle of Breitenfeld by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. On April 5, 1632, Tilly was wounded during an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Swedish forces from crossing the Lech River in Germany. He died on April 30 in Ingolstadt, Germany.
