Siege of Brno Ad 1645

Salve,
I really like Wikimedia Commons - you can find amazing images of great size, allowing one to study the image.
So, I was looking for some period - AD 1600-1650 - images of cuirassiers (heavy cavalry) and other Western European cavalry, especially during the 30th Years War.
To my surprise and delight I came across this large canvass  from the Brno City Museum.

The painting shows the 2nd siege of the Moravian capital by the huge Swedish army augmented by the Transylvanian soldiers of Prince George I Rakoczi that took place during the four months of AD 1645 .

The besieged city was heroically defended by the small contingent of professional soldiers and by the town burghers under the command of  Louis Raduit de Souches , a son of the French Huguenot emigre, who was to have a very distinguished career within the Imperial army. 

The defenders were helped by their faith, this being Roman Catholic creed, and we cna be certain that in the hearts and minds of the defenders not a small trust was placed in the holy Madonna from the Saint Thomas Church in Brno, one of the 'Black' Madonnas venerated in Polish (eg Black Madonna of Czestochowa) and Czech lands.

 At the moment I do not know much about the contents, i.e., the troops shown in this painting, but nevertheless I want to share it with you.
Slowly and with some difficulty I will read the Czech accounts (nota bene there is more of the painting in the article showing a Transylvanian cavalry unit with a banner) of this siege and perhaps learn more about the contents of the painting.

I think we are seeing the meeting of the Swedish commander, Lennart Torstenson, with a commander of the Transylvanian auxiliary contingent. 
 Until the next time...
Enjoy  -:)