Bernard suffered a great defeat at Nördlingen, losing the best of the Swedish army. In 1635 Bernard entered the service of France, which had by then intervened in the war. He held a difficult dual position; in the following campaigns, ably and resolutely conducted as they were, Bernard sometimes pursued a purely French policy, whilst at other times he used French mercenaries to forward his own cause. From a military point of view his most notable achievements were on the common ground of the upper Rhine, in the Breisgau. In his great campaign of 1638, Bernard won the battles of Rheinfelden, Wittenweiher, and Thann, and captured successively Rheinfelden, Freiburg, and Breisach, the last reputed one of the strongest fortresses in Europe. Bernard had in the first instance received definite assurances from France that he should be given Alsace and Haguenau, Würzburg having been lost in the debacle of 1634; he now hoped to make Breisach the capital of his new duchy. Bernard's health, however, was deteriorating. He died at Neuenburg am Rhein at the beginning of the campaign. The governor of Breisach Jean Louis d'Erlach was bribed to transfer the fortress to France. Bernard was temporarily buried at Breisach, his remains were carried to Weimar not until 16 years later. References Attribution This cites: J. A. C. Hellfeld, Geschichte Bernhards des Grossen, Herzogs v. Saxe-Weimar (Jena, 1747) B. Röse, Herzog Bernhard d. Grosse von Saxe-Weimar (Weimar, 1828–1829) Droysen, Bernhard v. Weimar (Leipzig, 1885). Further reading Nobility from Weimar German generals German people of the Thirty Years' War Dukes of Saxe-Weimar 1604 births 1639 deaths Military personnel of the Thirty Years' War Military personnel of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) Military personnel from Weimar Sons of monarchs