Johan Banér

Johan Banér
Johan Banér
Born	23 June 1596 Djursholm Castle, Sweden
Died	10 May 1641 (aged 44) Halberstadt, Saxony
Allegiance	Sweden
Service/branch	Swedish Army
Years of service	1615–1641
Rank	Field Marshal
Battles/wars	Ingrian War Polish-Swedish War (1620–1622) Polish-Swedish War (1625–1629) Thirty Years' War
Other work	Privy Councillour

Johan Banér (23 June 1596 – 10 May 1641) was a Swedish Field Marshal in the Thirty Years' War.

Johan Banér was born at Djursholm Castle in Uppland. As a four-year-old he was forced to witness how his father, the Privy Councillour Gustaf Banér, and uncle, Sten Axelsson Banér (also a Privy Councillour), were executed at the Linköping Bloodbath in 1600. They were accused of high treason by King Charles IX because of their support of King Sigismund, and though it was the father of King Gustavus Adolphus who had Banér's father executed the two men developed a strong friendship from an early age, mostly because Gustavus Adolphus reinstated the Banér family soon after his coronation.

Banér joined the Swedish Army in 1615 when he participated in the Swedish siege of Pskov during the Ingrian War, he proved himself to be an exceptionally brave young man.

He served with distinction in the wars with Russia and Poland, and had reached the rank of Colonel by the age of 25.

In 1630, Gustavus Adolphus landed in Germany and as one of the king's chief subordinates, Banér served in the campaign of north Germany, and at the first Battle of Breitenfeld he led the right wing of Swedish cavalry. He was present at the taking of Augsburg and also Munich, and rendered conspicuous service at the Lech and at Donauwörth.

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