Battle of Jankau

Battle of Jankau
	Part of the Thirty Years' War
	; Copper engraving of the battle
Date	6 March 1645
Location	Jankov, Bohemia
Result	Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Holy Roman Empire ; Electorate of Bavaria
Commanders and leaders
Lennart Torstensson ; Arvid Wittenberg; Kaspar de Potelles; Robert Douglas	Melchior von Hatzfeld ; Johann von Werth; Johann von Götzen †
Strength
16,000, 60 guns	16,000, 26 guns
Casualties and losses
3,000–4,000 killed or wounded	4,000 killed or wounded; 4,573 captured, along with all artillery pieces

The Battle of Jankau, took place on 6 March 1645 during the later stages of the Thirty Years' War, near Jankov in Bohemia (today the Czech Republic). It featured Swedish and Imperial armies, each containing around 16,000 men.

The more mobile and better led Swedes under Lennart Torstensson effectively destroyed their opponents, commanded by Melchior von Hatzfeldt. However, the devastation caused by decades of conflict meant armies now spent much of their time obtaining supplies, and the Swedes were unable to take advantage of their victory.

Imperial forces regained control of Bohemia in 1646, but inconclusive campaigns in the Rhineland and Saxony made it clear neither side had the strength to impose a military solution. Although fighting continued as participants tried to improve their positions, it increased the urgency of negotiations which culminated in the 1648 Peace of Westphalia.