Lennart Torstenson, count of Ortala, a Swedish general in the thirty years' war, born at Torstena, Aug. 17, 1603, died in Stockholm in April, 1051. In 1618 he became a page at the court of Gustavus Adolphus, and as captain of the king's body guard accompanied him to Germany in 1630, where he directed the artillery. In 1632 he contributed materially to the passage of the Lech, but was captured during the assault on Wallenstein's headquarters near Nuremberg, He was carried to Ingolstadt, and the severity of his imprisonment made him an invalid for life. On his exchange and release he was placed at the head of an army corps, and in 1633 he invaded Bavaria and captured Lands-berg. In 1635 he operated against the Poles in Prussia, and subsequently marched to the relief of Baner, and was with him in the campaign of 1036-7. In 1641 he was made field marshal and succeeded Baner as generalissimo of the Swedish armies in Germany. With a reenforcement of 8,000 men he joined the confederates in the duchy of Luneburg, marched through the territories of Brandenburg into Silesia, stormed Glogau, and in May, 1642, gained a great victory at Schweidnitz over Franz Albrecht of Saxe-Lauenburg. He then pushed into Moravia and reduced several cities, but retreated to Saxony before superior forces, and laid siege to Leipsic. Here he was attacked on Oct, 23 (N. S., Nov. 2) by the archduke Leopold, on the plain of Breitenfeld, and the conflict resulted in the signal defeat of the imperialists.

Torstenson, again resuming the offensive, reduced all Saxony, invaded Moravia, and laid the country under contribution as far as the Danube. In the mean time Denmark had entered into a secret alliance with the emperor; and Torstenson, marching with wonderful celerity from Moravia into Holstein, late in 1643, soon conquered the Danish peninsula, with the exception of Gluckstadt and Krempe. After an abortive attempt on the part of Gallas to check his return to Germany, Torstenson advanced into Bohemia, and on Feb. 24, 1645, gained the battle of Jankau, which secured the submission of Moravia; and, obtaining the control of the Danube, he took even the fortifications which covered the head of the bridge at Vienna. Deserted here by his allies, he retreated into Bohemia, and in 1646 his infirmities obliged him to give up the command to Wrangel. In 1647 he was made a count.