Albrecht von Wallenstein (24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634) was a general of the Holy Roman Empire who fought in the Thirty Years War. He raised an army for Emperor Ferdinand II of Austria during the war, but was assassinated by his own officers in 1634.
Biography[]
Raised a Calvinist (Protestant), Wallenstein was a Catholic convert and one of the few nobles in Bohemia to choose the imperial side against a Protestant revolt in 1618. Enriched by the new political order in conquered Bohemia, in 1625, he raised an army for Emperor Ferdinand II, equipping almost 50,000 men and extorting "contributions" from occupied areas to recoup the costs.
Wallenstein proved an able commander, crushing Mansfeld at Dessau in 1626 and leading the defeat of the Danish king, Christian IV, over the following three years. The depredations of his army were much resented, however, and, in 1630, pressure from German princes forced the emperor to fire him.
Recalled two years later to defend the empire against Gustavus Adolphus, he won a defensive victory at the Alte Veste in August 1632. In November 1632, he was on the losing side at the battle of Lutzen, but imposed heavy losses on the Swedes, which included their king. The emperor was led to believe that Wallenstein was plotting against him and may have ordered his assassination at Eger in 1634.