Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/322

WALLENSTEIN. 266 WALLENSTEIN. noble though not wealthy Bohemian family, and was born at Hermanic, in Bohemia, Septenil)er 24, 1583. His parents, who were Protestants, in- trusted the care of his education to the Moravian Brotherhood of Kosehumberg, who, however, made little of their stubborn and passionate pu- pil. On his parents' death, his uncle, Albert Slavata, a zealous Catholic, took charge of his bringing up, and having won him over to his own creed, sent him to the Jesuit convictorimn at Olmiitz, and to the universities of Altdorf, Bo- logna, and Padua, where his education, such as it was, was completed. He traveled in Germany, France, and Holland, took service in the Imperial army, fought against the Turks in Hungary, and, returning home in 1006. married a widow of noble rank, who at her death in 1614 left him all of her great wealth. This, with the estates be- queathed him l)y his uncle, made him one of the richest and most influential noblemen of Bohemia. In 1617 he raised a volunteer corps with which he fought for the Hapsburg cause against Ve- nice, and for his services was made a count of the Empire and colonel in the Imperial army. Upon the outbreak of the Bohemian Revolution in 1618 he .sent a regiment to the aid of the Em- peror, and after the battle of the White Hill near Prague (1620) acquired possession at much less than their value of 60 confiscated lordships in Bo- hemia. In 1623 he married a daughter of Count Harrach, who exercised great influence at the Imjierial Court, and was created Duke of Fried- land. Two years after, when the King of Den- mark, Christian IV., took up arms for the Protes- tants against the Emperor, Wallenstein offered to raise, equip, and maintain 20,000 men, provided he were intrusted with the absolute command, and allowed to appoint his own officers, a pro- posal accepted by the Emperor in his need. Wal- lenstein brought together in Bohemia adventu- rers from all quarters, men who had learned that his service meant anipls booty, and in a short time his army far exceeded the stipulated num- ber. With this array Wallenstein marched into North Germany, and, acting in concert with Tilly (q.v.), routed Mansfeld at Dessau (April 25. 1626), pursued him through Silesia and Mo- ravia, and on his junction with the army of Bethlen Gfibor in Hiingary, compelled, by skill- ful strategy, the combined forces to remain on the defensive. Released by a truce with the Transylvanian Prince and the death of ^Mansfeld, he returned by way of Silesia, recovered the fortresses which Thurn had captured, forced the Elector of Brandenburg to submit to the Empe- ror, and joined Tilly in annihilating the mili- tary power of Denmark. The value of Wallenstein's services caused the Emperor to overlook the complaints of the princes whose possessions suffered greatly from the ra- pacity, oppression, and license which his soldiers were allowed to exercise. Wallenstein was re- warded with the Mecklenburg duchies, the rank of generalissimo on land, and admiral of the Baltic. He speedily made himself master of his new territory; iittcd out a fleet, by the aid of which he captured Usedom and Riigen, with vari- ous Baltic ports, and laid siege to Stralsund, but failed before the heroic resistance of its in- habitants. Wallenstein's arrogance grew with his success and aroused the enmity of a powerful party at Court. The Catholic League, headed by the Duke of Bavaria, became his bitter adver- sary, and backed by the intrigues of France, in- duced the Emperor to dismiss Wallenstein in 1630. Wallenstein obeyed and went into retire- ment, waiting for the day, which he was confident would come, when he would be again needed. He lived in magnificent state at Prague, but much of his time was spent in scheming for revenge. All the while he kept a watch over affairs in Vien- na. The death of Tilly (April, 1631) and the advance of Gustavus Adolphus toward the hered- itary Austrian dominions made it necessary for him to be recalled, and after some pretense of in- difference he consented to take the field on con- dition that he be given absolute command over the Imperial forces with the powers of negotiating and, at need, of concluding peace. With the Swedes on the Danube, the Saxons in Bohemia, and the army of the League almost annihilated, the Emperor had no choice : and W^allenstein within three months was at the head of 40,000 men, well armed and disciplined. Commands and entreaties were in vain employed to induce him to save Bavaria from the Swedes : but in July, 1032, he Inoved against Gustavus .Adolphus, who was intrenched in Xuremberg. There Wallenstein for- tified himself, and for more than two months the two armies confronted each other, an attack by the Swedes on Wallenstein's lines (September 3d) being repulsed with heaw loss. At last Gustavus retreated to the Danube, whence his skillful op])onent soon drew him by marching on Saxony. The two again confronted each other at Liitzen (q.v.), where a great battle was fought in which the Swedes gained the advantage, though at the price of the death of their King (November 16, 1632). Wallenstein now set out upon a course of action entirely independent of the Emperor, and in the early part of 1633 entered into negotiations with Sweden, Saxon.y, and France, whether with trea- sonable designs against the Emperor (his enemies charged him with aspiring after the Bohemian crown ) or for the purpose of deceiving the enemy, it has not j'et been definitely determined. Sud- denly breaking off negotiations, he renewed the struggle against Saxony and Brandenburg: but this did not prevent his opponents from spurring on the Emperor to remove liini from his eonnnand. In his winter quarters in Bohemia Wallenstein was aware of the progress of the intrigues, and he sought to attach the oflicers of- his army to himself by causing them to pledge absolute obedi- ence to him. His enemies finally carried the day, and in February an Imiiei'ial edict removed him from his command on the ground of conspiracy. A number of his officers had been gained over to the Imperial side, chief among whom were Pic- colomini and (iallas (qq.v.), to the latter of whom the command of the army was trans- ferred. Wallenstein now removed from his head- quarters at Pilsen fo Eger for the purpose of es- tablishing eonnnunicalion with t)ie Swedish army Hider Bernbard of Weimar. On the way to Eger he was joined by Colonel Butler, command- er of a regiment of dragoons, to whom had been intrusted the task of seizing the person of Wal- lenstein. No opportunity offered for the execu- tion of the jilan until the arrival at Eger, where, with two other Scotch oiricers, Gordon and Leslie, Butler deti'rmined upiiii Oie assassination of the great general. On the night of Februaiy 25th an