Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 1: A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History
History
Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 1: A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History
Biography
as a reward the lordship of Friedland, which brought him a large
revenue. To this he added by the purchase of several forfeited estates
in Bohemia, and thus became possessed of immense wealth. In 1621-23 he
distinguished himself by defeating Bethlem Gabor, the new King of
Hungary, and forcing him to surrender his claim to the crown. For this
service Wallenstein was created Duke of Friedland.
A cruel persecution of the Protestants in Bohemia and Silesia
dishonored the emperor's success; and the attempt of his officers in
Austria to suppress Lutheranism by force, produced a revolution in
1625. It was put down by the energy of Tilly and Pappenheim, two of
the greatest generals of their day. The Count von Mansfeldt gallantly
upheld the Protestant cause in Westphalia, and other parts of Germany,
but was defeated by Tilly, who imposed Catholicism upon all the
revolted provinces. In their despair the German Protestants applied
for aid to their northern brethren. Gustavus Adolphus, the young and
brave King of Sweden, an ardent champion of the Reformed faith, and
Christian, King of Denmark, responded to their appeal,--the latter
immediately invading the Empire. The imperial finances being
considerably reduced by the war, Ferdinand was glad to avail himself
of an offer made at this crisis by Wallenstein, to levy an army at his
own cost. This offer was abundantly fulfilled. In a few months an army
of 30,000 men was collected, as if by magic. Wallenstein was enviously
suspected of being in league with the devil, but the secret of his
sway was the fascination of his bold and generous nature. He
maintained at once thorough toleration, and strict discipline in his
ranks. These results, however, were not attained without injustice.
Contributions were levied on the most fertile districts, as yet
undesolated by war, to the extent, as it is said, of $60,000,000 in
seven years. His popularity with the army procured him the jealousy of
Tilly, who, in the campaign of 1625-26, outrivalled him, by
successfully combating the invasion of Christian and his Danish
forces, and driving them beyond the Elbe. Wallenstein, nevertheless,
in the following campaign, won his laurels, both as a statesman and a
general, by his intrigues and conquests. Displaying the greatest ardor
in the cause of the Empire, he attempted to render it an absolute
despotism. After routing Count Mansfeldt on the Elbe, he marched into
Hungary, and defeated the united armies of the count and Bethlem
Gabor. Christian of Denmark having assembled a new army in 1628,
Wallenstein marched to meet it; and, by a series of brilliant
successes, recaptured all the towns garrisoned by the Danes, and
forced the king to sue for peace. At the Congress of Lubeck, in May,
1629, this was accorded on favorable terms to Denmark. Wallenstein
during these campaigns astonished his compeers, and excited their
envy, by the wondrous rapidity of his movements, and the skill with
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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