Albrecht von Wallenstein

Wallenstein fought as a mercenary commander for the Catholic League at the Battle of White Mountain near Prague. The battle was a decisive victory for the Habsburgs, crushing the Bohemian Revolt and beginning the Thirty Years' War.

Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II appointed Wallenstein as commander-in-chief of the imperial army. Wallenstein raised and financed a massive army of 50,000 men, becoming one of the most powerful figures in the empire.

Wallenstein defeated the Protestant forces of Ernst von Mansfeld at the Dessau Bridge. The victory secured imperial control over northern Germany and eliminated a major Protestant threat.

Wallenstein besieged the Baltic port of Stralsund, but failed to capture it. The city was aided by Danish and Swedish forces. The failure marked the first major setback for Wallenstein and prevented imperial control of the Baltic.

Under pressure from the Catholic League, Emperor Ferdinand II dismissed Wallenstein from command. The League feared Wallenstein's power and ambition. Wallenstein retired to his estates in Bohemia.

Wallenstein was assassinated in Eger by imperial officers loyal to Ferdinand II. He had been plotting with Protestant powers and was declared a traitor. His death removed a major figure from the Thirty Years' War.