Wal lens tein

(vahl'len-stin,) or WALDSTEIN, ALBRECHT WENZEL EUSEBIUS, COUNT VON, a famous German military commander, B. in Bohemia, 1583, embraced the Roman Catholic religion, and after completing his studies at Padua and Bologna, fought against the Turks at Gran, and, joining the imperial army at the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War, was appointed quarter-master-general. After defeating Belhtem Gabor, in 1621, in Hungary, he was created Duke of Fried land and a prince of the Holy Roman empire. In 1625 he raised an army of mercenaries, and after defeating Count Mansfeldand succe fully invading Denmark, was given by the emperor the duchy of Mecklenburg. Removed from his high command in 1630 on account of his intolerable cruelty, pride, and rapacity, the emperor recalled him after the death of Tilly, to lead the armies of the empire against the succe ful Gustavus Adolphus(q. v.). After being defeated by the latter at Lützen, W. gained some great victories in Silesia, and presently became an object of distrust to the emperor, who suspected him of aspiring to become sovereign of Bohemia. Thereupon, in 1634, he was again deprived of his command, and shortly afterwards a a inated in pursuance of an imperial order. Schiller has made W. the hero of one of his finest tragedies. [s. 947]