In the Emperor's Service: Wallenstein's Army, 1625-1634

Albrecht von Wallenstein His very name is synonymous with the Thirty Years War. From a poor nobleman he rose to become the Duke of Friedland and Mecklenburg. Many see his assassination at Eger in 1634 as the end of the "interesting" period of the war, since he was the last of the war's titans to be killed.

However, his army continued to serve the Emperor loyally to the end of the war, and a few regiments existed well into the 20th century. These would see action in the First World War as part of the Austrian Army and, after the Austrian Anschluss of March 1938, in the German Army during the Second World War.

Despite Wallenstein's Army being infamous, very little has been written about it, especially in English. However, by using archives from record offices from Germany, Czechoslovakia (formerly Bohemia), Sweden and Britain, as well as the latest archaeological evidence from mass graves of the Thirty Years War period, this book looks to rectify this by giving a vivid account of what life was like for a soldier in Wallenstein's Army.

The chapters include recruiting the army, its officers, as well as the logistics of clothing, equipping and feeding the army. There are also chapters on regimental colors, how to quarter an army, and the arms industry, plus case studies on siege warfare using Stralsund and the Alte Veste as an example, as well as Wallenstein's tactics at the Battle of Lutzen.

It also dispels the myths that have arisen about Wallenstein's Army, such as it being one of the first to be well clothed during the war, and did not follow the Catholic League's General Johan von Tilly's alleged doctrine of "a ragged soldier and a bright musket" (which in itself is incorrect).

Therefore, this book will be essential reading to anyone interested in the Thirty Years War, the English Civil War or warfare in the early modern period.

Author: Laurence Spring
Publisher: Helion & Company
Published: 05/16/2019
Pages: 152
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 9.70h x 7.00w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9781911628569

About the Author
Spring, Laurence: - Laurence Spring studied at the Universities of London and Aberystwyth. He is also a qualified archivist, and has worked for many years at the Surrey History Centre. He has researched the early seventeenth century for many years and has written on various aspects of the English Civil War. He has also written many books on the Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars as well as several articles for the "Surrey in the Great War" website. Since he has an archival background he prefers to search through archives looking for various interesting facts for his books, rather than relying on printed sources, which give a vivid insight to the subject and are not mentioned in secondary sources. Using this method, he has found evidence that contradicts the established 'facts' on many subjects.

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