Here
he greatly distinguished himself, and was promoted to a colonelcy.
He married a second time, and again to one of the richest heiresses
of Austria. On the outbreak of the religious war of 1618 he raised
a regiment of Cuirassiers, and fought at its head. Two years later
he was made quartermaster general of the army, and marched at the
head of an independent force into Moravia, and there re-established
the Imperial authority.
"The next year he bought from the Emperor Ferdinand, for a little
over 7,000,000 florins, sixty properties which the emperor had
confiscated from Protestants whom he had either executed or banished.
He had been made a count at the time of his second marriage; he was
now named a prince, which title was changed into that of the Duke
of Friedland. They say that his wealth is so vast that he obtains
two millions and a half sterling a year from his various estates.
"When in 1625 King Christian of Denmark joined in the war against
the emperor, Wallenstein raised at his own cost an army of 50,000
men and defeated Mansfeldt's army. After that he cleared the Danes
out of Silesia, conquered Brandenburg and Mecklenburg, and laid
siege to Stralsund, and there broke his teeth against our Scottish
pikes. For his services in that war Wallenstein received the duchy
of Mecklenburg.
"At present he is in retirement. The conquests which his army have
made for the emperor aroused the suspicion and jealousy of the
German princes, and it may be that the emperor himself was glad
enough of an excuse to humble his too powerful subject.
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