Adam von Waldstein the Younger, nicknamed the Long (1569/8 June 1570 – 24 August 1638), was a Czech nobleman, the supreme Prague burgrave from the Waldstein family.[1][2] His preserved diary is an important historical source.

Adam von Waldstein the Younger
Supreme Burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia
In office
1627–1638
MonarchsFerdinand II
Ferdinand III
Succeeded byJaroslav Bořita of Martinice
Oberstlandhofmeister of the Kingdom of Bohemia
In office
1627–1620
MonarchFerdinand II
Preceded byVilém Popel of Lobkowicz
Succeeded byVilém Slavata of Chlum
In office
1619 – 18 June 1611
MonarchMatthias
Preceded byFerdinand of Donín
Succeeded byVilém Popel of Lobkowicz
Oberstlandrichter of the Kingdom of Bohemia
In office
1611–1608
MonarchRudolf II
Preceded byWolfgang Kolowrat
Ober-Stallmeister of the imperial court
In office
1611?–1606
Preceded byWolfgang Kolowrat
Imperial butler
In office
1596–?
MonarchRudolf II
Supreme silversmith
In office
1594–?
MonarchRudolf II
Emperor's food carrier
In office
1589–?
MonarchRudolf II
Personal details
Born1596/8 June 1570
Died24 August 1638
Prague, Habsburg monarchy
Resting placeSt. Vitus Cathedral
NationalityCzech
Spouse(s)Elisabeth Brtnická von Waldstein
Johanna Emilie of Zierotin
ChildrenRudolf
Maximilian
Bertold
Jan Viktorin
Karl
Parent(s)Johann von Waldstein
Magdalena of Vartenberg
AwardsOrder of the Golden Fleece

Family

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His parents were Johann von Waldstein (died 1576) and his second wife Magdalena of Vartenberg (died 1592).[1] Like his father, Adam the Younger was married twice. His first wife was Elisabeth Brtnická von Waldstein (died 1614). His second wife was Johanna Emilie of Zierotin (died after 1633), the daughter of Viktorin of Zierotin. He had five sons with both wives: Rudolf, Maximilian, Bertold, Jan Viktorin and Karl.[1][2]

Life

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Coat of arms of the House of Waldstein

He came from an old Utraquist family but soon converted to Catholicism.[1] He received a below-average education, but this did not prevent him from achieving considerable career success.[1] He first established himself at the Rudolfinian court, where he became the Ober-Stallmeister in 1606, from 1608 served as the Oberstlandrichter, and in 1611 was promoted to the Oberstlandhofmeister.[1] Adam gained a reputation as a conciliatory politician, a "man of compromise", which was evident both during the negotiations for the Letter of Majesty in 1609 and in the troubled times of 1611.[1] The period of the estate uprising of 1618–1620 was an important test. He unsuccessfully tried to find common ground between the Estates and King Ferdinand II.. After that, he went into exile in Saxony after the election of Frederick of the Palatinate as King of Bohemia. After returning to Bohemia in 1621, Adam also participated in the purchase of confiscated estates and once again became Oberstlandhofmeister. At the same time, he acted in some cases in favour of his Protestant relatives. In 1627, he reached the pinnacle of his career in the office of Supreme Burgrave.[1][2]

Although he never acquired such a magnificent fortune as his more famous relative Albrecht von Wallenstein (1583–1634), given that he managed to preserve the property for posterity, Adam's inheritance represented a crucial foundation for the family in the future.[1][3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Deni_k-Adama-mlads_i_ho.pdf (PDF), 2023-06-08, retrieved 2023-10-08
  2. ^ a b c "Z deníků Adama ml. z Valdštejna (I. díl) | Muzeum Lovosicka" (in Czech). Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "Výstava ukáže nejvýznamnější členy rodu Valdštejnů - Seznam Zprávy" (in Czech). Retrieved October 8, 2023.

Literature

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  • von Waldstein, Adam (1997). Deník rudolfinského dvořana : Adam mladší z Valdštejna 1602-1633 (in Czech). Prague. ISBN 80-7203-170-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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