244 Wallenstein
symptoms of growing stress and depression are clearly discernible. He
had always had a sharp and unbridled tongue, and his more caustic
judgements were often reported back to their subjects, giving rise to
enduring enmities, while later he allowed himself similar freedom
on more political topics such as the Jesuits and the Spanish. Even so,
accounts of his manner need to be viewed cautiously. Numerous his-
tories and biographies have reported that in 1626 Wallenstein lost his
temper with Aldringer over his letters to the court in Vienna, calling
him a Tintenfresser, usually literally translated as ‘ink-swiller’, although
‘pen-pusher’ is a better colloquial equivalent. Few, however, add that
moments later the general apologised handsomely, as Aldringer himself
recorded in the letter which is the source of the story.^8
Wallenstein’s supposed arrogance largely reflects the climate of the
age, in which arrogance could with justice be said to be a characteristic
of the aristocracy. The style in which he lived and travelled later in
life, surrounded by a court, liveried servants, and a smartly uniformed
escort complete with silver-tipped lances, has often been commented
upon. However this was the norm for the ruling prince of a significant
territory, and in Wallenstein’s case the court also functioned as a travel-
ling military headquarters. His brother-in-law Zierotin, a rich Moravian
aristocrat but no prince, also lived magnificently, as did Maximilian,
who reportedly brought a retinue of 1200 horsemen with him to attend
his sister’s wedding. Ferdinand himself is said to have arrived at the
electoral meeting in Regensburg with an establishment of 3000, requir-
ing 600 wagons, and to have entered the same city in 1622 with a cav-
alcade of 2000 cavalry, which helps to put into context the report that
Wallenstein, as commander-in-chief, arrived in Memmingen in 1630
with an escort of 600 soldiers.^9
Other aspects of Wallenstein’s conduct likewise need to be seen in
their context. There are reports of him using whatever influence he
could bring to bear to help him gain his ends, for instance in fending
off the property-related lawsuits of his first wife’s relatives or in having
appeals against the confiscation of Bohemian lands which he wished to
buy rejected.^10 Again this was usual. Everyone employed any influence
they could, particularly in legal matters, on the usually well-founded
assumption that their opponents were doing likewise. Wallenstein’s vin-
dictiveness has been illustrated by his allegedly deliberate abandonment
of Maximilian’s Bavaria to Swedish invasion, but more personally by his
treatment of one of his own cousins captured in Silesia while fighting on
the Danish side. The unfortunate man was despatched back to Friedland
and imprisoned in one of Wallenstein’s own castles, whereas he let