But Brutus Says He Was Ambitious 245the other captured Bohemian exiles go free.^11 This may be considered
alongside Sigmund Smirˇický, who as reported in Chapter 4 imprisoned
his own daughter, in principle for life, following an unfortunate love
affair. The point is that historical figures have to be judged by the
standards of their own times, not anachronistically against present-day
ones.
Acquisitive in terms of property Wallenstein certainly was, and in
this he was typical of the aristocracy not only in this but in most peri-
ods. However it was an acquisitiveness bred of opportunity rather than
obsession. After he successfully became a major landowner through his
first marriage Wallenstein made no apparent effort to progress further
until he recognised the unique possibilities presented by the Bohemian
confiscations. Thereafter his further major acquisitions were driven as
much by the fact that property offered the only prospect of obtaining
settlement of any of the emperor’s huge debts to him as by other con-
siderations. Mecklenburg had the additional attraction of making him
an independent prince directly under the emperor, rather than only a
subject of the king of Bohemia, but had other things been equal it is a
reasonable speculation that his first priority would have been to make
further additions to Friedland as and when opportunities presented
themselves. It is evident that his duchies were Wallenstein’s main per-
sonal interest, as throughout his campaigns, even at the most critical
stages, he still maintained a close watch on and control over what was
happening on his estates, receiving reports and despatching instruc-
tions in a constant stream of correspondence. As his own creation,
Friedland held pride of place, which is confirmed by his efforts to secure
it for the long term through the entail mentioned in Chapter 14, and
the arrangements he made for its inheritance within the family after the
death of his infant son.
Wallenstein applied his organisational talents as effectively to his
properties as he did to his army. His concentration of his original pur-
chases in Bohemia into a single territory enabled Friedland to be devel-
oped far more effectively as an economic unit than had previously been
the case. This was assisted by the fact that as generalissimo Wallenstein
controlled the army’s vast purchasing requirements, and a symbiotic
relationship was quickly developed, both assuring the army a reliable
source of supplies and providing Friedland with a secure outlet for its
products. This applied not only to basic foodstuffs but also to a wide
range of commodities, from boots to gunpowder, for which Wallenstein
encouraged the establishment or expansion of manufacturing facilities.
The profits flowed in part to the populace, who enjoyed a period of