26 Wallenstein
Bohemia.^4 In November 1618, when Bucquoy was hard pressed by
Thurn, Wallenstein provided him with provisions and munitions,
a clear breach of Moravian neutrality which brought sharp complaints
to the Estates from the Bohemians, although with no apparent conse-
quences for Wallenstein.
After a winter of prevarication Thurn resolved the issue of Moravian
neutrality in April 1619 by invading with a substantial army. He met with
no resistance, and indeed the Protestant nobility were more than ready
to join the Bohemians. Most of the Catholics, led by Liechtenstein and
Dietrichstein, were also acquiescent, motivated partly by anxiety to save
their property and partly by defeatism arising from the poor Imperialist
military showing in the autumn.^5 Wallenstein was made of sterner stuff
and not inclined to acquiescence even though his own property was
equally at risk. On 30 April he and the commander of one of the cavalry
regiments made a concerted effort to move their units out of reach of
the revolt, intending to transfer them to Imperialist service. Neither suc-
ceeded, principally because the troops were not mercenaries recruited
from far and wide but mainly Moravians with similar sympathies to
the Protestant nobility. The cavalry colonel sought to lead his men out
from Brünn (Brno), but his officers queried the source of his orders, and
suspecting the true state of affairs they and the men instead displaced
him, although they allowed him to make good his own escape.
Wallenstein was initially more successful, and in the middle of the
same day nine of his ten companies of musketeers, led by a major, duly
marched off from their station at Olmütz towards the Hungarian border.
By evening they were back, leading to a confrontation between their
major with some 2700 men and Wallenstein coming to meet him with
the remaining 300. The officer presumably disputed his orders, and
Wallenstein, seeing that he was lost unless the mutiny was suppressed,
drew his sword and killed him on the spot. Determined action saved the
day, and after appointing another officer to lead the main force away
Wallenstein himself returned to Olmütz. That same evening he and
his company of soldiers descended on the treasury in the city, seized
an official, and forced him to give them access to the money. Almost
100,000 taler in cash, together with a quantity of munitions and sup-
plies, were loaded into wagons before Wallenstein and his men made
their escape into the night.^6
The news soon reached Thurn, who immediately sent his cavalry
after him. They caught up with the main force, most of whom were
ready enough to return to their Moravian allegiance, but the offic-
ers with the wagons and a few hundred men evaded them, so that