80 Wallenstein
Wallenstein’s own contribution to this feat of organisation is evi-
dent from the huge number of letters, orders, requisitions and other
documents which emanated from his secretariat every day, a large
proportion of which he wrote, dictated or originated personally. The
archives bear witness to his diligence, the range of his interests, and his
knowledge of detail. They also testify to his ability to keep his finger
on the business affairs of his own estates, and to think about his wife
and her security, despite the pressures of his military responsibilities.
As with his land dealings, though, he could not do it all himself, and
he knew how to select and delegate to competent staff officers. One
who became important at this time was Colonel Johann Aldringer,
a Luxemburger from a poor but noble family who had made his way up
the military ladder after starting as a pikeman, an impressive although
not unique achievement in the Thirty Years War. Aldringer had shown
administrative talents early in his career, and in Wallenstein’s service
he took responsibility both for coordinating the recruitment efforts of
the colonels and for negotiating large contributions from towns and
cities, Nuremberg for example paying 110,000 gulden at this time for
exemption from designation as a mustering place. However Aldringer
also continued to correspond freely with his contacts at the Vienna and
Munich courts and elsewhere, so that while he was extremely useful he
was also something of an irritant to Wallenstein.^21
The new general was careful in his selection of senior officers, and
here he inevitably started to make enemies. The top echelon in the
existing army, including the men who had been Wallenstein’s superiors
at Göding, duly resigned to allow him a free hand. The senior of the
two was elderly and probably expected nothing, but Major-General
Count Balthasar Marradas was surprised and offended not to be reap-
pointed. He remained in favour at court, and in the event it was not
long before he was back in service with Wallenstein’s army, but the
indignity rankled. Another who was well connected in Vienna and
hoped for promotion was Colonel Count Rudolf Colloredo, but he too
was disappointed.^22 They were by no means the only ones, as a number
of would-be colonels found that recommendations from friends in high
places were no guarantee of Wallenstein’s approval. His criteria were
strictly military, and he had no time for those who did not meet his
standards as capable officers, competent administrators and good disci-
plinarians. On the other hand those he approved of prospered, and in
the process of staffing his first army he found many colonels who stayed
with him throughout the rest of his career. Not a few of them were
Protestants, the first demonstration of Wallenstein’s determination to