House of Waldstein

The House of Waldstein or House of Valdštejn is a Czech noble family that originates from Kingdom of Bohemia as a branch of the Markwartinger family (House of Markvartic) and gained prominence during the reign of the Přemyslid dynasty. The house was founded by Jaroslav of Hruštice (1234–1269) and named after Valdštejn Castle near Turnov in northern Bohemia. The family's most prominent members include Albrecht von Wallenstein, the Imperial general during the Thirty Years' War, and Ferdinand Ernst von Waldstein, a statesman and early patron of Ludwig van Beethoven.

The Waldstein noble family originated from the medieval Markvartici clan, which gained influence at the Přemyslid court in Prague under King Ottokar II of Bohemia. From about 1260, Burgrave Jaroslav of Hruštice (1234–1269) had Valdštejn Castle erected. His son Zdeněk was the first documented "Lord of Valdštejn"; allegedly he accompanied King Ottokar II on his Prussian crusade. Upon his death, his possessions were divided among his numerous descendants.

The Waldsteins again appeared in public life from the 15th century onwards. Formerly a poor and less significant family, they gradually acquired large properties in the territory of the Crown of Bohemia (especially in Bohemia and Moravia), received prominent positions and – since the 17th century onward – produced many statesmen and civil servants. Albrecht von Wallenstein himself came from a modest cadet branch which since 1548 held the small estate of Heřmanice. After the 1620 Battle of White Mountain, he purchased several confiscated lordships of his Protestant relatives. In 1628, he was one of the first among the Bohemian nobility to be promoted to Graf (count) status, then to Reichsgraf (imperial count) two years later.

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