▁to ▁the ▁wealth y ▁wid ow ▁of ▁a ▁Boh em ian ▁land owner ▁gave ▁him ▁access ▁to ▁considerable ▁est ates ▁and ▁wealth ▁after ▁her ▁death ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age ▁in ▁ 1 6 1 4 . ▁Three ▁years ▁later , ▁W allen stein ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁a ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁mer cen ary ▁by ▁raising ▁forces ▁for ▁the ▁Holy ▁Roman ▁Emperor ▁in ▁the ▁U sk ok ▁War ▁against ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ven ice . ▁ ▁W allen stein ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁C athol ics ▁in ▁the ▁Protest ant ▁Boh em ian ▁revol t ▁of ▁ 1 6 1 8 ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁est ates ▁conf isc ated ▁from ▁the ▁reb els ▁after ▁their ▁defeat ▁at ▁White ▁Mountain ▁in ▁ 1 6 2 0 . ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁military ▁vict ories ▁against ▁the ▁Protest ants ▁raised ▁W allen stein ' s ▁reputation ▁in ▁the ▁Imperial ▁court ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 6 2 5 ▁he ▁raised ▁a ▁large ▁army ▁of ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁to ▁further ▁the ▁Imperial ▁cause . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁he ▁admin ister ed ▁a ▁cr ushing ▁defeat ▁to ▁the ▁Protest ants ▁at ▁D ess au ▁Bridge . ▁For ▁his ▁success es , ▁W allen stein ▁became ▁an ▁Imperial ▁count ▁pal at ine ▁and ▁made ▁himself ▁r uler ▁of ▁the ▁lands ▁of ▁the ▁Duch y ▁of ▁Fried land ▁in ▁northern ▁Boh emia . ▁ ▁An ▁imperial ▁general iss imo ▁by ▁land , ▁and ▁Admir al ▁of ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea ▁from ▁ 2 1 ▁April ▁