Wallenstein struck ducats from his Duchy of Friedland essentially as a statement of personal sovereignty — a man who commanded Imperial armies numbering in the tens of thousands had little difficulty securing mint rights. The Friedland issues of 1631–1634 coincide almost exactly with his second generalship under Ferdinand II, reinstated after his dismissal in 1630 under pressure from the Catholic League princes who feared his ambitions. Those fears were not unfounded.
He was assassinated in Eger in February 1634 on Ferdinand's orders, abruptly ending both his command and his coinage. The four-year window of production was narrow, and these pieces circulated among an audience well aware of the political volatility behind them.
Wallenstein struck ducats from his Duchy of Friedland essentially as a statement of personal sovereignty — a man who commanded Imperial armies numbering in the tens of thousands had little difficulty securing mint rights. The Friedland issues of 1631–1634 coincide almost exactly with his second generalship under Ferdinand II, reinstated after his dismissal in 1630 under pressure from the Catholic League princes who feared his ambitions. Those fears were not unfounded.
He was assassinated in Eger in February 1634 on Ferdinand's orders, abruptly ending both his command and his coinage. The four-year window of production was narrow, and these pieces circulated among an audience well aware of the political volatility behind them.