On 25 February 2024 the Wild Geese Society commemorated, in the Czech border town of Cheb (formerly Eger), an historic event that had taken place in that town exactly 390 years before.

On that day, in 1634, the overall commander of the Austrian forces Generalissimo Albrecht Wallenstein was assassinated  by a Norman-Irish knight, Walter Devereux, on the command of Austrian Emperor Ferdinand. That action became a pivotal part of the Thirty Years War as the overly ambitious Wallenstein had intended to betray his Emperor and go over to the enemy Swedes, who at that time were camped nearby. Had Wallenstein succeeded in linking with the Protestant Swedish side, then Catholic Austria would likely have been defeated and subsequent European history would have had to be rewritten.

We first visited the ruined castle, site of the banqueting Hall to which Colonel Walter Butler (who commanded a regiment of mainly Irish dragoons) had invited Wallenstein’s chief lieutenants and fellow conspirators to dine. It was to be their last supper. Wallenstein himself had meanwhile retired to bed in the Burgomaster’s house, so we followed Devereux’s footsteps there to meet up with the perfidious traitor. Devereux was cousin to Butler and a trusted captain in his regiment. The house is now the Cheb museum and they have cleverly recreated the ‘crime scene’ in dramatic fashion.

It was a hugely successful day thoroughly enjoyed by all the participants (both in 1634 and in 2024!) and we would hope to repeat it again in coming years. If you would like to read more about the historical background please go to….

More about Assassination of Wallenstein in this article

Note: The many photographs include one of Czech artist Josef Ryzec, a direct descendant of Walter Devereux, recreating the dramatic act in the very bedroom in which it had happened! Josef has written up the story of his fascinating search to discover his Irish roots, which The Wild Geese will be publishing shortly.