1. Early Life and Background
Jindřich Matyáš Thurn's early life was marked by family movements and a diverse upbringing that prepared him for a career in both military service and diplomacy, ultimately leading him to align with the Protestant nobility of Bohemia.
1.1. Birth and Family
Jindřich Matyáš Thurn was born in Innsbruck in 1567. His family, of the noble Thurn und Valsassina line, soon after acquired the Lipnice estate and relocated there. In 1574, they moved again, this time to Moravia. His father was Franz Napus von Thurn und Valsassina, Count of Linz (1508-1586), who served as a geheimrat (Privy Councillor) to Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria. His mother was Countess Barbora of Schlick (1547-1581), daughter of Count Hieronymus Schlick and Countess Katharina von Gleichen-Tonna. Both of Thurn's parents were committed Protestants. However, following his father's death, he was placed under the guardianship of his Catholic uncle, John Ambrose.
1.2. Education and Early Career
Young Count Thurn embarked on a career in imperial service, beginning with diplomatic missions. He served in the Imperial Habsburg embassy, which afforded him the opportunity to travel extensively to distant lands, including Istanbul, Syria, Egypt, and Jerusalem. These experiences likely broadened his understanding of diverse cultures and political landscapes. From 1592, he transitioned to military service, fighting in the imperial army against the Turks. During this period, Thurn distinguished himself, rising through the ranks to become a colonel and a War Councillor. His accomplishments in battles against the Turks in Hungary were recognized by the Emperor, who granted him the burgraviate of Karlštejn Castle in central Bohemia. Through marriage, he also acquired significant landholdings, notably in the Croatian Krajina. In 1605, he purchased the lordship of Veliš manor, near the town of Jičín in northeast Bohemia. This acquisition secured his membership within the Bohemian estate of nobles (páni, or "lords"). Politically, Thurn aligned himself with the Protestants in Bohemia, where he was elected to serve as the marshal of the nobility, a key position that allowed him to advocate for their rights.
2. Role in the Bohemian Revolt
Count Thurn played a decisive role in the Bohemian Revolt, a momentous uprising that directly precipitated the Thirty Years' War. His leadership in the initial acts of defiance fundamentally altered the political and religious landscape of Europe.
2.1. Background of the Revolt
In 1617, the devoutly Catholic Archduke Ferdinand of Styria was put forward as the Habsburg successor to the aging and childless Emperor Matthias, and was also slated to be elected to the Bohemian throne. The Bohemian nobles, who were largely Protestant, viewed this as a direct threat to their long-established religious freedoms. These freedoms had been formally enshrined in the Decree, known as the Letter of Majesty, issued by the late Emperor Rudolf II. The nobles demanded that Ferdinand commit to honoring these existing religious liberties. Count Thurn emerged as a prominent voice among those who critically opposed Ferdinand's candidacy without such a guarantee, and he was one of the signatories of the Bohemians' formal critical reply to Ferdinand's proposed accession. Despite the increasing tensions and the demands of the Bohemian nobility, Ferdinand, upon his accession to the Crown of Bohemia in 1617, showed no willingness to concede to their terms. Furthermore, their efforts also failed to prevent Ferdinand's election as Holy Roman Emperor in 1619.
2.2. Defenestration of Prague
The growing frustration and indignation of the Bohemian nobility culminated in a dramatic act of defiance in 1618. Count Thurn played a key leadership role in this stormy event, which took place at the Royal Castle in Prague. He was a central figure among the faction of the nobility who incited a crowd, leading to the infamous Defenestration of Prague. In this pivotal incident, two of Ferdinand's imperial representatives, Jaroslav Bořita of Martinice and Vilém Slavata of Chlum, along with their scribe, Philip Fabricius, were thrown from a high window of the castle. This act of protest, which deliberately invoked a historical precedent from the Hussite Wars, signaled a direct and unequivocal rejection of Habsburg authority and the perceived violation of Bohemian rights, effectively triggering the Bohemian Revolt.
2.3. Commander of the Bohemian Army
Following the audacious Defenestration of Prague, Count Thurn was immediately recognized for his leadership and resolve. He was elected as one of the thirty Defenders of the Protestant Faith by the Estates of Bohemia, a body tasked with safeguarding the religious and political liberties of the Protestant population. On May 23, 1618, the full-scale revolt of the Protestant population of Bohemia officially began, and Thurn was entrusted with the crucial command of the national army as its general-in-chief. However, his command during this period was characterized by a series of campaigns that proved largely ineffective. He encountered significant strategic limitations and difficulties, some of which were beyond his direct control, which ultimately frustrated the imperial efforts to swiftly crush the nascent revolt. Despite these military challenges, Thurn remained politically active and influential. He played a significant role in the formal act of deposing Ferdinand from the Bohemian throne and in the subsequent election of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, a Protestant prince, as the new King of Bohemia.
2.4. Battle of White Mountain and Exile
Count Thurn continued to lead the Bohemian forces, commanding a regiment at the fateful Battle of White Mountain on November 8, 1620, just outside Prague. This battle proved to be a decisive and calamitous defeat for the Bohemian army. The numerically superior Imperial and Catholic League forces, led by Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, overwhelmed the Bohemian rebels. The defeat at White Mountain marked the effective end of the Bohemian Revolt as an independent uprising. In the harsh aftermath of the battle, Ferdinand, now firmly re-established as the ruler of Bohemia, unleashed severe retribution. Like all other Protestant nobility and townspeople who had participated in the uprising, Count Thurn was declared a traitor and forced into exile. Consequently, he suffered the devastating loss of all his extensive estates and holdings within Bohemia. This period marked a profound turning point in his life, forcing him to continue his struggle from abroad.
3. Exile and Later Life
Despite his exile and the loss of his Bohemian estates, Count Thurn remained an active and determined opponent of the Habsburgs for the remainder of his life, continuing his military and diplomatic activities throughout the Thirty Years' War.
3.1. Continued Military and Diplomatic Activities
After being exiled from Bohemia, Count Thurn steadfastly continued his involvement in the ongoing fighting and complex political negotiations of the Thirty Years' War against the Habsburgs. He consistently acted in the dual roles of both a seasoned diplomat and a military commander. In 1626, he took command of some troops in Silesia, strategically positioning himself against imperial interests. Subsequently, he entered the service of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, a leading Protestant power in the war, where Thurn rose to the rank of lieutenant general in the Swedish army. This period, however, was also marked by personal tragedy. His only son, Count František Bernard, who had followed in his father's footsteps and attained the rank of colonel in Swedish service, fell ill during the Polish campaign and died in 1628, a significant loss for Thurn.
3.2. Captivity, Retirement, and Death
Count Thurn's tireless efforts continued, leading him to the battlefield once more. On October 11, 1633, near Steinau an der Oder in Saxony, Thurn and his force of approximately 8,000 soldiers were confronted by the formidable army of Wallenstein, one of the most powerful and controversial generals of the Imperial forces. In the ensuing engagement, Thurn was captured. However, his captivity was short-lived, as he was quickly ransomed and released. Following this ordeal, Thurn chose to retire from active military and diplomatic service. He settled in Pärnu (Pernau), a town in Estonia, where his family had acquired new holdings. Count Thurn died there on January 26, 1640. He was laid to rest in the St. Mary's Cathedral of Tallinn, marking the end of a life dedicated to the Protestant cause and the struggle against Habsburg dominance. His legacy was carried on by his underage grandson, Count Heinrich von Thurn-Valsassina of Pärnu (1628-1656), the son of František Bernard (1592-1628) and Magdalena von Thurn-Valsassina.
4. Writings
Count Thurn is known to have authored only one significant written work, a booklet in German titled Defensionsschrift, which translates to "Writing about Defenestration". This work served as his personal justification for his central role in the momentous events of 1618, particularly the Defenestration of Prague. In the Defensionsschrift, Thurn articulated his actions as a deliberate and conscious defense of his deeply held Protestant religious beliefs, framing the revolt not as an act of rebellion but as a necessary assertion of fundamental liberties. The booklet was subsequently published in Sweden, a nation that became a crucial ally in the Protestant cause during the Thirty Years' War.
5. Historical Assessment
Count Jindřich Matyáš Thurn's life and activities had a profound and lasting impact on European history, particularly in igniting the Thirty Years' War and shaping the narrative of religious freedom.
5.1. Historical Significance
Count Thurn's historical significance lies primarily in his role as the catalyst for the Thirty Years' War. By spearheading the Defenestration of Prague and subsequently leading the Bohemian Revolt, he transformed a local political and religious dispute into a continent-wide conflict. His unwavering commitment to the Protestant cause and his leadership of the Bohemian Estates in their demand for religious liberty positioned him as a pivotal defender of Reformation principles against Habsburg imperial ambition. While the Bohemian Revolt ultimately failed, Thurn's actions drew international attention to the plight of Protestants in the Holy Roman Empire and directly invited the intervention of other Protestant powers, notably Sweden and various German states, thereby escalating the conflict. He symbolizes the struggle for religious freedom and the right of subjects to resist perceived tyranny, profoundly influencing the political discourse and military strategies of the early 17th century. His leadership marked a critical moment where diplomacy gave way to open conflict, fundamentally altering the course of European history for decades.
5.2. Criticism and Controversies
Despite his pivotal role as a champion of Protestant rights, Count Thurn's actions and leadership during the Bohemian Revolt have been subject to criticism and historical debate. His military command, particularly during his tenure as general-in-chief of the Bohemian army, has been characterized by historians as marked by "ineffective campaigns" and "faults in the campaign plan." While some of these difficulties were beyond his direct control, they contributed to the eventual defeat at the Battle of White Mountain and the subsequent collapse of the Bohemian cause. Critics often point to his strategic and tactical shortcomings as factors that prevented a more successful outcome for the rebels. Furthermore, the immediate consequence of his decision to initiate the revolt, the devastating Thirty Years' War, which led to widespread destruction, famine, and loss of life across Central Europe, remains a significant point of controversy. While Thurn is viewed as a courageous figure who stood up for his beliefs, his actions ultimately precipitated a conflict with tragic human costs, leading some historians to question the pragmatism and foresight of his leadership in the long term.