We've heard a great deal about how armies changed during the 17th century, and how their commanders adopted new tactics and reforms to increase their firepower and ferocity. BUT what about the states that commanded these armies? Here we look at a specific case study, Austria, to see not just how the creation of a standing army empowered this curious state, but also how it defined what it meant to be an Austrian Empire. Where exactly did the Austrian Empire come from, carved as it was from the rump Habsburg Hereditary Lands in the south central portion of Europe? The answer is found in the fascinating process which led to the creation of an Imperial standing army, courtesy of the Emperor Ferdinand II, and made possible by everyone's favourite generalissimo, Albrecht of Wallenstiein! Check it out!

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