PRINCE GEORG FRIEDRICH OF WALDECK

THE FREELANCE SOLDIER WHO COMMANDED THE ALLIED CONTINENTAL ARMY 1620-92 DUTCH REPUBLIC

Waldeck was a Hessian German who served several European masters during his military career. At various times he fought for and served Brandenburg, Sweden, Bavaria and Lorraine, but his main allegiance was to the Dutch. Waldeck had started his military career in the service of the States-general of the Netherlands in 1641 and returned to serving a Dutch master when he was appointed as the field marshal of William III’S forces in the Spanish Netherlands from 1688.

Under Waldeck’s command the Allies achieved a battlefield victory at Walcourt, south of Charleroi in Belgium. Waldeck led a primarily Spanish-german force (with an English contingent led by John Churchill, Earl of Marlborough) against the French. Waldeck’s victory was the only significant engagement of the 1689 campaign, but it would turn out to be the high point of his career. He suffered two defeats against the duc de Luxembourg at the battles of Fleurus and Leuze between 1690-91 and was transferred to become chiefof-staff of the Dutch States

Army until his death.

Waldeck was Hessian, but he fought on a freelance basis for several Protestant forces