LESLIE, WALTER [SSNE 304]

Surname

LESLIE

First name

WALTER

Title/rank

COUNT

Nationality

SCOT

Region

BALQUHAIN, ABERDEENSHIRE

Social status

NOBILITY

Religion

CATHOLIC

Text source

Walter Leslie (1606-1667) was the fifth son, second from a third marriage, of John Leslie, 10th Baron of Balquhain. Leslie is listed as a Scottish count who entered Danish service in 1628 at the seige of Stralsund. Though brought up a Scottish Calvinist, by 1631 Leslie was in Imperial service and was captured by the Swedes at the battle of Lutzen, after which he was ransomed. In 1634, Leslie was involved in Wallenstein's murder and was rewarded by being made a Count of the Empire. In doing so he converted to Catholicism. Leslie had many commands and acted in a diplomatic capacity as Envoy to Constantinople. Leslie married Anna Francisca Fursten Dietrichstein, but had no children. He died in Viena in 1667. He was possibly a brother of John Leslie of Baquhain who was in Russian service [SSNE 3984].

J.C.W. Hirsch and K. Hirsch (eds.), 'Fortegnelse over Dansk og Norske officerer med flere fra 1648 til 1814 (12 vols. compiled 1888-1907), VI,vol.4; T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.91.

 

In 1647 he wrote a letter to an unnamed recipient in Sweden. See Riksarkivet, Skoklostersamlingen II. Carl Gustaf Wrangels arkiv. (RA/720795.010) Volym E 8558b 1647

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, STRALSUND (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)

Arrived 1628-01-01, as OFFICER

Departed 1631-12-31, as OFFICER

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

AUSTRIA, IMPERIAL ARMY

Arrived 1631-01-01, as FIELD MAR. GEN.

Departed 1667-12-31, as FIELD MARSHALL

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY