Bernhard von Westerholt zu Hackfort

Bernhard von Westerholt zu Hackfort (* 1595 - † November 18, 1638 in Vechta ) was the imperial sergeant-general .

Life

Origin and family

Bernhard von Westerholt zu Hackfort grew up as the son of Borchard van Westerholt (1566–1631, mayor in Zutphen ) and his wife Elisabeth van den Clooster († 1602) together with his brothers Johann and Hendrik (* 1590, ∞ Aleid van Scherpenzeel) and his Sister Agnes († 1661, ∞ Jacob van Leefdael). He married Sophia von Westerholt, daughter of Engelbert Georg von Westerholt (1570-1620) and Anna von Morien zu Ottenstein. She was a second cousin and heir to Alst and Haselünne. The sons Hermann Goswin (* 1634, cathedral priest in Osnabrück from 1647 to 1656), Jakob Ludwig (* 1627, Jesuit, ordained a priest in 1662), Burckhardt Wilhelm and Hermann Otto emerged from the marriage. Bernhard was heir to the Entinge estate in DwingelooDrenthe Province .

Career

In 1620 Bernhard set up a company of riders for the league. For this he invested his wife's dowry . In 1630 he acquired the castle and the glory of Lembeck from Nikolaus von Westerholt. In 1626 he commanded four companies as lieutenant colonel. In this position he created a considerable fortune that enabled him to acquire the glory of Lembeck. The seller was Nikolaus von Westerholt, whose goods were burdened with 300,000 Reichstalers. In 1631 Bernhard was commissioned as colonel to recruit a regiment. He recruited the soldiers in the Münsterland, at least two companies in the Lembeck lordship . In 1632 he received another order to set up a regiment that was recruited in Westphalia during the year. In the same year he became governor of Dortmund after General Pappenheim had taken the city. In May 1633 Bernhard was raised to the status of hereditary imperial count by Emperor Ferdinand II . In 1637, at his request, Westerholt was appointed sergeant-general by the emperor with a monthly salary of 800 guilders and he was entrusted with recruiting 600 men on foot and 200 horsemen. He received permission to be assigned a confiscated property in the Westphalian district. The business flourished as advertising money of 75,000 guilders passed through his hands. The estimated fortune that Westerholt acquired as a war entrepreneur can be set at 200,000 to 300,000 guilders. The war had at least made it possible for him to acquire the rule of Lembeck. In March 1639, his brother Johann von Westerholt took care of the deceased brother's arms purchase in Cologne and in September 1643 was busy with the settlement of funds that Bernhard had received from the emperor.

literature

• Series of publications "The Thirty Years' War in personal testimonies, chronicles and reports"
• Digitized , Dr. Bernd Warlich, Volkach

Web links

• geneanet from Westerholt to Hackfort , private pedigree