1628 - Political Events

Political Events

George Villiers, 1st duke of Buckingham, arrives at Portsmouth August 17 to lead another expedition for the relief of La Rochelle, center of France's Huguenot power (see 1627). He is stabbed to death at Portsmouth August 23 at age 23 by discontented naval subaltern John Felton, who believes that he is defending principles asserted in the House of Commons, and Londoners celebrate at news of Buckingham's assassination (his infant son and namesake will be brought up with the children of Charles I). La Rochelle surrenders October 28 after a 14-month siege that three English fleets have not been able to lift, and the Huguenots cease to be an armed political power in France.

The Austrian duke Wallenstein obtains the duchy of Mecklenburg. He assumes the title admiral of the Baltic, but suffers his first reverse when his siege of Stralsund is raised.

Swedish forces compel Polish field commander Stanislaw Koniecpolski to withdraw from his strongholds in Prussia (see 1627; 1629).

Dutch forces occupy Java and the Moluccas.