Erich Lassota von Steblau

Erich Lassota von Steblau was a diplomat and military officer from Silesia. Born in an aristocratic family, he studied at the University of Padua before joining the War of the Portuguese Succession on the side of King Philip II of Spain. After the war, he became employed by Archduke Maximilian of Austria, and accompanied the archduke in his failed attempt to obtain the Polish throne. Lassota accompanied Maximilian in captivity, until he could return to his family estate in 1590. He was then sent on a mission to try to form an alliance with Russia against Maximilian's Swedish rivals but failed and was again taken prisoner. He remained in Swedish captivity for three years. Following this, he was again sent on a mission by Maximilian, this time successful, to the Zaporozhian Cossacks in present-day Ukraine, in order to convince the Cossacks to join the Imperial forces in its War against the Ottoman Empire. After his return, Lassota was promoted to Inspector General of Upper Hungary, a position he kept until the uprising of Stephen Bocskai in 1604, when his property was despoiled by the rebels. He continued to remain in Habsburg service, however, and in 1611, he was appointed to the Imperial Council. He died in 1616, in Košice.