Albrecht of Valdštejn, the imperial generalissimo, and major political figure during the early 17th century, is arguably the most famous person to be associated closely with Český ráj.

Albrecht was born into a minor branch of the Valdštejn dynasty, which was descended from the Markvart family – a family whch had control of the upper Jizera valley and most of the Český ráj territory in the 14th and 15th centuries.

His success in supporting the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor in his conflict with the Bohemian Protestant Estates at the beginning of the 30 Years War, led Albrecht to be appointed commander of the Empire’s armies and also gave him an opportunity to acquire vast tracts of land in northern Bohemia. He was thus able to consolidate all the former holdings of the Markvart family in the upper Jizera valley, and was the only individual ever to fully control the entire Český ráj region.

Albrecht made his seat in the former royal town of Jičín, and embarked on a major Renaissance reconstruction of the town and other holdings in Český ráj, a process he was unable to complete due to his assassination in 1634 by agents of the Emperor in Cheb.

His tomb is in the chateau of Mnichovo Hradiště, which became the family seat after Albrecht’s death.