Brahe was born at
Rydboholm Castle (now in
Österåker Municipality) in
Uppland. He was the son of
riksråd Count Abraham Pedersson Brahe of Visingsborg (1569-1630) and Elsa Gyllenstierna of Lundholm, and as such the brother of
Margareta Brahe and
Per Brahe, and the cousin of
Ebba Brahe. He took part in the
Polish-Swedish Wars, in which he first participated in the
siege and capture of Riga 1621, and later served with distinction in
Poland (1626–1627) and assisted in the
defence of Stralsund in 1628. On 16 April 1628 he married baroness Anna Margareta Bielke at the
Stockholm castle, at double wedding, when also his elder brother count Peder Brahe married Kristina Katarina Stenbock. In 1630 he accompanied Gustavus into Germany, in the
Thirty Years' War and in 1631 was appointed colonel of "the yellow regiment," the king's world-renowned life-guards, at the head of which he captured the castle of
Würzburg on 8 October 1631. Brahe took part in the long duel between Gustavus and
Wallenstein around
Nuremberg as general of infantry, and commanded the left wing during the
Battle of Lützen on 6 November 1632, where he was the only Swedish general officer present. At the very beginning of the fight he received a gunshot wound to his left knee so severe that he had to retire from the battle. After the fighting ended Brahe travelled to Naumburg to recuperate but his condition deteriorated over the next few weeks and he finally died on 21 November 1632, at the age of 28. Brahe was buried in the church at
Östra Ryd. ==See also==