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 ANNALS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 From the REIGN 
 o F 
 
 CHARLEMAGNE 
 
 By the AUTHOR 
 
 THE AGE OF LEWIS XIV. 
 
 Regum t Pontificum, Populorum continet <eftus. 
 
 In Two VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Printed for A. MILLAR, in the Strand, 
 M D C C LV.
 
 CHARLES IV. 
 
 THIRTY THIRD EMPEROR. 
 
 1348- 
 
 CHARLES of Luxemburg king of Bohemia goes 
 forthwith from town to town, in order to get 
 himfelf acknowledged emperor. 
 
 Lewis margrave of Brandenburg difputes the 
 crown with him. 
 
 The old archbifhop of Menta excommunicates 
 him. The count Palatine Rupert and the duke of 
 Saxony join ; not inclining to acknowledge either 
 pretender. They annul the election of Charles of 
 Bohemia , and name Edward III. king of Eng- 
 land, who had no notion of it. 
 
 The empire was now no more than a burden- 
 fom title, fmce the ambitious Edward refufed it; 
 not chufing to interrupt his conquefts in France to 
 run after a fhadow. 
 
 On the rcfufal of Edward the electors addrefled 
 themfelves to the marquis of Mifnla , a relation of 
 the deceafed emperor. He alfo declined it. Mutius 
 fays, he preferred ten thoufand marks of Silver re- 
 ceived from the hands of Charles IV. to the im- 
 perial crown. This is rating the empire at a very 
 poor price ; but it is .veiy doubtful that Charles IV. 
 had ten thoufand marks to beftow ; he who was, at 
 the fame time, arrcfted at Worms by his butcher ; 
 a debt which he could no other wife pay, than by 
 borrowing money of the bifliop. 
 
 The electors refufed on every fide, at laft offer the 
 empire, with which no perfons feem willing to meddle, 
 to Gunther of Schwartzbuigh a noble Thuringian. 
 
 VOL. II. A This
 
 2 CHARLES IV. 
 
 This man who was a warrior, and had little to lofe , 
 accepted the offer, to maintain it at the point of 
 his fword. 
 
 1349- 
 
 The ele&ors chufe Gunther of Schwartzburg near 
 Frankfort j the too frequent double elections had in- 
 troduced a fingular cuftom at Frankfort. The firft 
 of the competitors that appeared before the place, 
 waited lix weeks and three days ; after which he was 
 .received and acknowledged, provided there was no 
 news of his competitor. Gunther waited the ap- 
 pointed time, after which he made his entry ; much 
 was expected from him. They pretend that his rival 
 caufed him to be poifoned. The German poifon of 
 thofe times, was feafting to excefs. Gunther be- 
 comes apoplectic and incapable of the throne; and 
 fells it for a fum of money, which Charles never 
 pays him. It was faid to be twenty two thoufand 
 marks. He died at Frankfort in about three months. 
 
 As for Lewis of Bavaria, margrave of Branden- 
 burg, he gives up his rights for nothing, not being 
 fufficiently ftrong to fell them to Charles IV. who 
 gets the better of the four competitors without 
 fighting, and caufes himfelf to be crowned a fecond 
 time at Aix la-chapelle by the archbifliop of Cologn, 
 to put his titie out of difpute. 
 
 The marquis of Juliers difputes the right of bear- 
 ing the fword, at the coronation ceremony with the 
 marquis of Brandenburg. Anceftors of the mar- 
 quis of Juliers had performed that office. But, this 
 prince did not rank then with the electors, confe- 
 quently not with the great officers. The marquis 
 of Brandenburg is maintained in his right. 
 
 I3f0. 
 
 A plague more memorable than that which depo- 
 pulated the earth in the time of Hippocrates, was 
 now feverely felt all over Europe; and fwept away 
 
 almoft
 
 CHARLES IV. 3 
 
 almoft every where above one fifth of the inhabi- 
 tants ; the Germans as headftrong as ignorant accufe 
 the Jews of having poifoned their fountains, and every 
 where burn and deftroy them. 
 
 What is wonderful is , that Charles IV. pro- 
 tected the Jews that paid him, againft the bifhop 
 and citzens of Strasburg; the abbot prince of Mour- 
 bac and other lords ; he was ready to make war with 
 them in favor of the Jews. 
 
 The fed of floggers revive in Suabia; they are 
 large companies of men who traverfe all Germany, 
 whipping themfelves with cords knotted with iron, 
 to drive away the plague. The antient Romans in 
 like circumftances inftituted comedies j the milder 
 remedy of the two. 
 
 An importer appears in Brandenburg, who calls 
 himfelf the antient Waldemar returned from the holy 
 land ; who pretends to retake pofl'effion of his eftate 
 unjuftly given, during his abfence, by Lewis of Bavaria 
 to his fon Lewis. 
 
 The duke of Mecklinburg fuppoits the impoftor; 
 the emperor Charles IV. countenances him. A 
 flight war enfues ; the pretended Waldemar is aban- 
 doned and eclipfed. 
 
 Charles IV. is willing to go into Italy , where 
 both popes and emperors arc forgotten. The Vif- 
 comti rule in the mean time at Milan. John Vif- 
 comti archbifhop of that town becomes a conqueror. 
 He feizes Bologna ; makes war againft the Floren- 
 tines and Pifans, holding in equal contempt the em- 
 peror and the pope. It was he who compofed the 
 letter from the devil to the pope and cardinals begin- 
 ning: Tour mother Pride greets you, together with 
 your fejhrs Avarice and Imrnodefly. 
 
 The devil in all likelihood managed the agreement 
 
 between John Vifcomti and pope Clement, who fold 
 
 A 2 hinj
 
 '4 CHARLES 
 
 him the inveftiture of Milan for twelve years at twelve 
 thoufand golden florins a year. 
 
 The houfe of Auftria has always demands on great 
 part of Swiflerland : the duke Albert intends the con- 
 queft of Zurich, which allies itfelf with the other 
 cantons already confederated. The emperor aflifts 
 the honfe of Auftria in this war, like a man who 
 wiftied it not to fucceed. He fends troops not to 
 fight j or rather who don't fight. The union and 
 liberty of the Swifs are their defence. 
 
 The imperial towns incline to eftablifli popular go- 
 vernment in imitation of Strasburgh : Nurem- 
 berg drives out its nobles , but Charles IV. re- 
 ftores them. He joins Lufatia to his kingnom of Bo- 
 hemia ; it has fince been divided from it. 
 
 . 
 
 The [emperor Charles IV, while he was the 
 young prince of Bohemia, had gained battles even 
 againft the pope's intereft in Italy. Since he has come 
 to the impenal throne, he fearches for relics, flat- 
 ters the popes ; employs himfelf in making laws, but 
 his chief care is the firm eftablifliment of his houfe. 
 
 He comes to an accommodation with the children 
 of Lewis of Bavaria, and reconciles them to the pope. 
 
 Albert duke of Bavaria faw himfelf excommuni- 
 cated becaufe his father had been fo. Wherefore, to 
 prevent the piety of fuch princes, as might think 
 themfelves intitled, by virtue of his excommunica- 
 tion, to drip him of his dominions, he humbly afked 
 pardon of the new pope -Innocent VI. for the in- 
 juries done to the emperor his father, by the preceding 
 popes; he figned an act beginning thus. / Albert 
 duke of Bavaria, fan of Lewis of Bavaria, formerly 
 Jiiling bimfelf emperor, and cenfured by the holy roman 
 church^ &c. 
 
 It
 
 CHARLES IV. 5 
 
 It don't appear that he was forced to this fervile 
 fubmiffion; fo that he muft, at that time, either have 
 had little honor or much fuperftition. 
 
 I3H- 
 
 It is remarkable that Charles IV. paffing thro 
 Metz, in the way to his eftates in Luxemburg, was 
 not received as emperor, becaufe he had not yet been, 
 confecrated. 
 
 Henry VII. had already given to Wenceflaus lord 
 of Luxemburgh the title of duke. Charles creels it 
 into a duchy, and Bar into a margraviate. Hence it 
 has been evidently feen how Bar comes to be held of the 
 empire. Pont-a-Mouffon is alfo made a marquifate. 
 All this country is at length called the empire. 
 
 Charles IV. goes to Italy to be crowned ; rather 
 like a pilgrim than an emperor. 
 
 The holy fee was at this time fituated at Avignon ; 
 pope Innocent VI. having but little credit at 
 Rome j the emperor ftill lefs. The empire was no 
 more than a name, and the coronation an idle cere- 
 mony. He either ought to have gone to Rome like 
 Charlemagne and Otho the great j or elfe he ought 
 not to have gone at all. 
 
 Charles IV. and Innocent VI. fond of ce- 
 remonies. Innocent VI. fent to Avignon a detail 
 of all that was neceffary to be obferved at the coro- 
 nation of the emperor. He appointed the nuncio 
 from Rome to carry the fvvord before him, which is 
 only an honor, and no mark of jurisdiction. The 
 pope ought to be on his throne furrounded by his car- 
 dinals, and the emperor ought to begin by kiffing his 
 feet, after which he prefents him gold, falutes him &c. 
 during the mafs the emperor performs fome duties in 
 the rank of a deacon. He receives the imperial crown 
 at the end of the firft epiftle. After mafs, without 
 
 A 3 either
 
 6 CHARLES IV. 
 
 either crown or cloke , he holds the bridle of the 
 pope's horfe. 
 
 None of thefe ceremonies have been praftifed fince 
 the popes refided at Avignon. The emperor at 
 length acknowledged in writing the authenticity of 
 thefe cuftoms. But the pope then at Avignon, find- 
 ing it impoflible either to have his feet kiiFed at Rome, 
 or his bridle held by the emperor, declared that prince 
 ihould never kifs his feet, nor guide the mule of the 
 cardinal who reprefents his holinefs. 
 
 Charles IV. went to this fhew, with a large re- 
 tinue but unarmed ; nor did he dare to deep in Rome 
 according to the promife he had made to his holinefs. 
 Ann his wife, daughter to the count Palatine, was 
 alfo crowned, and indeed this empty pomp was rather 
 the vanity of a woman than the triumph of an empe- 
 ror. Charles IV. having neither men nor money, 
 and coming to Rome only to ferve as deacon to a car- 
 dinal's mafs, was infulted in every town in Italy thro' 
 which he pafled. 
 
 There is a famous letter from Petrarch to the em- 
 peror reproaching him with his weaknefs. Petrarch 
 was worthy of teaching Charles IV. to think nobly. 
 
 Charles IV. a&s in every thing, contrary to his 
 predeceflbrs ; 'they had favored the Ghibelines, who 
 were in effecl the fadion of the empire ; he marches 
 fume forces againft them, countenancing theGuelphs, 
 whereby he only increafes the troubles of Italy. 
 
 At his return into Germany he applied himfelf, as 
 much us poflible, to eftablifti order and regulate rank. 
 The number of electorates had been fixed, fince the 
 time of Henry VII. more by cuftom than by laws ; 
 but not the number of electors. The dukes of Ba- 
 varia above all pretending a right to vote, as well as 
 the count Palatine, the elder branch of their houfe. 
 And the younger brothers of the houfe of Saxony be- 
 lieved themfelves electors as well as the elder. 
 
 In
 
 CHARLES IV. 7 
 
 In the diet of Nurimberg, Charles IV. de- 
 prives the duke of Bavaria of his right to vote, and 
 declares the count Palatine the only elector of that 
 houfe. 
 
 The golden Bull. 
 
 The twenty three firft articles of the golden bull 
 are publifhed at Nuremberg with great folemnity. 
 This conftitution of the empire, the only one which 
 the public calls a bull, takes its name from a little gold 
 box in which the feal is contained, and is efteemed 
 as a fundamental law. 
 
 It could only be eftabl-fhed among men by the laws 
 of convention. Thofe which Jong cuftom has fanc- 
 tified are called fundamental. Several things in this 
 golden bull have been altered according to the times. 
 
 It was compofed by the famous civilian Bartolus. 
 The genius of the times appears in fome latin verfes 
 to be found in the exordium : Omnipotent csterne 
 Deus, fpes unlca mund'i : as well as in the apoftrophe 
 to the feven mortal fins; and in the necefiity of hav- 
 ing feven elector?, becaufe of the feven gifts of the 
 holy Ghoff, and the candle-flick with feven branches. 
 
 The emperor, at firft, fpoke like an abfolute matter 
 without confulting any perfon. 
 
 We declare and ordain by this prefent edifl, which 
 /hall continue to all perpetuity , from our certain 
 knowledge, abfohtte power, and imperial authority. 
 
 He does not therein eftublifh the feven electors, he 
 fuppofes them eftablifhed : There is no mention in 
 the two firft chapters about the form and fecurity of 
 the journey of the feven electors ; who ought not to 
 go out of Frankfort, without declaring to the world 
 and to chriftians a temporal fovereign, that is to fay, 
 a king of the Romans, or future emperor. 
 
 ^They afterwards fuppofe N 8. article the 2 d that 
 
 this cuftom has been always inviolably obferved, and 
 
 moreover that which is above written has been inviolably 
 
 A 4 obferved*
 
 8 C H A R L E S IV. 
 
 obferved. Charles IV. and Bartolus forget that they 
 had often elected emperors in another manner, be- 
 ginning from Charlemagne, and ending with Charles 
 IV. hirnfelf. One of the moft important points is 
 the indivifibility f the right of electing, which by he- 
 reditary right pafles, in the male line, always to the 
 eldeft fon. 
 
 It ought then to have been ordained that the fecular 
 electorates be no more divided, but defcend wholly 
 to the eldeft fon. This is what was omitted in the 
 23 famous articles publifhed at Nuremberg, fo very 
 oftentatioufly, the emperor attending the publication, 
 with a fcepter in one hand , and the globe of the 
 world in the other. Very few things are attended to 
 in that bull } neither is there any method obferved ; 
 nor the particulars of the general government of the 
 empire in the leaft treated* of. 
 
 A moft important thing is exprefled in the 7 th arti- 
 cle of .N 7. that is, if one of the electoral principali- 
 ties becomes vacant to the profit of the empire (un- 
 doubtedly the fecular principalities are underftood) the 
 emperor has the difpofal of it, as of a thing fallen le- 
 gally to him and to the empire. Thefc confufed words 
 point out that the emperor can take as his own an 
 electorate, when the line is either extinct or attainted. 
 The particular favor (hewn to Bohemia, is alfo re- 
 markable in this bull ; the emperor being king of Bo- 
 hemia. It is the only country whence there can be 
 no appeal to the imperial chamber. This right de 
 non a^ellando has fmcebeen granted to divers princes 
 and contributed to make them much more powerful. 
 
 The reader may confult the golden bull for the 
 remainder. 
 
 The finifliing hand is put to the golden bull at 
 Metz ; where during the Chriftmas feven chapters 
 are added to it. They repair the inadvertent omiflion 
 of making the electoral fucceflions indivifible. That 
 which is moft clear and evident in thefe articles, is the 
 
 refpecl
 
 CHARLES IV. 9 
 
 refpe& paid to pomp and vanity. It is plain to be fceiv 
 that Charles IV". dejights himfelf with making the 
 electors officiate as menials in full court. 
 
 The emperor's table three feet higher than that of 
 the emprefs ; and her's three feet above thofe of the 
 electors ; a heap of oats lying before the door ot the 
 dining hall ; a duke of Saxony coming on horfeback, 
 to take a peck of oats from this heap ; in fine all this 
 oftentation was far from refembling the majefticfim.-* 
 plicity of Rome's firft Csefars. 
 
 A modern author fays, that they have not derogat- 
 ed from the laft article of the golden bull, fince all 
 the electors fpeak french : yet it is in this precifely 
 that they have derogated; for it is ordained by the laic 
 article that the electors learn Latin and Sclavonian 
 as well as Italian. Now few of the electors value 
 themfelvs upon fpeaking the Sclavonian. 
 
 The whole bull was at length publifli'd at Metz, 
 when there was % very full court, and the electors 
 attended the emperor and emprefs at table, each man 
 in his function. It was not for fuch folemnities as 
 thefe, that princes did thefe high offices ; originally 
 they were officers of the houfhold, who had, in time 
 become great princes. 
 
 I3f7- 
 
 That Charles the IV th . v/as no friend to either the 
 houfes of Bavaria or Auftria is plain, from the ex- 
 clufion of their refpective dukes in the golden bull. 
 The firft confequence of this pacific regulation was 
 a civil war. The dukes of Bavaria and Auftria raifc 
 troops. They befiege one of the emperor's com- 
 miiTaries in Danuftauflen. The emperor arrives at 
 that place; he can diflblve the league between Auftria 
 and Bavaria no other way, but by giving up Darw- 
 ftauflcn to the elector of Bavaria inftead of the right 
 to a vote which he demanded. 
 
 There is a great conteft in the Empire on account 
 of phalb'.irghers or falfe burghers. A conteft iu 
 
 A 5 which
 
 io CHARLES IV. 
 
 which it is very likely the authors have been miftaken. 
 The golden bull ordains that no burghers belonging 
 to any particular prince fhall be receiv'd in the im- 
 perial towns, to withdraw from their fovereign, unlefs 
 they become refidents in thefe towns. Nothing is 
 more juft; nothing more eafily to be fulfiled. For 
 certainly a prince will over-rule the difobedience of 
 one of his own burghers, under pretenfe of his being 
 admitted a citizen of Bafil or Conftance. 
 
 Why then fuch diflenfions about thefe falfe burghers 
 at Strafburgh? why were they in arms ? can Strafburgh 
 by any example fupport a fubje6l of Vienna to whom 
 it had given his freedom, and will it be admitted at 
 Vienna ? undoubtedly no. This is certainly one of 
 the moft important and moft facred affairs. Sovereigns 
 would deprive their fubjeb of the fcrft great right all 
 men have to chufe their dwelling-place. They fear 
 their dominions will be quitted for the free towns. 
 This then is the emperor's reafon for commanding 
 the people of Strafburgh t.) receive no ftrangers on 
 the footing of citizens ; this is the reafon that the 
 people of Strafburgh endeavourto preferve themfelve-s 
 in that right, which peoples and enriches a town. 
 
 Charles the IV. with all this appearance of gran- 
 deur, formerly a warrior, at prefent a law giver, an>i 
 mafter of a rich and beautiful country, has neverthc- 
 lefs fcarccly any credit in the Empire. Becaufs no 
 body wifh'd he Ihould. 
 
 When the emperor endeavour'd to incorporate 
 Lufatia and Bohemia, Albert of Auftria who has 
 fome demands on Lufatia, fuddenly makes war u'i 
 him, while no one perfon afiifts him. And he has 
 no way of getting quit of this affair but by a ftrau- 
 gem, and that a very bafe one. It is pretended that 
 he deceiv'd the duke of Auftria by fpies ; and that he 
 after wards paid thefe fpics in falfe money. This 
 
 (lory
 
 CHARLES IV. n 
 
 ftory wears the air of a fable, but it is a fable found- 
 ed on his character. 
 
 He fells privileges to all the towns; to the count 
 of Savoy he fells the title of vicar of the Empire at 
 Gentva ; he fora certain fum confirms the liberty of 
 the town of Florence; and he extorted confiderably 
 from Venice for the fovereignty of Verona, Padua, 
 and Vicenza, but the Vifcomtispay him moft dearly 
 for having the hereditary power in Milan under the 
 title of governor ; thus it is pretended that he retail'd 
 the empire, which he had bought in the grofs. 
 
 The princes of the Empire excited by the uni- 
 verfities of Germany reprefent to Chailes IV. that 
 in the bull of Clement V. there are many things 
 difhonorable both to him and the Germanic body ; 
 that amongft others, it is exprefs'd, that the emperors 
 are the pope's vaflals, and an oath of fidelity is pre- 
 fented to them. Charles, who had liv'd long enough 
 to know thefe flight forms need only be attended to, 
 when fupported by force of arms, complains to the 
 pope left he fhould irritate the Germanic body ; but 
 in a very moderate ftile for fear of irritating the pope. 
 Innocent the IV. gives for anfwer that this propofition 
 is become a fundamental law of the church, taught 
 in all the fchools of divinity. And to back this 
 anfwer he fends a bifhop of Cavaillon from Avignon 
 to Germany to demand one tenth of all the eccle- 
 fiaftical revenues for the pope's maintenance. 
 
 The bifhop of Cavaillon returns to Avignon after 
 having receiv'd ftrong complaints inftead of money. 
 Ti,e German clergy exclaim againft the pope; and 
 this was one of the firft fparks of that revolution in 
 the church which we now fee. 
 
 A refcript of Charles the IV. in favor of the cKrgy 
 protecting them againft fuch princes as would prevent 
 them from handling wealth, and bargaining with 
 the laity. 
 
 A 6 1360.
 
 12 CHARLES IV. 
 
 1360. 
 
 Charles IV. while making regulations in Ger- 
 many, abandons Italy. The Vifcomti ftill continue 
 matters of Milan j Barnaby is willing to preferve Bo- 
 logna which his uncle a warlike and politic archbifhop 
 had bought for twelve years. 
 
 A Spanifh legate call'd d'Albornos enters the town 
 in the name of the pope who continues ftill at Avi- 
 gnon j and gives Bologna to the pope. 
 
 Barnaby Vifcomti befieges Bologna. How can one 
 credit at this day, that the holy father promis'd by 
 agreement to pay one hundred thoufand livres in gold 
 annually for five years, to be mafter of Bologna ? 
 the hiftorians who repeat fuch exaggerations are cer- 
 tainly but little acquainted with the true value of 
 500, ooo livres in gold. 
 
 1361. 
 
 The fiege of Bologna is rais'd without being any 
 expence to the pope. A marquis of Malatefta who 
 had thrown himfelf with fome troops into the 
 town, makes a fally, beats Barnaby, and caufes him 
 to retreat homewards. The emperor meddles no 
 other way in this affair, than by an ineffectual re- 
 fcript in favor of the pope. 
 
 A war having broke out between the crown of 
 Denmark on the one hand, and the hanfe-towns on 
 the other, is terminated as ufual by treaty* 
 
 1362. 
 
 Several of the hanfe-towns treat with Denmark 
 at Lubeck in the terms ofacrown'd head, a gloiious 
 monument of a liberty founded on refpectable in- 
 duftry. Lubeck, Roftock, Stralfund, Hamburg, 
 Wiesmar, Bremen and feveral others form a perpe- 
 tual peace with the king of Denmark, of the Goths, 
 and Vandals ; the princes , merchant *, and freemen of 
 bis kingdom: thefe are the words of the treaty; which 
 
 prove
 
 CHARLES IV. 13 
 
 prove that Denmark was free, and the hanfe-towns 
 ftill more fo. 
 
 The emprefs Ann having heen brought to bed, of 
 Wenceflaus, the emperor fends the weight of the child 
 in gold to our lady at Aix ; a cuftom which began 
 then to be eftablifh'd j and has been pufh'd to an ex- 
 travagant excefs for our lady of Loretto. 
 
 Thebifhop of Strafburgh purchafes, at a very dear 
 rate, the title of landgrave of lower Alfatia ; he is 
 oppos'd by the landgraves of Alfatia of the houfe of 
 Oettinguen, and purchafes his peace, as he did his 
 title, with money. 
 
 A great divifion between the houfes of Bavaria and 
 Auftria, caus'd by a woman. Margaret of Carinthia, 
 widow of Henry the old, duke of Bavaria, fon of the 
 emperor Lewis, foe to the houfe into which fhe mar- 
 ried, gives all the rights upon Tirol and its depen- 
 dencies to Rodolphus duke of Auftria. 
 
 Stephen duke of Bavaria makes alliance with fe- 
 veral princes. The Auftrian has no perfon of his 
 party but the archbifhop of Saltzburgh. They con- 
 clude a three years treaty, but their fecret enmity is 
 more lafting. 
 
 1363. 
 
 Charles the Fourth as fedentary now as he had 
 been a&ive in his youth remains always at Prague. 
 Italy is entirely abandon'd ; each lord there buys the 
 title of vicar of the Empire. 
 
 Barnaby Vifcomti ftill bears a grudge to Bologna, 
 and is mafter of many towns in Romagnia. 
 
 The pope, at that time, Urban V. obtains 
 very eaftly ftom the emperor ineffe&ual orders to the 
 vicars of the Empire. It is related that Barnaby at 
 length fells his poflc-fiions in Romagnia for 500, OOO 
 florins of gold to the pope; but was it eafy for Uibari 
 at Avignon to find fuch a fum ?
 
 14 CHARLES IV. 
 
 1364- 
 
 Itis alfo related, that Charles intended to turn the 
 Danube by Prague j" more incredible ftill than the 
 pope's 500, ooo florins. The water muft be brought 
 over the mountains, barely to make a canal from the 
 Danube to Moldau in Bohemia, and befides it depends 
 on the houfe of Bavaria, which commands the courfe 
 of the river. Charlemagne's project of joining the 
 Danube and the Rhine in a flat country was much 
 more practicable. 
 
 A plague that broke out in France, amidft the ter- 
 rible wars of Edward the third and Philip de Valois, 
 fpreads itfelf into Germany. Several vagabonds who 
 had deferted from thefe armies which were ill paid> 
 and as badly difciplined, joining with other rogue?, 
 make excursions into Lorrain and Alfatia, where they 
 find all the Pafles open, they are called Malandrws^ 
 never welcome, l3c. The emperor is forced to 
 march againft them upon the Rhine with the troops 
 of the empire ; they are driven thence, they ravage 
 France and Holland, like locufts laying wafte all be- 
 fore them without any diftinition. 
 
 Charles IV. viius pope Urban V. at Avignon : he 
 endeavors a holy war, rather to prevent the Turks, 
 who had already taken Adrianople, from opprefling 
 chriftianity, than to recover Jerufalem. 
 
 A king of Cyprus who beholds the danger more 
 nearly, folicits this holy war alfo at Avignon. Se- 
 veral Crufades had been purfued from time to time, 
 when the Mufulmans were fcarcely formidable in Sy- 
 ria, but now that chriftianity is fliaken, they are laid 
 afide. 
 
 The pope after having propofed the Crufades 
 with proper decorum, makes a fcrious ueaty with 
 the emperor for the Surrender of his ufurped patri- 
 mony to the holy fee. He grant! to the emperor the 
 
 tentlu
 
 CHARLES IV. 15 
 
 tenths upon the clergy of Germany ; Charles IV. 
 can ferve himfelf by going to Italy, to recover the 
 proper dominions of the emperor, and not to ferve 
 the pope. 
 
 1366. 
 
 The Malandrins return again upon the Rhine, and 
 commit devastations even to the gates of Avignon. 
 This is one of the reafons that oblige Urban the Vth 
 to take flicker in Rome ; after the popes had been for 
 fixty two years retired to the borders of the Rhone. 
 TheVifcomtis more dangerous than the Malandrins 
 poflefs all the openings of the Alps j they had invaded 
 Piemont, and threatened Provence. Urban having 
 only the emperor's word for affifhnce, embarks on 
 board a galley belonging to the blameable and unfor- 
 tunate Joan Queen of Naples. 
 
 1367. 
 
 The emperor excufes himfelf from affifting the 
 pope, to be a fpe&ator of the war made in the Tiro- 
 lefe between the houfes of Auftria and Bavaria. And 
 pope Urban the Vth after having made fome ufelefs 
 alliances with Auftria and Plungary, gives at length a 
 fight of a pope to the Romans on the i6 tf> of Oclo- 
 ber. He is received only as the firft biftiop of chri- 
 ftianity, and not as a fovereign. 
 
 1368. 
 
 The town ofFriburg in Brisgau, which had endea- 
 vored to gain its freedom, falls again into the power of 
 the houfe of Auftna, by the ccffion of a count Egon, 
 who had taken it under his protection; and with- 
 draws it for twelve thoufand florins. 
 
 The reeftablifhment of the popes at Rome does 
 not prevent the Vifcomtis ruling in Lombardy ; where 
 they were near reviving a monarchy more powerful 
 and cxtenfivc than that of the ancient Lombards. 
 
 The
 
 1 6 CHARLES IV. 
 
 The emperor goes at laft into Italy to the affiftance 
 of the pope, or rather indeed to that of the empire 
 he had a formidable army, in which there was fome 
 artillery. 
 
 This frightful invention began now to be efta- 
 bliflied j it was as yet unknown among the Turks, 
 againft whom had it been employed, they had been 
 eafily driven out of Europe, but chriftians as yet ufe 
 it only againft chriftians. 
 
 To fupport the faith in Italy, the pope on one fide 
 wins the duke of Auftria ; on the other, the emperor ; 
 each with a puiflant army ; it was this fort of condudt 
 that loft the liberty of Italy, nay of the pope himfelf. It 
 has been the fatality of this beautiful but unhappy 
 country, that the popes have ftili called in ftrangers 
 to their aid, who would, if pofiible, have carried it 
 away with them. 
 
 The emperor pillages Verona, the duke of Auftria 
 Vincenza ; the Vifcomtis immediately fue fo> peace, 
 to wait better times ; the war ends in a fum given to 
 Charles, who goes to Rome to be confecrated ac- 
 cording to the ufual ceremonies. 
 1365). 
 
 A diet at Frankfort. A fevere edict forbidding 
 the towns and princes from making war of them- 
 felves. The EdicT: is no fooner published, than the 
 bimop of Hildesheim, and Magnus, duke of "Brun- 
 fwick, having each many lords of his party, are in- 
 volved in a bloody war. 
 
 It could fcarcely happen otherwife, in a country 
 where the very few good laws are without force. Arid 
 this continual anarchy ferves as an excufe for the em- 
 peror's ina&ivity. He ought to hazard every thing ; 
 or remain altogether quiet ; and he chufes the latter. 
 
 Urban the Vth having brought the Auftrians and 
 Bohemians into Italy, who returned home loaden 
 with fpoil j now calls in the Hungarians againft the 
 Vifcomtis ; there wanted only Turks. 
 
 The
 
 CHARLES IV. 17 
 
 The emperor to ward off his fatal blow, reconciles, 
 the Vifcomtis with the holy fee. 
 1370. 
 
 Waldemar, king of Denmark, expelled Copenha- 
 gen by the king of Sweden and by the earl of Hol- 
 ftein, takes refuge in Pomerania. He afks afliftances 
 of the emperor, who gives him letters of recommen-. 
 dation. He applies to pope Gregory the XI who 
 returns him exhortations, and menaces of ^excom- 
 munication. Writing to him as to his vaffal ; it is 
 pretended Waldemar anfweied him thus. 
 
 My life I hold of God ; my crown of my fubjefts ; 
 my ejiates of my ancc/lors; my faith only of your prede- 
 cejjors^ which, if you have a mind to make ufe of it, 
 I fend you back by this prefent. This letter ,is furely 
 apocryphal. 
 
 King Waldemar re-enters his dominions, without 
 any afiiftance, by the dis-union of his enemies. 
 
 1371. 
 
 Germany, tho' as yet in a ruftic ftate, neverthelefs 
 polifhes Poland. Cafimir to whom had been given 
 the firname of great, begins to build fome towns af- 
 ter the German fafhion, and introduces fome laws of 
 Saxon right into his own country, which wants laws. 
 
 A particular war between Wenceslaus, duke of 
 Luxemburg and Brabant, brother to the emperor 
 and the dukes of Juliers and of Gueldres ; in which 
 all the lords of the low countries take part. 
 
 Nothing more ftrongly chara&erifes the fatal anar- 
 chy of thefe times of rapine. The fubjecl: of this broil 
 was a troop of highwaymen protected by the duke of 
 Juliers ; and unhappily fuch an example was not un- 
 common in thofe days. 
 
 Wenceslaus, vicar of the empire, willing to punifh 
 the duke of Juliers, is defeated and taken in battle. 
 
 The conqueror fearing the emperor's refentment, 
 haftens to Prague accompanied by many princes, and 
 
 above
 
 l8 C H A R L E S IV. 
 
 above all by his prifoner : I return you,, faid he to the 
 emperor, your brother ; forgive me both. 
 
 One fees many events of thefe times thus intermix- 
 ^ed with robbery and heroifm. 
 
 1372. 
 
 Theedi&sagainft thefe wars having proved ineffec- 
 tual : a new diet at Nuremberg, ordains that no 
 prince or town fhould for the future make war before 
 the expiration of fixty days from receipt of the of- 
 fence. This was called the fixtieth law of the em- 
 pire; and was always duly obferved, when more 
 than fixty days were requifite to prepare for attacking 
 the enemy. 
 
 I373- 
 
 For a long time paft the affairs of Naples and Si- 
 cily have had no connexion with thofe of the empire. 
 The isle of Sicily was at prefent occupied by the houfe 
 of Arragon j and Naples by queen Joan j both, at 
 this time, were fiefs. The houfe of Arragon had 
 fubmitted by treaty, ever fince- the Sicilian vefpers to 
 hold it of the crown of Naples, which was held of 
 the holy fee. 
 
 The view of the houfe of Arragon, in paying a 
 vain homage to the crown of Naples, was to become 
 independent of the Roman court, and had fucceeded 
 therein when the pope was at Avignon. 
 
 Gregory the eleventh ordains that the king of Si- 
 cily fhall henceforth pay homage to the king of Naples 
 and the pope at the fame time. He revives the an- 
 cient law or rather proteft, preventing the king of 
 Sicily, or Naples, from ever being emperor, and 
 adds, that thefe kingdoms (hall be incompatible with 
 thofe of Tufcany and of Lombardy. 
 
 Charles abandons all his affairs in Italy ; entirely 
 taken up with inriching himfelf in Germany, and 
 eftablifhing his houfe. He buys the electorate of 
 Brandenburg, from Otho of Bavaria who poflefled 
 
 it,
 
 C H AR L E 8 IV. 19 
 
 it, to appropriate it to himfelf and his family. This 
 cafe was not fet down in the golden bull. He at 
 length gives this electorate to his eldeft fon Wences- 
 laus, afterwards to a younger, Sigismund. 
 
 The holy fee had been long at Avignon. Urban 
 the Fifth dies, when at Rome but a very little time, 
 Gregory the eleventh determines to re-eftablifh the 
 popedom in his native country. 
 
 Such princes and towns, as flood poffefled of the 
 countefs Matilda's eftates, enter into an alliance 
 againft the pope, who was willing to return into Ita- 
 ly. The moft part of the towns at length fet up 
 their ftandards, and over their gates the great word, 
 Liberta*> as it is yet to be feen at Lucca. 
 
 I37J*- 
 
 The Florentines began to a& in the fame manner 
 in Italy, as the Athenians had formerly done in 
 Greece. All the polite arts that were entirely un- 
 known before, revive at Florence. The fa&ions cf 
 Guelphs and Ghibelines during the difturbances they 
 created in Tufcany, had ftirred up genius and cou- 
 rage ; it was liberty elevated them. This people was 
 the moft refpeclable and leaft fuperflitious of any in 
 Ita'y, and the leaft inclined to obey either the popes 
 or emperors. Pope Gregory excommunicated them. 
 It was a little ftrange, that thefe excommunications, 
 to which they had been fo often accuftomed, fhould 
 ftill make fome impreffion. 
 
 Charles procures his fon Wenceslaus to be pro- 
 claimed king of the Romans at Ments up the Rhine, 
 the fame place where he himfelf had been chofen. 
 
 All the electors are there in perfon. His fecond fon 
 Sigismund aflifts, as elector of Brandenburg, tho' 
 but a child. The father having lately transferred that 
 
 title
 
 20 CHARLES IV. 
 
 title from Wenceslaus toSigismund. He had for hia 
 own part his voice of Bohemia. Five electors were 
 then to be gained. It is faid, and many hiftorians af- 
 fure us of it, that he promifed to each one hundred 
 thoufand florins of gold. It is not at all likely, that 
 each received the fame fum ; neither is it likely, that 
 the five princes were mean enough to receive it : in- 
 difcreet enough to talk of it, or that the emperor 
 ihould boaft of his having corrupted the votes. 
 
 So far was he from giving money to the elector Pa- 
 latine, that he fold to him at the fame time Ghotten- 
 burg, Falkenburg, and 'other domains. He alfo 
 iold, indeed at a very indifferent price, fome of the 
 royal prerogative to the electors of Cologn, and of 
 Mentz. Thus did he gain money, and fpoiled the 
 empire in fecuring it to his fon. 
 
 1377- ' 
 
 Charles the IVth, aged 64, undertakes a journey 
 to Paris ; and it is added, that it was to have the con- 
 folation of feeing the king of France, Charles the 
 Vth, who loved him tenderly ; and the reafon of this 
 tendernefs for a monarch that he had never feen, 
 was his having efpoufed formerly one of his aunts. 
 Another reafon alledged for this journey, is his being 
 afflicted with the gout, and his having promifed Mr. 
 St. Maurus, a faint in the neighbourhood of Paris, to 
 make a pilgrimage to him, on horfeback, for his cure. 
 The true reafon was difguft, uneafinefs, and a cuftom 
 in thofe days eftablifhed for princes to vifiteach other. 
 He goes at length from Prague to Paris, accompanied 
 by his fon Wenceslaus king of the Romans. He 
 fcarcely fees a finer country than his own, from the 
 frontiers to Paris. Paris deferves not his curiofity. 
 The old palace of St. Lewis which ftill fubfifts, and 
 the caftle of the Louvre which is no more, are not 
 worth the trouble of the journey. In. Tufcany only 
 
 they
 
 A R L E S IV. 2 1 
 
 they were emerging from barbarity, nor had archi- 
 tecture been as yet reformed. 
 
 If there was any thing ferious in this journey, it 
 was the office of the vicar of the empire, in the anr 
 tient kingdom of Aries, which he gave to the Dau- 
 phin. It was a long time a queftion among the ci- 
 vilians, whether Dauphiny ought to be always held 
 of the empire j but it has not, a great while fince, 
 been one among fovereighs. It is true, that the laft 
 Dauphin Humbert, in ceding Dauphiny to the fe- 
 cond fon of Philip of Valbis, ceded it with the fame 
 right with which he poflefled it. It is moreover 
 true, that they pretend Charles the IVth himfelf 
 had renounced all his rights ; but yet they were not 
 the lefs infifted upon by his fucceffors. Maximilian 
 the firft always claimed the dependence of Dau- 
 phiny. But this right muft have been very little mind- 
 ed, fince Charles V. in obliging Francis the firft, 
 his prifoner, to cede Burgundy to him by the treaty 
 of Madrid, makes not the leaft mention of the ho- 
 mage due to the empire on account of Dauphiny. All 
 the fequel of this hiflory fhews how time changes 
 rights. 
 
 1378- 
 
 A french gentleman named Enguerant de Couci 
 makes ufe of the emperor's journey to France to pre- 
 fer a very ftrange requeft, that of making war upon 
 the houfe of Auftria ; he was great grand-fon of the 
 emperor Albert of Auftria by his mother the daughter 
 of Leopold. He demanded the eftates of Leopold, 
 as not being mafculine fiefs. The emperor grants 
 him entire permiffion. He never confidered, how it 
 was poffible for a private gentleman of Picardy to 
 levy an army. Couci nevertheless has one pretty 
 confiderable, furnifhed by his relations and friends ; 
 by the reigning fpirit of heroifm ; by fome of his pa- 
 trimony which he fold, and by the hope of plunder; 
 
 which
 
 22 .CHARLES IV. 
 
 which engages many people in extraordinary under- 
 takings. 
 
 He marched towards fuch parts of Alfatia and Swif- 
 ferland, as belong to the houfe of Aufrria. But not 
 having wherewithal! to pay his troops 3 and fome 
 contributions gathered about Strafburg, not being 
 fufficient to enable him to keep the field any long 
 time, his army foon difperfed, and his project was at 
 an end. The fate of this gentleman was no more 
 than what happens to all great princes, even now, 
 who raife forces too haftily. 
 
 The Beginning of the great Scbifm of the Weft. 
 
 Gregory the Eleventh at length after having feen 
 Rome in 1377, and brought back the pontifical fee 
 from Avignon, where it had been fettled 72 years, 
 dies on the 2j' h of March, anno Domini 1378. 
 
 The Italian cardinals now prevail, and chufe an 
 Italian pope: it vvasPrignano a Neapolitan, a man 
 fierce and impetuous ; he takes the name of Urban. 
 Prignano Urban in his firft confiftory declared he 
 would do juftice on Charles the Fifth, king of France, 
 and Edward the Third, king of England, who dif- 
 turbed the peace of Europe. Cardinal de la Grange 
 threatening with his hand, anfwered him that he lied. 
 Two words that plunge chriftianity in a war of more 
 than thirty years continuance. 
 
 Moft of the cardinals irritated at the pope's vio- 
 lent and intolerable temper retire to Naples, declare 
 the election of Prignano Urban as forced and void ; 
 and chufe Robert fon of Amadeus the Third count of 
 Geneva, who aflumes the name of Clement ; and 
 eftablifhes an anti-roman fee at Avignon. Europe is 
 divided. The emperor and Flanders join the latter ; 
 Hungary which belongs to the emperor acknowledges 
 Urban. 
 
 France, Scotland and Savoy are for Clement one 
 may eafily judge, by the fide taken by each power, 
 
 that
 
 WENCESLAUS. 23 
 
 that all a&ed upon interefted principles. The name 
 of a pope is but a word of rallery. 
 
 Queen Joan of Naples acknowledges Clement ; 
 becaufe fhe had been formerly protected by France, 
 and becaufe this unfortunate queen had called Lewis 
 of Anjou, brother to Charles the fifth to her affif- 
 tance. 
 
 Wenceslaus duke of Luxemburg dying without 
 ifiue, leaves all his fiefs to his brother, and after him 
 to Wenceslaus king of the Romans. 
 
 The emperor Charles the fourth dies foon after ; 
 leaving Bohemia with the empire to Wenceslaus ; 
 Brandenburg to his fecond fon Sigismund j Lufatia 
 and the two duchies of Silefia to John his third fon. 
 
 It happens, norwithftanding the golden bull, that 
 he has benefited his family much more than Ger- 
 many. 
 
 WENCESLAUS. 
 THIRTY FOURTH EMPEROR. 
 > 1380, 1381, 1382. 
 
 TH E reign of Charles the Fourth which had 
 been much complained of, and ftill is blamed ; 
 is an age of gold, when compared to the times of 
 Wenceslaus his fon. 
 
 He begins by wafting his father's treafures in de- 
 baucheries at trankfort and Aix la Chapelle j with- 
 out giving himfelf any trouble about his patrimony, 
 Bohemia, defolated by the plague. 
 
 At the latter end of the year all the Bohemian lords 
 revolt againft him; hefeeshimfelf, all of a fuddenbefet, 
 without daring to hope for any afliftance from the em- 
 pire ; and obliged to march againft his Bohemian 
 fubjefts j the reft of thofe banditti called Malandrinei^ 
 
 who
 
 24 W E N C E S L A U S. 
 
 who ranged Europe, feeking the fervice of fuch prin- 
 ces, as would employ them. They ravage Bohemia 
 for their pay. Europe, in the mean time, is torn to 
 pieces by the fchifm between the two popes. Which 
 melancholy difpute, at laft, coft the unfortunate Joan 
 queen of Naples her life. 
 
 Now that there were no. hopes it was made a point 
 of religion as well as policy to fide with one of them. 
 He was certainly wifeft who acknowledged neither. 
 Joan queen of Naples had unfortunately declared for 
 Clement, at a time that Urban had it in his power to 
 hurt her. She was ace u fed of having aflaffinated her 
 firft hufband, Andrew of Hungary, and living then 
 quietly with Otho of Bruiifwick her prefent fpoufe. 
 
 Urban, poflefled as yet of fome power in Italy, 
 ftirs up againft her Charles de Durazzo, under pre- 
 tence of revenging the fate of her firft hufband; 
 
 Charles de Durazzo comes into Hungary to affift 
 the anger of the pope, who had prom i fed him the 
 crown. What is moft terrible in this affair is, that 
 he had been adopted by queen Joan, who was now 
 far advanced in years. He had been declared her heir, 
 yet preferred (tripping her who had been to him as 
 a mother of crown and life, rather than wait till 
 nature arid time gave him the crown. 
 
 Otho of Brunfwick, who fights in his wife's behalf, 
 is made prilbner along with her. Charles de Du- 
 razzo caufes her to be ftrangled. Naples had, fmcc 
 the days of Charles of Anjou, become a theatre of 
 wicked attempts againft their crowned heads. 
 
 T383- 1384- I38f. 1386- 
 The imperial throne becomes at prefent a fcene of 
 horror and contempt. In Bohemia nothing to be feen 
 but feditions againft Wenceslaus. All the members 
 of the houfe of Bavaria reunite to declare war againft 
 'him. This is a crime by the laws. But there are 
 no longer laws. 
 
 The
 
 WENCESLAUS. 25 
 
 The emperor has no other way of afluaging this 
 florm, than in reftoring to the count Palatine of Ba- 
 varia the towns of the higher palatinate, which 
 Charles the IVth had feized when that prince had 
 been diftrdled. 
 
 He cedes other towns to the duke of Bavaria, as 
 Mulbergh and Bernau. All the towns on the Rhine, 
 of Suabia and Franconia league againft him. The 
 princes bordering on France receive penfions. To 
 Wenceslaus remains the bare title of emperor. 
 
 I387- 
 
 While an emperor thus debafes him (elf, a woman 
 immortalifes her name. Margaret of Waldemar, 
 queen of Denmark and of Norway, becomes by vic- 
 tories and election queen of Sweden. This grand 
 revolution refpe&s Germany no farther than as this 
 heroine is fruitlefly oppofed by the princes of Meck- 
 Jenburgh, the earls of Holftein, the towns of Ham- 
 burgh and of Lubeck. 
 
 The alliance of the Swifs Cantons ftrengthens 
 them for the prefent,~and they grow always ftronger by 
 war. It was now fome years fince the Canton of 
 Bern had engaged in this union. Duke Leopold 
 bends his views to the taming thefe people. He at- 
 tacks them, and lofes the battle with his life. 
 
 1388- 
 
 The leagues of the towns of Franconia, Suabia, 
 and the Rhine, might form a people free, as the na- 
 tives of Swifierland, cfpecially under a reign fo con- 
 fufed as this of Wenceslaus : were there not too ma- 
 ny chiefs ; too great a variety of particular interefts ; 
 befides the nature of their fituation, open on every 
 fide, did not permit them, to feparatc themfelves 
 from the empire, like the Swifs. 
 
 1389- 
 
 Sigismund the brother of Wenceslaus gains fomc 
 
 glory in Hungary. He was only the huflband of the 
 
 VOL - n - B queen ,
 
 26 W ENCESLAUS. 
 
 <jueen, whom the Hungarians had called king Mary\ 
 a title they have revived, not long fince, in favor of 
 Maria Therefa, daughter of Charles the Vfth. Mary 
 was young, and the ftates had no mind her hufband 
 fhould govern : they had rather commit the regency 
 to Elifabeth of Bofnia, mother of their king Mary : 
 fo that Sigismund found himfelf only the hufband of 
 the princefs under tuition, to whom was awarded the 
 title of king. 
 
 The ftates of Hungary are difcontented with the 
 regency j and do not entirely chufe to ferve Sigis- 
 jnund. They offer the crown to Charles de Duraz- 
 zo, a man ufed to ftrangle queens, .who arrives and 
 is crowned. 
 
 The regent and her daughter difguife their fenti- 
 ments, watch their opportunity, and caufe him to be 
 affaffinated before them. The palatin of Croatia fets 
 himfelf up to be judge of the two queens ; he caufes 
 the mother to be drowned, and the daughter to be 
 imprifoned. It is now that Sigismund fhews himfelf 
 worthy of reigning ; he levies troops in his electorate 
 of Brandenburg, and in the dominions of his brother. 
 He defeats the Hungarians. 
 
 The palatin of Croatia delivers up his wife, hav- 
 ing made her promife, he fhould be continued in his 
 government. Sigismund crowned king of Hungary ; 
 does not believe himfelf obliged to obferve his wife's 
 word ; and caufes the Palatin of Croatia to be quar- 
 tered in the town of the five churches. 
 
 1390. 
 
 During thefe horrors the great fchifm in the church 
 increafes : It might have been extinguished after the 
 death of Urban by acknowledging Clement ; but at 
 Rome they chofe one Peter Tomaflelli, who was not 
 received in Germany, becaufe France had acknow- 
 ledged Clement. He requires the annates, or
 
 WENCESLAUS. 27 
 
 years profit of the benefices j which Germany pays 
 and murmurs. 
 
 It looks as if they determined to make the Jews 
 repay them what they had advanced to the pope. 
 Almoft all the inland trade was conducted by them, 
 in fpite of the Hans-towns. They imagined them fo 
 rich in Bohemia, that they murdered and deflroyed 
 them every where. The fame was done in many 
 towns, and above all at Spire. 
 
 Wenceslaus who was fparing of his edicls, iffued 
 one annulling all debts due to the Jews : Imagining 
 thus to conciliate the nobility and people. 
 
 From 1591 to 1397. 
 
 The town of Strasburg is fo powerful, as to fup- 
 port a war againft the eledtor Palatin, and his bifhop 
 on account of fome fiefs. It incurs the imperial ban, 
 and is quit for 30,000 florins paid to the emperor's 
 profit. 
 
 Three brothers, dukes of Bavaria, enter into com- 
 pact, by which every Bavarian prince is thenceforth 
 bound neither to fell or give up his tenure to any but 
 his nigheft relation j and not to difpofe of it to a 
 ftranger without the confent of every member of the 
 houfe: here is a hw, which might be inferted in the 
 golden bull, much to the advantage of the firft fami- 
 lies in Germany. 
 
 Each fovereign and each town take the beft care 
 poflible of mutual affairs. 
 
 Wenceslaus {hut up in Prague commits many ac- 
 tions of barbarity and madnels ; there were, particu- 
 larly, times in which he was quite befide himfelf. 
 This is an effect of exctfs in eating and drinking, 
 which attends more people than one may imagine. 
 
 Charles VI. of France was, in the mean time, at- 
 tacked with a diforder of nearly the fame nature ; 
 lofing often the ufe of reafon. The antipopes divide 
 
 B 2 the
 
 28 WENCESLAUS. 
 
 the church and indeed Europe. By whom or how 
 was the world at this time governed ? 
 
 Wenceslaus in one of his fits threw the monk 
 John Nepomucene into the Moldau, where he was 
 drowned, becaufe he had refufed to tell him what ths 
 queen his wife had confefled to him. It is faid he 
 fometimes walked the ftreets attended by the public 
 executioners, and put to death on the fpot fuch people 
 as he difliked. The magiftrates of Prague caufe him 
 to be feized as a common malefactor, and thrown into 
 a dungeon. 
 
 They permit him baths for the recovery of his health 
 and fenfes. 
 
 Heefcapes with one fervant-maid, whom he makes 
 his miftrefs. He fhuts himfelf up in Beraun. Here 
 was a fair opportunity for Sigismund his brother king 
 of Hungary to have himfelf acknowledged king of 
 Bohemia : Nor does he let it flip ; but he could only 
 get himfelf declared regent. He fhuts up his brother 
 in the caftle of Prague ; from whence he fends him 
 to duke Albert of Auftria at Vienna $ and returns to 
 Hungary to oppofe the Turks, who began to extend 
 their conquefts on that fide. 
 
 Wenceslaus makes another efcape from his new 
 prifon, and once more reaches Prague. And what is 
 wonderful finds there fome partifans. 
 
 What is ftill more aftonifhing, is that Germany 
 does not interfere, in the leaft, in the emperor's af- 
 fairs, neither when he is in a dungeon at Prague nor 
 Vienna ; nor yet when he returns home to Bohemia. 
 
 Is it credible that Wenceslaus, in the midft of the 
 infamy and turns of fuch a life, fhould propofe a 
 meeting at Reims in Champagne with Charles IV. 
 king of France, to put an end to the fcandals of 
 fchifm ? 
 
 And
 
 WENCESLAUS. 29 
 
 And at Reims the two monarchs meet, it is re- 
 marked that at a feaft given here by the king of France 
 to the emperor and to the king of Navarre, a patri- 
 arch of Alexandria who was prefent took the firft: 
 place at table. It is alfo remarked that one moining 
 Wenceslaus was found drunk by thofe who went to 
 confer with him on the bufmefs of the church. 
 
 The univerfities begin now to gain fome credit, be- 
 caufe they were new, and had no authority in the 
 church. That of Paris was the firft which propofed 
 a difmiilion of the pretenders to the papacy, and the 
 ele&ion of a new pope. And it was debated that the 
 king of France fhould obtain the difmiffion of his 
 pope Clement ; and that Wenceslaus alfo (hould 
 engage for his pope doing the fame. 
 
 Neither of the pretenders chofe to refign. They 
 were the fucceflbrs of Clement and Urban. The 
 firft was Tomafelli, who being elected on the death 
 of Urban, aftiimcd the name of Boniface ; the fe- 
 cond was Pedro de Luna a native of Arragon, who 
 was called Benedict, and fixed his refidence at Avignon. 
 The court of France keeps its word with the em- 
 peror, propofes to Benedict his abdication, which he 
 refufmg, is kept prifoner five whole years in his caftle 
 at Avignon. 
 
 Thus the court of France in not acknowledging a 
 pope during five years, (hewed that the church could 
 fubfift without a pope. 
 
 It was faid that Wenceslaus could drink with his 
 pope, but not treat with him. 
 
 1399. 
 
 He finds at length a fpoufe, Sophia of Bavaria, 
 notwithftanding his having haftened the death of his 
 firft with ill treatment. He is not known to relapfe 
 into any of his fits of Frenzy after this match : and 
 minds nothing but, like his father Charles IV, heap- 
 ing up money. He fells every thing : and at laft 
 
 B 3 difpofes
 
 30 WENCESLAUS. 
 
 difpofes of the emperor's title to Lombardy unto Ga- 
 163X0* Vifcomti, declaring it, according to fome au- 
 thors, intirely independent of the empire for one 
 hundred and fifty thoufand golden crowns. No law 
 prevents the emperor from thefe alienations. Had 
 there (ubfifted any, Vifcomti would never have ha- 
 zarded fo confiderably. 
 
 The minilters of Wenceslaus who pillage Bohe- 
 mia, incline to levy exactions upon the province of 
 Mifnia. About which complaints are made to the 
 electors. And ftraightway, thefe princes, who had 
 taken no fteps againft Wenceslaus when he was made, 
 aflemble todepofehim. 
 
 After many aflemblies of electors, princes, and de- 
 puties of towns a folemn diet is held at Lanftein near 
 Mentz. The three ecclefiaftical electors together 
 v,'ith the palatine, formally depofe the emperor in the 
 prefence of many princes who only affift as witnefles. 
 The e!t<5tors having the fole right of chufing, draw 
 from it the neceifary conclufion of their having the 
 fole right of vacating. They revoke the alienations 
 that had been purchafed from the emperor. But this 
 makes notVifcomti lefs abfolute from Piedmont to the 
 gates of Venice. 
 
 The a& of depofing Wenceslaus bears date the 
 20 /h of Auguft in the morning. The electors a few 
 days after chufe for emperor Frederick duke of Brun- 
 fwick, who is aflaffinated by a count Waldeck, while 
 preparing for his coronation. 
 
 RO-
 
 .* , 
 
 ROBERT, 
 
 Count Palatine of the Rhine. 
 THIRTY SIXTH EMPEROR. 
 
 1400. 
 
 ROBERT count Palatine of the Rhine is elected 
 at Rens by the fame four ele&ors. His election 
 could not poflibly have been on the twenty fecond 
 of Auguft, as hath been afferted j becaufe Wences- 
 laus was depofed on the 20'^ , and there muft cer- 
 tainly have been more than two days confumed in 
 chufmg the duke of Brunfwick, preparing for his co- 
 ronation, and aflaffinating him. 
 
 Robert according to cuiiom prefents himfelf arm- 
 ed at the gates of Frankfort, and makes his entry- 
 there at the end of fix weeks and three days ; this is. 
 the laft example we have of this cuftom. 
 
 1401. 
 
 Some princes and towns ftill hold out for Wences- 
 laus, as a few Romans regretted Nero. The magi- 
 flrates of ths free town of Aix-la-chupelle (hut theie 
 gates againft Robert, who wanted to be crowned 
 there. He remains at Cologn with the archbiftiop. 
 
 To gain the Germans he is willing to recover the 
 Milanefe for the empire, from which Wenceslaus had 
 divided it. He forms an alliance with the towns of 
 Swiflerland aad Suabia, as if he was only a prince of 
 the empire, and raifes troops againft Vifcomti. The 
 circumftance of things was favorable. Venice and 
 Florence were already arming againft the formidable 
 power of his new duke of Lombardy. 
 
 Being in Tirol he fent a challenge to Galeazo, be- 
 ginning, To you John Galeazo count of Verona &c. to 
 B 4 which
 
 32 ROBERT. 
 
 which was anfwered, To you Robert of Bavaria, wr 
 duke of Milan by the grace of God and of J^enceslaus^ 
 &c. after which he promifes to beat him, and keeps 
 his word in the defiles of the mountains. 
 
 Several princes who had accompanied the emperor 
 retire with their few remaining foldiers ; and Robert 
 at length wanders away alone. 
 
 1402, 1403. 
 
 John Galeazo remains mafter of all Lombardy, and 
 protector of the neighbouring towns in fpite of them. 
 
 He dies, leaving, among other children, one 
 daughter married to the duke of Orleans, the fource 
 of fo many nnhappy wars. 
 
 Upon his death one of the popes, Boniface, who 
 was neither firmly fettled in Rome, nor acknow- 
 ledged by half Europe, makes a fuccefsful ufe of the 
 hatred, which the conquefts of John Galeazo had in- 
 fpiret), and pofleflTes himfelf, by his intrigues, of Bo- 
 logna, Perufa, Ferrara, and of many towns of the 
 antient inheritance of the countefs Matilda, which 
 the holy fee had always claimed. 
 
 Wenceslaus awaking from his lethargy, takes it 
 in his head at laft to defend the imperial crown 
 againft Robert. They mutually accept of the king 
 of France's mediation, whom the electors pray to 
 come to pronounce judgment between Wenceslaus 
 and Robert, at Cologn, where both fhould be prefent, 
 and fubmit themfelvesto him. 
 
 Very likely the electors afked the king of France's 
 judgment, becaufe they knew he was not in a con- 
 dition to give it. The return of his malady hindered 
 him from governing his own dominions. Could he 
 then come to decide between two emperors? 
 
 The depofed Wenceslaus has no v fome hopes 
 from his brother Sigismund king of Hungary ; who 
 by a whimfical chance is himfelf dethroned, and im- 
 prifoned in his own kingdom. 
 V - The
 
 ROBERT. 33 
 
 The Hungarians chufe Ladislaus king of Naples 
 for their king : who fcarcely arrives on the frontiers 
 of Hungary, before Naples revolts ; and he returns 
 to extinguifh the rebellion. 
 
 Let us here draw a picture of Europe. One fees 
 her divided by two popes j Germany rent by two em- 
 perors } the difagreement in Italy after Vifcomti's 
 death ; the Venetians poflcfling themfelves of one part 
 of Lombardy ; the Genoefe of another j Pifa fub- 
 jet to Florence j horrible troubles in France during 
 the madnefs of the king ; civil wars in England' ; 
 the beft provinces in Spain over-run by the Moors ; 
 the Turks advancing towards Greece. And the em- 
 pire of Conftantinople drawing towards a conclufion. 
 1404. 
 
 Robert neverthelefs purchafes fome little territories 
 furrounding his palatinate ; the bimop of Strasburg 
 fells him Orenburg, Celle, and other feignories. 
 This is almoft all that remains to him of the empire. 
 
 The duke of Orlean? brother to Charles VI. buys 
 the duchy of Luxemburg from Jomua Marquis of 
 Moravia, to whom Wenceslaus had fold it. Sigis- 
 mund had difpofed alfo of his right to the homage of 
 it. Thus the duchies of Luxemburg and Milan are, 
 by their new pofleflbrs, looked upon as detached from 
 the empire. 
 
 1407. 
 
 1 he new dukes of Luxemburg and of Lorrain go 
 to war without the empire's fiding with either : had 
 things continued thus a few years longer, there had 
 remained neither empire nor germanic body. 
 1406. 
 
 The marquis of Baden and the count of Wirten- 
 burg make with impunity a league with Strafburg and 
 the towns ofSuabia againfl: the imperial authority. The 
 purport of the treaty was, that in cafe the emperor 
 pre fumed to meddle -with the rights, of any one of them, 
 they flwuld unitedly make war upon him, 
 
 B 5 The
 
 34 ROBERT. 
 
 The fwifs ftrengthen themfelves daily. The ele- 
 ctors ravage the dominions of the houfe of Auftria 
 in Sondgau and in Alface. 
 
 1407, 1408- 
 
 While the Imperial authority daily declines, the 
 fchifm of the church continues. No fooner one 
 anti-pope dies ; but his party fet yp another. There 
 fcandals had made aM people fhake off the yoke of 
 Rome, had they been more reafonable and fpirited, 
 and had not the princes always had it in their heads 
 to have a pope of their party ; that they might have 
 fomething of the arms of religion therewith to oppofe 
 their enemies. This is the real reafon of the many 
 leagues that have been known between the fee of 
 Rome and many kings ; of fo many contradictions, 
 excommunications demanded privately by fome and 
 defpis'd by others. 
 
 The church began already to dread learning, wit, 
 and the polite arts j they had travell'd, from the court 
 of Robert king of Naples to Florence, where they 
 had erected their Empire. The growing emulation 
 of the univerfity began to clear up fome knotty 
 points; one half of Italy was at enmity with popes. 
 Neverthelhfs the Italians more prudent than other 
 nations, never eftablifli'd any fe<t againft the church. 
 They ofteji m;ide war upon the Roman court, but 
 never on the Roman church. The Albigenfes and 
 the Vau'iois had now begun to appear near the fron^ 
 tiers of F-ance. Wickliff rofe up in England. John 
 Hus a doctor of the new univerfity of Praaue, and 
 confL-fTor to the queen of Bohemia wife of Wen- 
 ceslaus, having read Wickliffs manufcripts, preach'd 
 up his opinions at Prague. Rome did not expert even 
 the firft rays of erudition coming from a country, 
 which (he had fo long ftil'd barbarous. The do- 
 fliine of John Hus confifted chiefly of giving to the 
 
 to
 
 ROBERT. 35 
 
 church certain rights, which the holy fee pretended 
 to referve to herfelf. 
 
 The times are favorable. There has been, ever 
 fince the birth of fchifm, a fucceflion of anti-popes 
 on each fide j and it was extremely difficult to know 
 on which fide was the holy Ghoft. 
 
 The ecclefiaftical throne being thus fplit in two, 
 each half is confus'd and bloody. The fame fate 
 attends thirty epifcopal fees. v A bifhop, confirm'd 
 by one pope, difputes his cathedral, fword in hand, 
 with one approv'd of by another. 
 
 At Liege, for example, there are two bifhops who 
 flir up a bloody war. John of Bavaria chofen by & 
 part of the chapter, contends with one elected by 
 another part, and as the oppos'd popes had only bulls 
 to beftow,Johnof Bavaria calls into his fuccour John 
 duke of Burgundy with an army. In fine, to fettle 
 which fliall have the cathedral of Liege, the town is 
 fack'd, and ahnoft reduc'd to afhes. 
 
 So many evils, which in general it is impofiible to 
 remedy until they come to extremes, at laft produce 
 the council of Piia, whither feveral cardinals retiring 
 fummon the reft of the church. This council is 
 afterwards transfer'd to Conflance.. 
 
 1409. 
 
 If there was a portability, of extinguifhing the 
 fchifm, which-had fo long rag'd over chriftian Europe, 
 in a legal and canonical manner, it was by the autho- 
 rity of this council. 
 
 Two an^ii-popes the fuccefTors of two anti-popes 
 lend their names to this civil and facred war. One 
 is the fierce Peter de la Lune ; the other Corrario a 
 Venetian. 
 
 The council of Pifa declares them both unworthy 
 of the papal throne. Twenty four cardinals with the 
 confent of the council chufe Philar^i a native of 
 Candia, on the 17 of June, 1409. Philargi the lawful 
 
 B 6
 
 36 ROBERT. 
 
 pope dies in about ten months. All the cardinals 
 that are now at Rome unanimoufly ele<t Balthazar 
 CofTa, who aflumes the name of John the XXIII d . 
 He had been brought up in the church and in 
 arms. Being made a deacon from a pirate, he had 
 diftinguifh'd himfelf in his progrefs on the coaft of 
 Naplts in favour of Urban. He had, fometime fince, 
 purchas'd at a very dear rate a cardinal's hat, and a mi- 
 ftrefs nam'd Catharine whom he carried off from her 
 husband. At the head of a fmall army he recover'd 
 Bologna from the Vifcomti. He was a foldier with- 
 out manners ; but neverthelefs he was a pope ca- 
 nonically elected. 
 
 The fchifm Teems now to be ended by the laws of 
 the church; but the politics of certain princes give 
 it ftill a being ; if we can call by the name of politics 
 that fpirit of jcaloufy, of intrigue, of rapine, of fear, 
 and of expectation which fets the world in a flame. 
 
 A diet was aflembled at Frankfort in 1409, at 
 which the emperor prefides, and is attended by am- 
 bafladors from the kings of France, England, and 
 Poland. And what enfues ? the emperors fupport 
 one faction ot anti-popes, and France another. The 
 emperor and Empire believing the right of aflembling 
 councils to be theirs. The diet of Frankfort treats 
 the council of Pifa as an unlawful aflembly ; and 
 demands a regular council. Thus it happen'd that 
 the council of Pifa, when they imagin'd every thing 
 fettkd, had inftead thereof left Europe three popes 
 for two. 
 
 The canonical pope was John the twenty- third 
 chofen folemnly at Rome. The two others were 
 Corraris, and Peter de la Lune. Corraris wander'd 
 about from town to town ; Peter de la Lune was 
 by order of the court of France fhut up in Avignon; 
 where without acknowledging him they kept this 
 fantom to produce upon occafion in oppofition to 
 others in the fame bufmefs. 
 
 1410.
 
 JOSHUA. 37 
 
 1410. 
 
 While Europe is thus difturb'd by popes ; a bloody 
 war breaks out between Poland and the Teutonic 
 knights - matters of Pruflia about fome boats laden 
 with Corn. Thefe knights inftituted at firft to 
 ferve the Germans in their hofpitals, were at length 
 become a militia fomething like the Mammelukes. 
 
 The knights are defeated. They lofe Thorn, 
 Elbing and many other towns, which remain in the 
 hands of Poland. 
 
 The emperor Robert dies the io th of May at 
 Openheim. Wenceslaus ftill calls himfelf emperor, 
 without fullfilling any of the imperial functions. 
 
 JOSHUA. 
 
 THIRTY SEVENTH EMPEROR. 
 
 1410. 
 
 WENCESLAUS was no more emperor except at 
 Prague among his domeftics. Sigismund his 
 brother claims the Empire. Jofhua Margrave of 
 Brandenbumh and of Moravia his ccufm alfo de- 
 
 D 
 
 mands it. 
 
 Jofhua not only difputes the Empire with his 
 coufm, but Brandenburgh alfo. 
 
 The elector Palatine Lewis, eldeft fon to the laft 
 emperor Robert, the archbifhop of Triers, and the 
 ambaffadors of Sigismund, name Sigismund emperor 
 at Frankfort. 
 
 Mentz, Cologn, the Saxon ambaffador, and a de- 
 puty from Brandenburgh in favour of Jofhua, elet 
 Jofhua in the fame town. 
 
 Wenceslaus at Prague protefts againft thefe two 
 elections ; Germany has now three emperors, as 
 well as the church three popes, without either in 
 reality having one. 
 
 SIGIS-
 
 * * 
 
 SIGISMUND, 
 
 KING of Bohemia, and of Hungary j Margrave 
 of Brandenburg. 
 
 TH IRTY EIGHTH EMPERORS. 
 
 1411. 
 
 BY the death of Joftiua three months after his 
 ele&ion, Germany is deliver'd from a civil war, 
 which he would not have been able, by himfelf, to 
 fupport, but which would have been carried on in 
 his name. 
 
 Sigismund is emperor both nominally and effe- 
 auaily. 
 
 This ek&ion is confirm'd by all the electors the 
 2ith of July. 
 
 The towns, at that time, had no bifhops but by 
 the decifion of battle. For in the canvafJiiig ele- 
 ctions, John the XXIII d , approving one bifhop ; 
 and Corrario another, produced a civil ivar j which 
 happen'd at Cologn as well as at Liege. The 
 archbifhop Theodoric of the houfe of Mceurs does 
 not take pofleffion of his fee, till he had defeated 
 his competitor, who was of the houfe of Berg, in a 
 bloody battle. 
 
 The Teutonic knights take up arms againft Poland. 
 They are fo formidable that Sigismund leagues pri- 
 vately with Poland againft them. Poland at length 
 cedes Pruffia to the knights ; and the grand mafter 
 becomes infenfibly a confiderable fovereign. 
 
 The great fchifm of tjie Weft is in fome meafure 
 an embaraiTment to Sigismund ; he fees himfelf king 
 of Hungary, margrave of Brandenburg, and em- 
 
 peror 3
 
 SlGISMUND. 29 
 
 peror j titles he would willingly confirm to his pofte- 
 rity. The Venetians, having aggrandis'd themfelves 
 much, had in the time of a croifad conquer'd part 
 of Dalmatia j he defeats them at frial, and joins 
 that part of Dalmatia to Hungary. 
 
 On the other hand Ladislaus or Lancelot that 
 king of Hungary, whom he had expell'd, makes 
 himfelf mafter of Rome, and of all the country to 
 Florence. Pope John the XXIII d had at firft, like 
 his predeceflbrs, call'd him in to his defence j and by 
 that means given himfelf a dangerous mafter, feaiing 
 he (hould have found one in Sigismund. This forc'd 
 flep of John foon coft him the pontifical chair. 
 
 1413. 
 
 John the XXIII d , to extirpate fchifm and confirm 
 his own election, ' transfers the remainder of the 
 council of Pifa to Rome, where he ought to have had 
 more ftrength. The emperor convokes a council at 
 Conftance to deftroy the pope. One fees few Italians 
 popes that are eafily duped. This one was entirely 
 duped, both by Sigismund, andtheking of Naples Ladis- 
 laus or Lancelot. This prince now mafterof Rome be- 
 came his enemy ; and the emperor ftill more fo. 
 The emperor writes to the anti-popes to Peter de la 
 Lune now at Arragon, and to Corrario who had 
 taken refuge at Rimini ; but both thefe fugitive popes 
 proteft againft the council of Conftance. 
 
 Lancelot dies. The pope, deliver'd from one of 
 his mafters, ought not to put himfelf into the hands 
 of another. He goes to Conftance hoping the pro- 
 tection of Frederic duke of Auftria, inheritor of the 
 Auftrian hatred to the houfe of Luxemburgh. This 
 prince, in his turn, protected by the pope, accepts 
 of him, in partibus, the title of general of the troops 
 of the Church, and with it a penfion of fix thoufand 
 golden florins, as vain as his commiffion. The pope 
 unites himfelf alfo to the marquis of Baden, and 
 
 fome
 
 40 SlGISMUND. 
 
 fome other princes. At laft he enters Conftance 
 the 28th of October attended by nine cardinals in 
 great ftate. 
 
 In the mean time Sigismund is crown'd at Aix-la- 
 chapelle, and all the electors affift at the imperial 
 feaft, in their proper ftations. 
 
 1414. 
 
 Sigismund arrives at Conftance on chriftmas-day ; 
 the duke of Saxony carrying the fword of the Empire 
 naked before him ; the burgrave of Nuremberg whom 
 he had made governor of Brandenburg bearing the 
 fcepter. The golden globe was born by his ftep- 
 father the count de Cillei ; this not being an ele- 
 ctoral office. The pope attended at church, where 
 the emperor affifts at mafs in quality of deacon. He 
 reads the gofpel ; but no feet are kifs'd ; no ftirrup 
 is held j nor is there a horfe led by the bridle ; the 
 pope prefents him a fword, there were three thrones 
 erected, one for the emperor, one for the pope, and 
 one for the emprefs j the emperor being in the middle. 
 
 141 f. 
 
 John the XXIII* 1 . promifes to refign the papal 
 chair, in cafe the anti-popes fhould alfo quit theirs, 
 and provided, that his refignation every way ap- 
 pear'd to contribute to the utility and welfare of the 
 church. Th>s laft claufe ruin'd him. He was either 
 forc'd to this declaration; or the bufmefs of a pirate 
 had fpoil'd him for a pope. Sigismund kifs'd John's 
 feet, as foon as John had read him the particular 
 form. And this loft him the papacy. 
 
 Sigismund is eafily mafter of the council by fur- 
 rounding it with f. Idlers. Here he appear'd in all 
 his glorv ; there were prefent the eit&ois of Saxony, 
 of Mentz, and the cltclor Palatine, the governor of 
 Brandenburg, the dukes of Bavaria, Auftria, and 
 Silefia, 1 08 counts, 200 barons, wht> at this time were 
 fomething, and 27 ambafladors, who there repre- 
 
 fenteci
 
 SlGISMUND. 41 
 
 fented their fovereigns. They vied in luxury and 
 magnificence, as may be eafily inferred by the num- 
 ber of jewellers, being 500, who came at this time 
 to Conftance. There were alfo reckon'd 500 mu- 
 ficians, and what the cuftoms of thele times make 
 very credible, there were 718 courtezans protected 
 by the magiftrate of the town. 
 
 The pope is obliged to fly in the difguife of a 
 poftilion to the territories of John of Auftria count 
 of Tirol. This prince is forced to deliver up the 
 pope, and to afk the emperor's pardon upon his 
 knees. 
 
 Whilft the pope is prifoner in a caftle, belonging 
 to his protector the duke of Auftria, they prepare 
 his procefs. He is accufed of every crime, depofed 
 on the 29 th of May, and the council, by the fen- 
 tence, referves to itfelf the right of punching him. 
 
 The 6 th of July of the fame year 1415. John 
 Hus, confefior to the queen of Bohemia and doctor 
 of divinity, is burnt alive by fentence of the fathers 
 of the council, notwithftanding a very formal pro- 
 teclion that Sigismund had granted him. The em- 
 peror delivers him into the hands of the elector Pa- 
 latine, who gives him up to execution, he continuing 
 to praife God till his voice was ftifled by the flame. 
 
 Thefe are the principal propofkions for which he 
 was condemn'd to this horrible punifhment. " That 
 " there is but one catholic church, which contains 
 " in her bofom all the chofen. " That temporal 
 " lords ought to oblige priefts to obferve the law; "and 
 ** that a bad pope is not the vicar of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 ** Do you believe the univerfal a parte rei? fays a 
 " cardinal to him, I believe the univerfal a parte 
 " mentis, anfwered John Hus : you don't believe in the 
 " real prefence then ! cried the cardinal. It is 
 ' manifeft that they intended to burn John, and they 
 did it ". 
 
 1416.
 
 4 2 SlGISMUND. 
 
 1416. 
 
 Sigismund after the condemnation of the pope and 
 of John Hus, taken up with the glory of extirpating 
 fchifm, prevails upon the kings of Caftile, of Arra- 
 gon, and of Navarre, at Narbonne, to renounce their 
 obedience to Peter de la Lune. 
 
 He goes thence to Chamber! in order to erel 
 Savoy into a duchy, and gives the inveftiture of it 
 to Amadeus VIII. 
 
 He'goes to Paris, fits in the king's place, in the 
 parliament, and there makes a knight. It is faid 
 that this was too much, and that the parliament was 
 blamed for having allowed it. Why fo ? if the king 
 had given him his place he ought alfo to approve of 
 his conferring an honor which was barely titular. 
 
 He goes from Paris to London. He is receiv'd at 
 his landing by the nobility, who advance in the water 
 fvvord in hand to meet him, to do him honour, and 
 at the fame time to admonifh him, that he was not 
 to al: as mafter. This is an acknowledgement of 
 the right which he has in the opinion of fome people 
 to the great name of Caekr. 
 
 He faid, that he came to London, to negotiate a 
 peace between France and England. It was in thofe 
 moft unhappy times of the French monarchy, that 
 the Englifh king, Henry V. infifted upon France by 
 conqueft and inheritance. 
 
 The emperor, inftead of making peace, joins 
 England againft unhappy France. He has fome ad- 
 vantage in Hungary. The Turks, who had ravaged 
 the Empire of the Caliphs, and threaten'd Conftan- 
 tinople, overan the earth even from India to Greece. 
 They laid wafte Hungary and Auftria ; but as yet 
 thefe were but the incurfions of a band of robbers. 
 Troops are fent againft them, and .they retreat. 
 
 Whilft Sigismund is on his voyage, the council, 
 after having burnt John Hus, fearch out another 
 
 victim,
 
 SlGISMUND. 43 
 
 vi&im, in the perfon of Jerome of Prague. Jerome 
 of Prague, a difciple of John Hus, was greatly his 
 fuperior in wit and eloquence. He had at firft fub- 
 fcribed to the condemnation of his mafter, but was 
 afterwards afhamed of it. He looked upon his re- 
 cantation as his only crime, and fubmitted to death 
 with the fame intrepidity on the firft of June, 1416. 
 Poggio, the Florentine, fecretary to John the XXIII. 
 and one of the reftorers of letters, who was preferit 
 at the trial and punifhmenr of Jerome, fays, that he 
 fpoke with the eloquence of a Socrates, and braved 
 the flames, as Socrates drank hemlock. 
 
 Socrates indeed and thefe two Bohemians were 
 condemned becaufe they were hated by the fophifts 
 of their refpe&ive times. But what a difference be- 
 tween the manners of the Athenians and thofe of the 
 Chriftians of the I5th century ! between the mild 
 death of Sociates and the dreadful punifhment of fire 
 into which priefts are caft by priefls ! 
 
 The popes having pretended to judge of princes, 
 and to depofe them when they could, the council, 
 without a pope, imagined they had the fame rights. 
 Frederic of Auftria, having taken fome towns, ^near 
 Tirol, which the bifhop of Trent, whom he kept 
 prifoner, reclamed, the council order him to give up 
 the bifhop and the towns under penalty of being 
 deprived, not only himfelf, but hischildren and grand- 
 children, of all the fiefs of the church and of the 
 empire. This Frederic of Auftria, fovereign of 
 Tirol, flies from Conftance ; his brother Erneft 
 feizes on Tirol, and the emperor puts Frederic 
 under the imperial ban. Matters are made up about 
 the end of the year, Frederic is re-inftated in Ti- 
 rol, and his brother Erneft keeps in Styria, which 
 was his portion ; but the Swifs,who had feized fome 
 towns belonging to the duke of Auftria, refufed to 
 give them up, and ftrengthen'd their league. 
 
 1417.
 
 44 SIGISMUND. 
 
 HI?- 
 
 The emperor returns to Conftance, where, with 
 great pomp, he gives the inveftiture of Mentz, Sa- 
 xony, Pomerania , and other principalities, an in- 
 veft.ture which muft be taken at every change of an 
 emperor or of a vaffal. 
 
 He fells his electorate of Brandenburg to Frederic 
 Hohenzollern burgrave of Nuremberg for four 
 hundred thoufand golden florins, which the burgrave 
 had amafled, and which in thofe times was a very 
 confiderable fum. Some authors fay, it was only 
 one hundred thoufand, and are the more credible. 
 
 bigifmund, by contract, referves to himfelf the 
 right of re- purchafmg Brandenburg for the fame fum, 
 in cafe he fhouid have children. 
 
 In thefentence pronounced by the council in pre- 
 fer^ of the emperor againft pope Peter de la Lune, 
 he is declared perjured, a diflurber of the public peace* 
 an heretic, forfaken of God, and objiinate. The title 
 of obftmate was the only one that he truly merited 
 among them. 
 
 The emperor propofes to the council to reform the 
 church before they create a pope. Many prelates 
 exclame againft him as an heretic, and they make a 
 pope without reforming the church. 
 
 Twenty-three cardinals and33prelates of the coun- 
 cil, deputies of nations, aflemble in a conclave. This 
 is the only example we have of other prelates, befides 
 cardinals having a right to vote fince the facred col- 
 lege had referved to itfelf the eleaion of popes j for 
 Gregory III. was chofcn by the voice of the people. 
 
 On the u< h of November Otho de Collonna is 
 chofen, who changes that great name to Martin. 
 The confecration of this pope was above all others 
 auguft. The reins of his horfe, as he went to church, 
 were held by the emperor and the eledor of Bran- 
 denburg. He was followed by one hundred princes, 
 
 the
 
 SIOISMUND. 45 
 
 the ambaffadors of all the kings, and by the intire 
 
 council. 
 
 In the midft of this great provifion of the council, 
 and fuch apparent pains to reftore peace to the church, 
 and the empire to its dignity, how was Sigifmund 
 principally employed ? in amafling money. 
 
 Not content with having fold his electorate of 
 Brandenburg, he haftened, during the holding of 
 the council, to fell, for his own ufe, fome towns that 
 had been confifcated, to Frederic of Auftria. The 
 agreement made, reftitution ought to have enfued ; 
 the delay of which and his continual want of money 
 tarnilhed his glory. 
 
 The new pope Martin V. declares Sigifmund king 
 of the Romans, by fupplying the defects of formality 
 which are found in his election of Frankfort. 
 
 The pope having promifed to labour for the refor- 
 mation of the church, publishes fome constitutions 
 refpedting the revenues of the apoftolical chamber, 
 and the habits of the clergy. 
 
 He grants to the emperor a tenth of the ecclefia- 
 ftical income in Germany, during one year, to in- 
 demnify him for the expences of council, and Ger- 
 many murmurs at it. 
 
 The troubles are appeafed this year in Holland, 
 Brabint, and Hainault. All that is important for 
 hiftory to remark is, that Sigifmund acknowledges 
 the province of Hainault not to be held of the empire. 
 Another emperor may afterwards admit the contrary. 
 Hainault another time was, as has beenfeen, held for 
 a little while of the bifhop of Liege. 
 
 As feudal right is not a natural right, it being no 
 more than a pretenfion to land cultivated by another, 
 but not the poffeflion of a land which we cultivate 
 ourfelves, it has been the fubjcdt of a thoufand unde- 
 termined difputes. 
 
 J4I9. 
 1
 
 46 S I G I S M U N D. 
 
 1419. 
 
 Very great troubles kindle in Bohemia. The 
 aflies of John Hus and of Jerome of Prague excite 
 commotions. 
 
 The partizans of thefe two unfortunate men en- 
 deavoured to maintain their do&rine and revenge their 
 death. The celebrated John Zifka puts himfelf at 
 the head of the Huffites, and endeavours to make ufe 
 of the opportunity given him, by the weaknefs of 
 Wenceflaus, the fanaticifm of the Bohemians, and the 
 growing hatred of the people to the clergy, in order 
 to form a powerful party, and eftablifh himfelf a 
 government. 
 
 Wenceflaus dies in Bohemia almoft forgotten. Si- 
 gifmund has the empire now intirely to himfelf. He 
 is king of Hungary and Bohemia, and lord para- 
 mount of Silefia, had he not difpofed of his electorate 
 of Brandenburg he might have founded the moftpower- 
 ful houfe in Germany. 
 
 1420. 
 
 It is againft this puiflant emperor, that John Zifka 
 rifes, who makes war upon him in his hereditary do- 
 minions. The monks were ofteneft victims in this 
 war, and with their blood paid the cruelty of the fa- 
 thers of Conftance. 
 
 John Zifka inflames all Bohemia. There were at 
 this time great Troubles in Denmark on account of 
 the duchy of Slcswick. King Erich feizes upon this 
 duchy ; but the wars of the Huffites are much more 
 important, and more nearly concern the empire. 
 
 Sigifmund befieges Prague, John Zifka puts him to 
 the rout, and obliges him to raife the fiege. A prieft 
 marches with him at the head of the Huffites, who 
 bears a chalice in his hand as a mark of his acting in 
 a double capacity. 
 
 A month
 
 S.IGISMUND. 47 
 
 A month after , John Zifka beats the emperor 
 again. This war continuad 16 years, had not the 
 emperor violated his own protection fo many misfor- 
 tunes never could have happened. 
 
 1421. 
 
 There had been now for many years no crufades 
 but againft chriftians. Martin V. caufed the Huffites 
 to be preached againft in Germany, inftead of grant- 
 ing them communion with Wine. 
 
 A bifhop of Triers marches at the head of an 
 army of holy men againft John Zifka, who having 
 with him little more than 200 men cuts them in 
 pieces. 
 
 The emperor marches again towards Prague and 
 is again beaten. 
 
 1422. 
 
 Coribut prince of Lithuania joins Zifka in hope of 
 becoming king of Bohemia. Zifka, who really me- 
 rited to be fo, threatens to leave Prague. 
 
 The word Zifka fignifies Blind in the Sclavonian 
 tongue, and thus they called this warrior, as Hora- 
 tius had been formerly named Codes. He really me- 
 rited the title of Blind, having loft both his eyes, and 
 this John the Blind was quite a different fort of man 
 from the other John the Blind, who was father to 
 Sigifmund. He believed there was a poffibility of his 
 reigning, notwithftanding that he had loft his eyes, 
 while he could conquer and be head of a party. 
 
 1423. 
 
 The emperor driven out of Bohemia, by the aven- 
 gers of John Hus, had recourfe to his old ftratagem 
 of felling provinces. He fold Moravia to Albert, 
 duke of Auftria; this was difpofing of what the Huf- 
 fites pofTefTed. Procopius, the Shaver, becaufe he 
 was a prieft, a very great warrior, becoming the eye 
 and the arm of John Zifka, defends Moravia againft 
 the Auftrians. 
 
 1424.
 
 48 S i G 
 
 I S M U N D, 
 
 1424. 
 
 Zifka, the Blind, fupports himfelf not only againft 
 the emperor, but againft Coribut, who from his de- 
 fender was become his rival. He routs Coribert after 
 having defeated the emperor. 
 
 Sigifmund might neverthelefs have profited by this 
 civil war amongft his enemies, but he is engaged at 
 the fame time at a wedding. He aflifls at the nup- 
 tials of a king of Poland at Prefburg with great ftate, 
 while Zifka drives out his rival Coribut and enters 
 Prague in triumph. 
 
 Zifka dies in his army of a contagious diforder. 
 Nothing is better known than the difpofal he is pre- 
 tended to have made of his body on his death-bed. 
 Let me be left., fays he, in the open field , / had rather 
 be eaten by birds than by worms. Let a drum be made 
 of myjkin ; the very found of it will put our enemies 
 to fight. 
 
 His party does not die with him. It had been for- 
 med by Fanaticifm and not by Zifka. Procopius, the 
 Shaver, fucceedsto his government and reputation. 
 
 1426. 
 
 Bohemia is divided into many factions, but all unite 
 againft the emperor, who cannot repair the ruins 
 of his country. Coribut returns and is declared king. 
 Procopius makes war at the fame time with the ufur- 
 per and with Sigifmund. 
 
 In fine the empire furnifhes an army of an hun- 
 dred thoufand men to the emperor, and this army is 
 intirely defeated. They fay that the folidiers of 
 Procopius, who are called Taborites, ufed two-edged 
 axes in this battle, and that by this novelty they 
 gained the victory. 
 
 1427. 
 
 While the emperor Sigifmund is driven out of Bo- 
 hemia, and that the embers of John Hus fet this coun- 
 
 try,
 
 SlGlSMUND. 4Q 
 
 try, Moravia and Auftria in a flame, the wars between 
 the king of Denmark and Ho.iiem continue. Lubec, 
 Hamburg, Wifmar, and Stralfujid, declare agamft 
 him. And what was the authority of the emperor 
 Sigifinund ? He fides with Denmark, he writes to the 
 towns to induce them to lay down their ar.ns, and 
 they pay no attention to him. He feems to have loft 
 his credit, not only as king of Bohemia, but alfo as 
 emperor. 
 
 He marches once more an. army into his own coun- 
 try, and this army is again beaten by Procopius. Co- 
 ribut, who calls hiinfelf king of Bohemia, is put into 
 a convent by his own party, and the emperor has no 
 'ongcr any friends in Bohemia. 
 
 1428. 
 
 It is plain that Sigismund was wery badly fuccoured 
 by the empire, and that he could not raife men in 
 Hungary. He was burdened with titles and with 
 misfortunes. At length he opens a conference at 
 Prefburg to make peaco with his fubjeb. The party 
 named the Orphans, who were the moft powerful at 
 Prague, will hften to no accommodation but anfwer, 
 that a free people have no buftnefi with a king. 
 
 1429. 1430. 
 
 Procopius, the Shaver, at the head of an army of 
 his brethren, not unlike that which Cromwell after- 
 wards formed, followed by the Orphans, the taborites, 
 and thepriefts, who carried the chalice, continued to 
 beat the imperiahfts. Mifnia, Lufatia, Silefia, Mo- 
 ravia, Auftria, and Brandenburg, arc laid wafte. A 
 great revolution was now to be feared. Procopius 
 makes ufe of his baggage by way of intrenchment 
 againft the german cavalry with fuccefs. Thefe en- 
 trenchments were called Tabors ; he goes on with 
 thefe Tabors, and penetrates to the confines of Fian- * 
 conia. The princes of the empire involved in wars 
 amongft themfelves> could not oppofc thefe irmp- 
 
 VOL. II. C tions.
 
 S 1 G I S M U N D. 
 
 Uons. What has the emperor then to do? He had not 
 known what it was to hold a council, and admit the 
 burning a couple of priefts. 
 
 During thefe troubles Amurath II. ravages Hun- 
 gary. The emperor endeavous to engage to his aflif- 
 tance thc-'uke of Lithuania, and to create him king: 
 But he cannot come to the fpot; the Polanders pre- 
 vent him. 
 
 1431. 
 
 He again fues to the Huflites for peace ; which he 
 cannot obtain ; and his troops are again twice beaten. 
 The elector of Brandenburg and the cardinal Julian 
 the pope's legate are a fecond time defeated at Ki- 
 femberg, and that in fo complete a manner that Pto- 
 copius appears to be matter of the intimidated empire. 
 
 At length the Hungarians whom Amurath IL had 
 Iff to breathe, march againfr the conqueror, and f<tve 
 Germany which had otherwife been laid wafte. 
 
 TheHuilhes repulfed at one place ate formidable in 
 all others. Thecardina! Julian, notbeing able to carry 
 on the war, calls a council and propofes admitting 
 the Huffite priefts. 
 
 The coundl opens at Bafil the 23 d of May. 
 
 1432- 
 
 The fathers give pafcpotts for two hundred people, 
 to the Huffites. 
 
 This council of Bafil held under Eugene IV. was 
 no other than a prolongation of feveral others fum- 
 moned at different times by Martin V. to meet at 
 Pavia and Sienna. The fathers began with declaring 
 that the pope had no right either to dUTolve their af- 
 iembly or to transfer it, and that he ought to fubmit 
 to them on pain of punifhmcnt. The councils re- 
 garded themfelves as general {rates of Europe, judges 
 of popes and of kings. They had dethroned John 
 XXIII. at Conftance, and they intend the famecom- 
 pJiment for Eugenius IV, at Ba/il, 
 
 Eugenius,
 
 Eugenius, who believed himfelf abov*. vhe counciU 
 di-floives it; but in vain. He finds himlclf cited t 
 appear there, rather than to prefide ; and SigifYnui d 
 takes that opportunity to get himfelf crowned in Lom- 
 baidy, and afterwards, tho' to nopurpole, at Rome. 
 
 He finds Italy powerful and divided. Phillip Vif- 
 comti reigns over the Milanefe, and over Genoa the 
 unfortunate rival of Venice, which had loft her liberty, 
 and now only fought for mafters. The duke of 
 Milan and the Venetians dtfpute about Verona, and 
 other frontiers. The Florentines fide with the Ve- 
 netians. Lucca and Sienna declare for the duke of 
 Milan. Sigifrnund is too happy in being prote&cd by 
 this duke, in his journey to Rome, to receive the 
 vain crown of emperor. He then takes part with the 
 council againft the pope, as he had done before at 
 Conftance. The fathers proclaim his holihefs a con- 
 tern ner of the court, and give him fixty days for his 
 appearance, after which they depofe him. 
 
 The fathers of Bafil would a6l imitative of thofe 
 of Conftance. But their examples deceive them. 
 Eugenius was powerful at Rome, and the time3 were 
 no longer the fame. 
 
 1435. 
 
 The deputies of Bohemia are admitted to the coun- 
 cil. John of Hus and Jerome of Prague were burned 
 at Conftance; their followers are refpe&ed at Bah' I, 
 where their voices are admitted. The Huffitc pi ic-its 
 who come hither, march only in the train of I'roco- 
 pius the Shaver who approaches with three hundred 
 :umed gentlemen; and the fathers cry out : T/jjsir 
 the conqueror tf the church and cf the empire. The 
 council allow them to drink at their communion, and 
 thc;y difpute about the reft. The emperor arrives at 
 Bafil, where he with great calmnefs fees his con- 
 queror, and is taken up with the procefs againft 
 the pope. 
 
 C 2
 
 52. S I G I S M U N D. 
 
 While they argue at Bafil, the Hufiites of Bohemia, 
 joining the Polanders, attack the Teutonic knights, 
 and each party believes itfelf engaged in a holy war. 
 Every ravage is renewed j the Huffites make war 
 among themfelves. 
 
 Procopius quits the council he had intimidated to 
 go againft the oppofite party in Bohemia, and to he 
 beaten. He is killed in a battle near Prague. The 
 victorious fa&ion do what the emperor had never 
 dared to have done. They condemn a great number 
 of prifoners to the flake. Thefe heretics fo long 
 aimed, to revenge their deceafed apoftle, now caft 
 each other into the flames. 
 
 1434. 
 
 If the princes of the empire left their chief in a time 
 when he could not revenge himfetf-; they never neg- 
 lected the public good. Lewis of Bavaria, duke of In- 
 golftadt, having tyrannifed over his vaflals, being de- 
 tefted by his neighbours, and not fufficiently powerful 
 to defend himfelf, is put under the ban of the empire ; 
 and is favored by giving fome money to Sigifmund. 
 
 The emperor was, at that time, fo poor, that he 
 gave up things of the greateft confequence for the 
 moft trifling fums. 
 
 The laft eledoral branch of Saxony of the antient 
 houfe of Afcania dies without leaving any children. 
 Many relations lay claim to Saxony. And to obtain 
 this duchy, it cofb the marquis of Mifnia, Frederick 
 the warlike, an hundred thoufand florins. 
 
 The emperor retires to Hungary to negotiate with 
 his fubjects of Bohemia. The ftates prefcribe the 
 conditions according to which they chufe to be recon- 
 ciled, and ftipulate among other things that he fhall 
 not alter their coin any more. This is a claufe to 
 his iharne ; but a ftiame common to the princes of 
 
 thofe
 
 A L B E R T If. 
 
 thofe times. The people fubmit to their fovereign, 
 neither to be tyrannized over nor fleeced. 
 
 At laft the emperor having accepted the condi- 
 tions, the Bohemians fubmit themfelves to him and 
 to the church. Here is a true contract between the 
 king and his people. 
 
 H3<>, 1437- 
 
 Sigismund reenters Prague, and receives homage 
 again ; as newly holding his crown from the choice 
 ot the nation. After having appeafed otlrer troubles, 
 he caufes duke Albert of Aurtria his kinfman to be 
 acknowledged in Bohemia as heir to the kingdom. 
 'I hi.i is the Jaft event of his life which happened in 
 December 1437. 
 
 ALBERT II. of A u s T R i A. 
 THIRTY EIGHTH EMPEROR. 
 
 IT then began to appear that the houfe of Auftria 
 would in time become the moft powerful in Eu- 
 rope. Albert II, kinsman to Sigismund, fees himfelf 
 Bohemia and Hungary, duke of Auftria, fo- 
 vereign of feveral other territories and emperor. He 
 was king of Hungary and Bohemia by eledion, but 
 when the father and grandfather have been once elec- 
 ted, it iseafy for their defendants to fet themfelves 
 up an hereditary right. 
 
 The party of the Huflites who were called Calix- 
 tins chufe for king Cafimir brother to the king of 
 Poland, and he muft fight. The emperor com- 
 manded by Albert the Miles, then Burgrave of 
 Nuremberg and afterwards eleftor of Brandenburg, 
 feaires the Bohemiah crown to Albert II. duke Of 
 Auftria, by repeated vi&ories. 
 
 C 3 In
 
 54 
 
 ALBERT II. 
 
 In the great diet of Nuremberg the ancient tribu- 
 nal of the Aujlrcgues is reformed. This was a re- 
 medy found out, as has been feen, to prevent the ef- 
 fufion of blood in the quarrels of the lords of the em- 
 pire. The offended were to name three princes as 
 arbitrators who ought to be approved of by the ftates 
 of the empire, and give judgment within a year. 
 
 Germany is divided into four parts, called circles, 
 Bavaria, the Rhine, Suabia and Weltphalia. The 
 electoral territories are not comprifed within thefe four 
 circles. Each elector, from his own dignity, govern- 
 ing his territories without fubje&ihg them to this re- 
 gulation. Each circle has a duke or general, and each 
 member of the circle is taxed to a certain degree,eitber 
 in men or money for the public fecmiry. 
 
 In this diet they abolifhed an old law which ftill 
 fubfiffed in feveral parts of Weftphalia, and being 
 contradictory to all law was unworthy the name of 
 one. It was called the fecret judgment^ and con- 
 demned a man to death, without his knowing any 
 thing of the matter. 
 
 This manner of judging, which is little better than 
 aiTcifnnating, has been ufed in many ftates, but more 
 particularly in that of Venice, when any prefling 
 danger, or the intereft of the ftate, which; fuperior 
 to all law, can give countenance to fuch barbarity. 
 An ill-founded tradition would fain perfuade us, that 
 Ci.arlemagne I. efrablifhed this bloody tribunal to 
 keep the conquered and headftrong Saxons within 
 bounds. Some judges of Weftphalia ftill made ufe 
 of this cruel cuftom : All the fucceffors of Charle- 
 magne ought to blufh to have left the honour of fup- 
 preffing it to Albert of Auftria. 
 
 The council of Bafil continued ftill on the one hand 
 to tiouble the Weft; on the other the Turks and 
 Tartars, who difpute the Eaft, carry their devafta- 
 tions to the frontiers of Hungary. 
 
 ' TM 
 
 The
 
 A L B E R T II. 55 
 
 The Greek emperor, John Paleologus,, who had 
 i'caice any more dominions left than Conitantinople, 
 vainly imagines it in his power to obtain luccour oi 
 the Chriftiaus > he humbles himfelf fo far as to come 
 to Rome to fubmit the Greek church to the papal 
 jurisdiction. 
 
 John Paleclogus and his patriarch were received in 
 the council ot Fe:rara, acouncil-fet up -by EugeniusIV. 
 in oppofttion to that of Bafil. The Greek emperor 
 and his clergy in their fubmiffion, really maintain, to 
 all appeal ance,. the majefty.of their empire and the 
 dignity of their chuich. Neither of thefe fugitives 
 kift'cd the pope's feet ; they detefted this ceremony, 
 received by the emperors of the Weft, who cai! 
 themfelves the fovereigns of the pope. Neverthelefi, 
 they had in the firft ages kifll-d the feet of the Greek 
 biihops. 
 
 Paleologus and his prelates follow the pope from 
 Ferrara to Florence. There it is folemnly decided 
 and agreed upon by the reprefentatives of the Latin 
 and Greek churches, that the holy Ghoji proceeds from 
 the Father and the Son by the production of inf^ration ; 
 tkt Father communicate* every thing to the Son exapt 
 his paternity and that the Son from all eternity has had 
 the productive virtue whereby the holy Gbofi proceeds 
 from the Son as frem the Fathor. 
 
 The fjbmiflion of this primacy was a great, in- 
 tercfting, and glorious point for the fee of Rome.- 
 On the 6 th of July the pope was folemnly acknow- 
 ledged for head of the univeiful church. 
 
 This union of the Greeks and Latins was foon 
 after difavowed by the whole Greek church j but the 
 victory of pope Eugenius was not for this the lefs glo- 
 rious. While he renders this fervice to the Latins, 
 and finiflies to the bed of his power the fchifms of 
 the Eaft and Weft, the council of Bafil depofe him 
 from the papal chair, declaring him rebellious, fims- 
 niac, fihijmaticali heretical and perjured* 
 
 C 4 IB
 
 56 FREDERIC. 
 
 If we confider the council according to this decree, 
 they will appear only as a troop of factious fpiiits : 
 if we regard the rules of difcipline which they laid 
 down, then will they appear to us as very wife men, 
 and this is becaufe in their depofition ofEugenius,they 
 were influenced only by paffions which had no fhare 
 in their regulations. The moft auguft body when 
 carried away by paffions always commits more faults 
 than a fingle man. 
 
 It ought not here to be forgotten that Paleologus 
 at his return to Conftantinople, was become fo odious 
 to his own church for having fubmitted to that of 
 Rome, that his own fon refufed him burial. 
 
 Neverthelefs the Turks advanced even to Saman- 
 tlria in Hungary. In. the midft of thefe alarms, Al- 
 bert of Auftria, from whom much was expected, 
 dies on the 27 th of October, leaving the empire weak 
 as he had found it, and Europe unhappy. 
 
 FREDERIC of AUSTRIA. 
 
 Third of that name 
 THIRTY-THIRD EMPEROR. 
 
 1440. 
 
 TH E R E is a meeting at Frankfort as ufual 
 for the electing a king of the Romans. The 
 ftates of Bohemia, who were without a fovereign, 
 enjoyed in common with the other electors a right to 
 vote, a privilege which never had been given to any 
 but Bohemia. 
 
 Lewis landgrave of Heffe refufes the imperial 
 crown. Hiftory furnifhes many examples of the fame 
 nature. The empire had now for a long time been 
 
 looked 
 
 *
 
 ve: 
 
 FREDERIC. 57 
 
 looked upon as a dowerlefs fpoufe who had need of a 
 jy richhufband. 
 
 Frederic of Auftria, duke of Stiria, fon of Erneft, 
 who was much lefs powerful than the landgrave of 
 Hefle, is not l"o difficult. 
 
 In the fame year, Albert, duke of Bavaria, refufes 
 the crown of Bohemia which was offered to him ; 
 but this new refufal has its foundation upon a motive 
 which princes ought to fet themfelves as an example. 
 The widow of the emperor, king of Bohemia and 
 Hungary, duke of Auftria, was after his death 
 brought to bed of a fon named Ladislaus. Albert 
 of Bavaria believed that fome refpeft ought to be 
 paid to the blood of this infant. He looked upon Bo- 
 hemia as the child's inheritance. He wou'd not de- 
 prive him of it. Intereft does not always fway fo- 
 vereigns. There isalfofome honour amongft them ; 
 and they ought to confider, that when this honour is 
 fecure, it is iuperior to uncertain dominion. 
 
 After the example of the Bavarian, the emperor 
 Frederic 111. alfo refufes the crown of Bohemia. 
 Thus does the precedent of virtue influence. Fre- 
 deric III. fcorns to be lefs generous than the duke of" 
 Bavaria. He charges hitnfelf with the guardianfliip 
 of the child Ladislaus, who by birth- right ought to 
 poffefs the higher Auftria wherein is Vienna, and was 
 called to the throne of Bohemia and Hungary by the 
 voice of the people, who in him refpe&ed the blood 
 whence he fprung. 
 
 The council of FriQngen is held, in which thofe 
 who are killed in tournament, or who have not been 
 confeffed within the year, are depiived of burial. 
 Thefe flrange and ridiculous decrees have never any 
 force. 
 
 1441. 
 
 A great diet at Meiit/z. The anti-pope, Amadeus 
 
 of Savoy, (Felix) created by the council of Bad!, 
 
 fends to that diet a legate <} latere, where h was 
 
 C 5 obliged
 
 58 FREDERIC, 
 
 obliged to quit the crofs and purple which Amadeus 
 had beftowed on him. This Amadeus was a whirnfical 
 fort of a man, who having renounced his duchy of 
 Savoy for the unruffled life of a hermit quitted his 
 retreat at Ripaille in order to be pope. The fathers 
 of the council of Eafil, had elected him tho' he was a 
 iecular. They have in this violated all cuftom, and 
 thefe fathers were no longer tegarded at Rome but as 
 a feditious faction. The diet of Mentz hold the ba- 
 lance between the two popes. 
 
 The knights of the Teutonic order govern fo de- 
 fpotically in Pruflia that the people give themfelves up 
 to Poland. 
 
 The emperor educates at his court Ladislaus the 
 young king of Bohemia, and the kingdom is governed 
 in the name of this young prince ; but in the midft 
 of contradictions and troubles. All the eic&ors and 
 many princes afiift at the coronation of the emperor 
 at Aix-la-chapelle. Each of them is followed by a 
 iittle army. In thofe days of ceremony they placed 
 their glory in appearing with magnificence and often- 
 tation ; in our days they place it in not appearing 
 at all. 
 
 A great example of the liberty of the Northern 
 people. Eric king of Denmark and of Sueden, de- 
 ijgns his nephew to fucceed him in his throne. The 
 flates oppole him therein ; declaring that by their 
 fundamental laws the crown ought not to be heredi- 
 tary. Their fundamental laws at this day are very 
 different. They depofe their old king Eric, who 
 afpired at being; tooabfolute, and called to the crown, 
 or rather to the firft magiftracy, Chriftopher of 
 Bavaria. 
 
 J 444- 
 
 Politics, laws and cuftoms were then very diffe- 
 rent from what they are in our days. France in that 
 age was feen united with the boufe of Auftria againft 
 
 the
 
 FREDERIC; 59' 
 
 the Swifs. The dauphin, afterwards Charles XL- 
 marches againft the Swifs, whofe liberty France ought 
 rather to defend. Authors fpeak of a great viftory 
 gained by the dauphin near Bafil ; if he had gained- 
 fuch a great battle,, how happened it that he could 
 not without fome difficulty obtain leave to enter Bafil 
 with his domeftics ? This is certain that the Swifs. 
 never loft that liberty for which they fought, and this, 
 liberty gained every day additional ftrength in fpite 
 of their difTenfions. 
 
 It was not againft the Swifs he ought then to have 
 marched ; he ought to have gone againft the Turks.- 
 Amurath II. after having abdicated the empire, reaf- 
 fumed it at the intreaty of the Janifaries. This 
 Tuik, who might be ranked amongft philofophers, 
 was numbered with heroes. He pufhed his conquefts 
 in Hungary. The king of Poland, Uladislaus, tha 
 fecond of the Jageilons, caufed himfelf to be elected 
 by the Hungarians to the prejudice of young Ladislaus 
 of Auftrh, brought up always near the emperor. He 
 had concluded with Amurath the moft folemn peace 
 that ever Chriftians made with MufTulmans. 
 
 Amurath and Uladislaus folemnly fwear to it. 
 The one upon the alcoran, the other upon the 
 go f pel. 
 
 Cardinal Julian Cefarini, the pope's legate in Ger- 
 many, a man famous for his proceedings againft the 
 partisans of John Hus, for having formerly preiided 
 at the council of Bafil, and for the Croifade, which 
 he had preached againft the Turks, was at that time, 
 by too blind a zeal, the caufe of reproach and misfor- 
 tune to the chriftiarrs. 
 
 The peace was fcarcely confirmed before the car- 
 dinal excited them to the breaking of it. He flatteicd 
 himfelf he might have engaged the Venetians andGe- 
 noefe to aiTemble a formidable fleet, and that the 
 roufed Greeks, would make one laft effort. A pre 
 text for violating the oaths was wanting. Amurath 
 
 C 6 Ui
 
 60 FREDERIC. 
 
 had obferved all the conditions with fuch exa&- 
 nefs, that he left no fubterfuge to the infringers. 
 This legate had no other refource than that of per- 
 fuading Uladislaus, the Hungarian chiefs and the 
 Polanders, that they could violate their oath. He 
 harangued, he wrote, he affured them that the 
 peace fworn upon the gofpel was to no effect, be- 
 caufe it was made againft the inclination of the pope. 
 In effec-t the pope, who was then Eugcnius IV. wrote 
 to Uladislaus, that he commanded him to break a 
 peace which could fist be made without the concur- 
 rence of the holy fee. We already fee the introduc- 
 tion of' the maxim, that no faith is to be k-ept with 
 Htrftia. From whence it is to be concluded, that it 
 ought not to be kept with Mahometans. 
 
 Julian at length prevails. All the chiefs allow them- 
 felves to be carried away by the torrent, -and above all, 
 John Corvinus Huniades, that famous general of the 
 Hungarian armies, who had fo often beat Amurath 
 and Mahomet II. 
 
 Uladislaus feduced by falfe hopes, and ilill more 
 by falfe morality, furprifts the territories of the Sultan. 
 He is foon met near the Uxine bridge, in the coun- 
 try formally called Maefia, now called Bulgaiia. 
 Battle is given him near the town of the Varnes. 
 
 Amurath carried in his bofom, the treaty of peace 
 which they had fo lately concluded. He drew it out 
 in the midft of the fight, while his troops were in 
 motion, and prayed God to punifti the perjur'd, and 
 revenge this outrage committed againit the law of 
 nations. 
 
 This is what gave rife to the fable, that the peace 
 had been fworn upon the eucharift, that the hoft had 
 been lodged in the hands of Amurath, and that it was 
 to this hoft that he addrefs'd himfelf in the time of 
 battle. The perjur'd this time receiv'd tbe chaftife- 
 ment they deferv'd, the chriftians were vanquifh'd 
 after a long refiftance. King Uladislaus was run 
 
 thro'
 
 FREDERIC. 61 
 
 thro' the body, his head cut off by a Janifary, was 
 carried in triumph from rank to rank thro' the 
 Turkifli army, and this fpe<5tacle finifti'd the rout. 
 Some people have affirmed, that the cardinal Julian 
 who aflilied in this battle, endeavouring in his flight 
 to pafs a river, fell in and was drowned by the weight 
 of the gold which he carried about him ; others fay 
 that the Hungarians themfclves killed him. It is 
 certain that he perifii'd in this journey. 
 
 '44 r 
 
 Germany ought to have oppofed the progrefs of 
 the Ottomans. But at that time Frederic, who 
 had called in the French to his afiiilance againft the 
 Swifs, feeing that his defenders over-run Alfatia and 
 the neighbouring country, goes to chafe out thefe 
 dangerous allies. Charles VII. reclames the right of 
 protection in the town of Toul, altho' it was an im- 
 perial town. He exacts under the fame title prefems 
 from Metz and Verdun. This right of protection 
 upon thefe towns in their indigence, is the origin of 
 that fovereignty which the kings of France have at 
 length obtained. 
 
 inftead of carrying on a long, brifk, and well-con- 
 ducted war againft the Turks, a fhprt one is made, 
 upon the frontiers againft the French. 
 
 The ecclefiaftical war between the council of Bafil 
 and popeEugenius IV.fttll fubfifts. Eugenius bethinks 
 himfelf of depofmg the archbimops of Cologne and 
 of Triers ; becauie they had been partisans of the 
 council of Bafil. 
 
 He* had no right to depofe them as archbifhops, 
 and yet much lefs as electors. But what does lie- 
 do ? he names at Cologne A nephew of the duke of 
 Burgundy and at Triers, a natural brother of that 
 prince ; for a pope can never be either puiflant or 
 have it in this power to hurt but in arming one 
 prince againft another. ' 
 
 1446.
 
 62 FREDERIC. 
 
 1446. 
 
 The other ele&ors, the princes, take part with 
 the two bifhops vainly depofed. The pope had fore- 
 feen this ; he propofes an accommodation, re-efta- 
 blifties the two bilhops, he Tooths tlie Germans, and- 
 in fine Germany, which had remain'd neuter in 
 the difpute between the anti-pope and him, acknow- 
 leges Eugenius to be the only lawful pope. The 
 council of Bafil foon falls into contempt, and in a 
 fliort time diiiolved infenfibly of itfelr". 
 
 * 
 
 1447. 
 
 A Germanic convcura-Joh. This council bad never- 
 thelefs dhblifli'-d certain uf.-ful rccuianuns, which 
 the Germanic body afterwards adopted ; and which 
 itfupports to this day. The cledions in'rhe cathedral 
 churches and ubbies are re eftabufh'd. 
 
 The pope never named priefts to dris]\ benefices but 
 during-fix months of this year. 
 
 There is nothing ^paid to the apoilolical chamber 
 for fmall beneh'ces ; many other laws of the tame 
 nature areconfirm'd by pope Nicholas V; who there- 
 by pays homage to the council of B.iiil, which in 
 Rome is looked upon as an unlawful aflembly. 
 
 The Sultan, Amurath II. again defeats the Hun- 
 garians commanded by the famous Huniades ; vet 
 Germany does not arm itfelf upon thefe dreadful news. 
 
 H49- 
 
 Germany is taken up with domeftic wars. Albert 
 the Achilles, elector of Brandenburg, engages in one 
 againft the town of Nuremberg, which he endea- 
 vours to fubdue ; almoft all the imperial towns join 
 in the defence of Nuremberg, while the emperor 
 remains a quiet fpedator of thefe divifions, 
 
 He
 
 FREDERIC. 63 
 
 He does not chufe to give the young Ladislaus up 
 to Bohemia where he was demanded, and leaves fome 
 room to fufpedl his intending to keep to himfelf the 
 poileflions of his pupil. 
 
 This young Ladislaus ought to be intirely king of 
 Bohemia, duke of a part of Aufttia, of Moravia, 
 and Silefia ; thefc were indeed fufficient temptations 
 for virtue. 
 
 Amadeus of Savoy refigns the papacy, and be- 
 comes again an hermit at Ripaille. 
 
 Bohemia, Hungary, and the higher Auftria, again 
 demand the young Ladiflaus for their foverei'in. 
 
 A gentleman named Eifinger ftirs up Auftria in 
 favor of Ladiflaus. Fredtnc ftill excufes himfelf 
 under pretence of Ladiflaus not being, as yet of age. 
 He fends his brother Frederic of Auftria to quell the 
 fedition, and take hold of that opportun'ty to be 
 crowned in Italy. 
 
 Alphonfo of Arragon reigned at that time in Na- 
 ples, and join'd the intereft of the emperor, becaufe 
 he feared the too powerful Venetians. They were 
 mafters of Ravenna, of Bergamas, of Breflia, and of 
 Crcma. Milan was in the hands of a peafant's fon, 
 who was become the moft powerful man in Italy. 
 This was Francis Sforza, the fucceflbr of the Vif- 
 comti. Florence was in league with the pope againft 
 Sforza. The holy fee had recover'd Bologna. All 
 the other principalities belonged to different fove- 
 reigns who had mafter'd them. Things were in this 
 ftate at the journey of Frederic III. into Italy; a 
 journey the moft ufelefs and moft mortifying that 
 ever emperor made. He was attack'd by robbers 
 on the road to Rome. They took part of his bag- 
 gage and he ran the hfk of his life. What a manner 
 
 of 
 
 .
 
 64 FREDERIC. 
 
 of travelling was this for him who came to be crown'd 
 Cafar and chief of the Chriftian world ? 
 
 He made one innovation at Rome fubfifting even 
 to this day. Frederic III. dares not go to Milan to 
 propofe their giving him the crown of Lombardy. 
 Nicolas V. himfelf gives it to him at Rome, and this 
 alone gives the pope a claim to the right of creating 
 the king of the Lombards as they create the kings 
 of Naples. 
 
 The pope confirms to Frederic III. the guardianfhip 
 of young Ladiflaus, king of Bohemia and Hungary, 
 and duke of Auftria, a guardianfhip of which endea- 
 vours had been made to deprive him, and the pope 
 excommunicates all thofe who had difputed it with 
 
 him. 
 
 This bull is all that the emperor carried with him 
 from Rome, and with it he is befieged at Neuftadt 
 in Auftria by thofe whom he called rebels ; that is to 
 fay by thofe who demanded, his pupil. 
 
 He at laft gives up the young Ladiflaus to his 
 people. He has been a good deal praifed for being a 
 faithful tutor, altho' he refign'd his charge but by 
 force of arms. Would they have made it a virtue 
 in him not to have attempted his pupil's life ? 
 
 This year was the memorable epocha of the tak- 
 ing of Conftantinople by Mahomet II. Certainly now 
 or^never was the time for croifades. But it is not 
 aftonifhing that the chriftian powers, who had them- 
 felves in the ancient croifades wrefted Conftanti- 
 nople from its lawful mafters, fhould at length fuffer 
 it to he taken by the Ottomans. The Venetians 
 had been a long time poflefs'd of part of Greece ; all 
 the reft was in the hands of the Turks. There 
 remain'd but one town and that the capital of this 
 ancient Empire, now befieged by more than 200,000 
 men, and in this very town they difputed about re- 
 ligion.
 
 FREDERIC. 65 
 
 ligion. One of the points of deputation was, whe- 
 ther it was allowed them to pray in latin ; another, 
 whether the light upon mount Tabor was created 
 or eternal ; another, if they might be allowed to ufe 
 unleaven'd bread. 
 
 The laft emperor Conftantine had always near 
 him the cardinal Ifidore, whofe prefence alone anger'd 
 and difcouraged the Greeks : We had rather, fay they, 
 behold the turban here than the cardinal's hat. All 
 the hiftorians, and even the moft modern, repeat 
 fome old itories that were then trump'd up by the 
 monks, Mahomet, according to them, was only a 
 Barbarian, who deftroy'd Conflantinople by fire and 
 fword, and who being in love with a captive, one 
 Irene, cut off her head to fatisfy his Janifaries. This 
 is all equally falfe ; Mahomet was better brought, up 
 more poliflisd, and underftood more languages than 
 any chriftian prince of thofe times, There was only 
 a part of the town taken by aflault by the Janifarics. 
 The conqueror generoufly granted a capitulation to 
 the reft, and faithfully obferv'd it. And as to the murder 
 of his miftrefs, they muft ,be very ignorant of the 
 Turkifti cuftoms, to imagine that the foldiers con- 
 cern'd themfelves with what pafs'd in the emperor's 
 bed chamber. 
 
 A diet is aflembled at Ratisbon to endeavour op- 
 pofing the Ottoman arms. Philip duke of Burgundy 
 attends at this diet, and offers to march, if he is fe- 
 conded, againft the Turks. Frederic was not idle 
 at Ratisbon, for this very year Auftria was erected 
 into an archduchy, as the charter proves. 
 
 1474. 
 
 The cardinal ^Dneas Silvius, at that time legate in 
 Germany, and afterwards pope by the name of Pius 
 II. folicits all the princes to defend chriftianity. He 
 addrefles himfelf to the Teutonic knights, and re- 
 minds them of their vows ; but they are too much 
 
 in-
 
 66 FREDERIC. 
 
 ingrofled in fighting with their (ubjeds of Pomerama 
 and Prufiia, who fhake off their yoke, and givc.them- 
 felves up to Poland. 
 
 There is no perfon to oppofe the progrefs of Ma- 
 homet II. and by a crue! fatality almoft al! the princes 
 of the Empire ruin themfelves by civil wars one 
 againft the other. 
 
 The houfe of Brunswick was contending for the 
 fait- work ; the houfe of the Palatinate for the title of 
 elector, which the governor endeavours to ail!: me. 
 The duchy of Luxemburg was invaded by the duke 
 of Saxony, and defended by the duke of Burgundy, 
 for 22, ooo florins. The affair of the duke of Lu- 
 xemburg becomes more ferious than any other ; 
 young Ladisiaus, king of Hungary and Bohemia, re- 
 clames that duchy. It don't appear that the em- 
 peror takes any part in thefe quarrels. The pofleffion 
 of the duchy of Luxemburg icmains at length in the 
 houfe of Burgundy. 
 
 This Ladisiaus, who might have been a very great 
 prince, dies hated and defpifed. He had fled to 
 Vienna when the Turks befieged Belgrade. He had 
 left the glory of raifing the fiege to the celebrated 
 John Huniades and the frier John Capiftran. The 
 emperor takes care for him of Vienna and the lower 
 Auftria j duke Albert his brother of the higher, and 
 Sigismund, their coulin, of Carinthia. 
 
 HfS- 
 
 Frederic III. vainly endeavours to get Hungary to 
 himfelf ; it devolves upon Matthias fon of the great 
 Huniades, its defender. He endeavours alfo to reign 
 in Bohemia and the ftates elecl George Podibrade 
 
 who had fought for them. 

 
 FREDERIC. 67 
 
 Frederic 111. oppofes the fon of the valiant Hu- 
 niades, and the brave Podibrade only by artifice?, 
 which {hew his weaknefs, and this weakness embol- 
 dens the duke of Bavaria, the count Palatine, the 
 cle&or of Mentz, and many other princes, nay even 
 his own bather to declare war againft him in favour 
 of the king of Bohemia. 
 
 He is beaten by his brother Albert* and gets out 
 of this fcrape, only by giving up feveral places m 
 Aufliia. He is treated by all Germany rather as a 
 member than as principal of the Empire. 
 
 1460. 
 
 The new pope Pius II. late JEneas Silvius, con- 
 vokes an aflerr.bly of the chriftian princes at Mantua, 
 to form a croifad'e againft Mahomet II. but the mis- 
 fortune of thefe antient armaments was, that as they 
 had formerly been made without reafon, they con- 
 tributed to impede thofe which were founded upon 
 reafon. Germany is always divided ; foi example: 
 A duke of one part of Bavaria, of which Landshut is 
 the capital, employs his thoughts rather uponfupport- 
 ing his antient rights upon Donawert, than on the ge- 
 neral good of Europe. And on the contrary, during 
 the madnel's of the antient croifades, they had fold 
 Donawert to aflift in going againft Jerufa'.em. 
 
 This duke of Bavaria, Lewis, leagues againft the 
 princes of his houfe and together with Ulric count 
 of Wirtcmburg, raifes an army of 20, ooo men. 
 
 The emperor fupports the rights of Wirtemberg, 
 which had been long an imperial town, againft the 
 pretenfioMs of the duke. He makes ufe of the fa- 
 mous Albert, the Achilles, to quell the duke of Ba- 
 varia and his league. 
 
 Other troubles are raifed by the count of Holftein. 
 The kinz of Denmark, Chriflian, poflefles himfelf 
 
 by
 
 68 FREDERIC. 
 
 by right of fucceffion alfo of Schleswick by giving 
 fome money to the other claimants, and fubjects 
 Holftein to the emperer. 
 
 1461, 1462, 1463. 
 
 Much greater troubles enfue from the quarrel of 
 Bavaria, which tears Germany ; and there are ftill 
 others caufed by the difagreernent between the em* 
 peror and his brother, Albert duke of Upper Auftria. 
 The emperor muft fubmit, and is obliged by agree- 
 ment to cede the government of his own territory 
 of that part cf Auftria in which Vienna is contained, 
 to lower Auftiia. But the delay of the payment of 
 40,000 ducats gave occafion to renew the war be- 
 tween the two brothers. A battle enfues, and the 
 emperor is beaten. 
 
 His Friend Albert, the Achilles of Brandenburg, is 
 notwithstanding his furname, beaten by the duke of 
 Bavaria. Thefe inteftine troubles eclipfe the glory 
 of the Empire and make Germany truly unfortu- 
 nate. 
 
 1464. 
 
 We fee yet another difgrace. There has been 
 always a fort of prejudiced opinion in many nations, 
 that he who poflefs'd certain particular pledges, or 
 figns, had an undoubted right to the kingdom. In 
 the unhappy empire of Greece a garment and a 
 pair of fcailet flippers were fometimes fufficient to 
 conftitute the emperor. The iron crown of Monza 
 gave a right upon Lombardy, and when rivals difput- 
 ed the imperial crown of Germany, he who could 
 ijpize upon thofe antique arms, the lance and fword 
 of Charlemagne, was fecure of the greateft patty. In 
 Hungary he was the beft off who pofiefs'd a certain 
 golden crown. This ornament was in the treafury 
 of the emperor Frederic, who did not chufe to part 
 with it at the time that he gave up Ladislaus his 
 
 pupil to the Hungarians. 
 
 Matthias 
 
 1
 
 FREDERIC. 69 
 
 Matthias Huniades makes a new demand of his 
 golden crown upon the emperor, and declares war 
 againft him. 
 
 Frederic III. at laft delivers up this palladium of 
 Hungary. They make a treaty which never had 
 any thing like it. Matthias acknowledges Frederic 
 for his father, and Frederic calls Matthias his fon ; 
 nay it is ftipulated, that in cafe this pretended fon dies 
 without children and without nephew, the pretend- 
 ed father fhall be king of Hungary. In fine the fa- 
 ther gives the fon 60, ooo crowns. 
 
 1465". 1466. 
 
 This was a time in which the Chriftian powers were 
 guilty of many mean actions. There had ftill fub- 
 lifted two parties in Bohemia, the Catholics and the 
 Huffites. King George Podibrade, inftead of imi- 
 tating Scanderbeg and the Huniades, favours the 
 Huffitcs againft the Catholics in Silefu. And pope 
 Paul li. authorifes the revolt of the Silefians by a bull. 
 At length he excommunicates Podibrade who is de- 
 prived of his kingdom. Thefe unworthy quarrels 
 take from the Chriftian caufe very powerful aflif- 
 tance. Mahomet II. had no mufti to excommuni- 
 cate him. 
 
 1467. 
 
 The Catholics of Bohemia offer the crown of Bo- 
 hemia to the emperor ; but in a diet at Nuremberg 
 moft of the Princes fide with Pcdibradc in prefence 
 of the pope's legate. And duke Lewis of Bava- 
 ria-Landshut fays, that inftead of giving Bohemia to 
 Frederic the imperial crown ought to be given to Po* 
 dibraJe. The diet order that a body of 20,000 men 
 be kept up to defend Germany againft the Turks, Had 
 Germany been well governed, they had rather op- 
 pofed them with 300,000. The Teutonic knights, 
 who might have imitated Scanderbeg, only fight for 
 Pruffia, and at length, by a folcmn treaty, th;y 
 
 acknow-
 
 70 FREDERIC. 
 
 acknowledge themfelves feudataries of Poland. The 
 treaty was made at Thorn thepreceding year, and exe- 
 cuted in 1467. 
 
 1468- 
 
 The pope gives Bohemia to Matthias Huniades, 
 otherwife called Corvinus, king of Hungary, That 
 is to 4ay the pope, v/hofe great intereft it was to op- 
 pofe a bulwark to the Turks, efpeciaiiy after the death 
 of Scanderbtg the great, inftead of fo doing encou- 
 rages a civil war amongft the Chridians, and abufes 
 the emperor and empire, by daring to oppofe a king 
 who was an'ele&or. For the pope had no moie 
 right to depofe a king of Bohemia, than that prince 
 had to give away the fee of Rome. 
 
 Matthias Huniades waftes time, troops, and nego- 
 tiations to poffefs himfelf of Bohemia. The emperor 
 with great mildnefs, aflume's the office of mediator, 
 Some of the Princes of Germany involve themfelves 
 in war ; others aretake.n up in making treaties. The 
 rown of Conlh ,,ce forms an alliance with the Swifc 
 cantons. 
 
 An abbotof St. "Gal joins Tockemburg to his rich 
 abbey, and its cofts him no more than 40000 florins. 
 The inhabitants of Liege war unfuccefsfully with 
 the duke of Burgundy. Each prince is in fear of his 
 neighbour. There is no longer an equilibrium. 
 'The emperor does nothing. 
 
 1470, 1471, 1472,. 
 
 Matthias Huniades difputes ftill about Bohemia, 
 nor does the fudden death of Podibrade exftinguiih 
 the civil war. The huffite party chufe Ladiflaus 
 prince of Poland. The Catholics declare for Mat- 
 thias Huniades. 
 
 The houfe of Auftria, which ought to be very 
 powerful under Frederick III. for a long time lofcs 
 more than it gains. Sigifmund of Aufhia, the laft 
 prince of the branch of Tirol, fells to Charles the 
 
 raih,
 
 FREDERIC. 71 
 
 rafh, duke of Burgundy, Brifgau, Suntgau, and the 
 country of Ferrete, which belonged to him, for 
 80000 golden crowns. Nothing is more common in 
 the fourteenth and fifteenth Centuries than for iove- 
 reignties to be fold at a very mean price. This was 
 difrnembring the empire, augmenting the power of a 
 prince of France, who already pofiidled all the low 
 countries. It was not to be forefeen that at fome 
 time or other the pofleffions of the houfe of Burgundy 
 fhould revert to the houfe of Auftria. The laws of 
 the empire forbid thefe alienations ; the content of 
 the emperor ought moreover to be obtained, and even 
 the aflcing of it was neglected. 
 
 At the fame time Charles duke of Burgundy 
 purchafed the duchy of Gueldrcs, and the country of 
 Zutphenfor near the fame price. This duke of Bur- 
 gundy was the moft powerful of thofe princes who 
 weie not kings ; nay, few kings were fo powerful. 
 He was at the fame time a vafial of the emperor and 
 of the king of France, yet very formidable to both. 
 
 1473, 1474. 
 
 This duke of Burgundy as enterprifmg as the em- 
 peror was inactive ; is uneafy to all his neighbours at 
 the fame time. No perfon could have a clearer title 
 to the name of Rajb. 
 
 He invades the palatinate. He attacks Lorain in 
 Switzerland. It was then that the kings of France 
 treated with the Swifs for the firfttime. There were 
 yet but eight united cantons, Switz, Uri, Underwald, 
 L'iccrne, Zurick, Claris, Zug, and Berne. 
 
 Lewis XI. gave them 20000 fianks a year and four 
 florins and half a man per month. 
 
 It has been always the good luck of the Turks, that 
 the Chriftians were divided among themfdves, as if to 
 facilitate the conquefts of the Ottoman empire. 
 
 Mahe-
 
 72 FREDERIC. 
 
 Mahomet, mafter of Epirus, of Peloponefus, and 
 of the Negro-Pont, fcatters terror every- where. Lewis 
 XI. thinks of nothing but Tapping the foundation 
 of the duke of Burgundy's grandeur, which had in- 
 fpired him with jealoufy. The provinces of Italy 
 were employed in fupporting themfelves againft each 
 other; Matthias Huniades was taken up with difput- 
 ing Bohemia againft the king of Poland, and Frede- 
 ric III. thought of nothing but amafliug money, that 
 he might one day be enabled more firmly to eftablilh 
 his power. 
 
 Matthias Huniades, after having gained one battle, 
 contents himfelf with Silefia and Moravia ; he leaves 
 Bohemia and Lufatia to the king of Poland. 
 
 Charles the Ra/h invades Lorain. He finds him- 
 felf by this ufurpation mafter of one of the fineft 
 countries in Europe, from Lyons even to the fea of 
 HoJland. 
 
 1476. 
 
 His ambition is not fatisfied. He wants to reftorc 
 the ancient kingdom of Burgundy, and thereby in- 
 clofe the Swifs. People defend themfelves againft him, 
 as they had before done againft the Auftrians. They 
 defeat him intirely in the battle of Grandion, or of 
 Morat. Their pikes and back-fwords triumph over 
 the heavy artillery, and the {hining military force of 
 Burgundy. The Swifs were the only people who at 
 that time fought from no other motive but that of li- 
 berty. The princes, nay even the republics them- 
 felves, fuch as Venice, Florence, and Genoa, had 
 hitherto fcarcely fought for any thing but their ad- 
 vancement. Never people defended more greatly a 
 valuable liberty than the Swifs. They were wanting 
 in nothing but hiftorians. 
 
 It was in this battle of Morat, that Charles the 
 rafh loft that beautiful diamond which afterwards 
 fell into the hands of the duke of Florence. A Swifs, 
 who found it among the fpoils, fold it for a crown. 
 
 H77-
 
 FRED E R i c. 73 
 
 1477. 
 
 Charles the Rajb at laft perifhes near Nantz. He 
 was betrayed by Campo-Caflb a Neapolitan, and 
 killed in his flight, after the battle, by Bausmont a 
 gentleman of Lorrain. 
 
 By his death the duchy of Burgundy, the Artois, 
 Charolois, Maon, Bar-fur-feine, Lile, Doway, 
 and the towns upon the Somme, revert to Lewis XI. 
 king of France, as fiefs to that crown ; but Flan- 
 ders which was titled imperial, with all the Low- 
 countries, and the Franche-comte, devolve upon the 
 young princefs Mary daughter to the laft duke. 
 
 That which is certainly beft is, Frederic III. mar- 
 rying his-fon Maximilian to this rich heirefs. Maxi- 
 milian efpoufed Mary in the town of EiFant on the 
 1 7th of Auguft, and Lewis XI. who ought to have 
 given her in marriage to his fon, makes war upon 
 him. 
 
 The feudal right, which in reality is but the right 
 of the ftrongeft, and in its confequence the fource of 
 eternal difcord, kindles this war againft the princefs. 
 Ought Hainault to return to France ? Is it an impe- 
 rial province f Has France any right* upon Cam- 
 bray ? Has it any upon the Artois ?- O-jght thfc 
 Franche-Comte ftill to be efteemed a province of the 
 empire? Does it belong to the fucceifion of Bur- 
 gundy, or ought it to revert to the crown of France ? 
 Maximilian would have chofen rather the whole in- 
 heritance. Lewis XI. is willing to ingrofs all that is 
 convenient for him. It is this marriage then which is 
 really the origin of fo many unhappy wars between 
 France and Auftria, there being no acknowle JgcJ 
 law was the occafion of fo many people being fa- 
 crificed. 
 
 Lewis XI. at length pofleffes-himfelf of the two 
 Burgundies, and towards the Low-countries of all 
 that he could poflibly grafp in the Artois or in 
 
 H, * * *' * 
 
 amault. 
 
 VOL. II. D j 47 8.
 
 74 FREDERIC. 
 
 1478- 
 
 A prince of Orange of the houfe of Chalons in the 
 Franche-Comte, endeavours to preferve this province 
 to Maty. This princefs defends herfelf in the low- 
 countries without her hufband being able to furnifh 
 her any fuccour from Germany. Maximilian as yet 
 was but the indigent hufband of a foveieign heroine. 
 He preffes the princes of Germany to take part in his 
 caufe. They all rather attend to their own intereft. 
 A landgrave of Hefle carries off an elector of Cologne, 
 and keeps him in prifon. The Teutonic knights take 
 Riga in Livonia. Matthias Huniades is upon the 
 point of making it up with Mahomet II. 
 
 1479. 
 
 At laft Maximilian, affifted only by the natives of 
 Liege, puts himfelf at the head of his wife's army, 
 which is called the Flemifli forces, altho' Flanders, 
 properly fpeaking, that is to fay from Lile to Ghent, 
 was of the French party. The princefs Mary had a 
 ftronger army than the king of France. 
 
 Maximilian defeats the French in a battle at 
 Guinegafte in the month of Auguft. This battle 
 was not one of thofe which at once determines the 
 fate of a war. 
 
 1480. 
 
 A negotiation. Pope Sixtus IV. fends a legate into 
 Flandcis. They made a treaty of two years. Where 
 all this time is the emperor Frederic III ? He can do 
 nothing for his fons, neither during the war nor by 
 negotiations. But he had given him Mary of Bur- 
 gundy, and that was enough. 
 
 1481.. 
 
 However the Turks befiege Rhodes. The fa- 
 mous grand-mafter Daubuiflbn, at the head of his 
 knights, obliges them to raife the fiege at the end of 
 
 three months. 
 
 But
 
 FREDERIC. 75 
 
 But the bafha Acomat enters the kingdom of Naples 
 with 50 Gallies. He takes Grant by ailault. All 
 the kingdom is near being ruined. Rome herfelf 
 trembles. The indolence of the Chriftian princes 
 efcapes this torrent only by the fudden death of Ma- 
 homet II. and the Turks abandon Otranto. 
 
 A whimfical agreement between John king of 
 Denmark and Sweden and his brother Frederic 
 duke of Holftein. The king and the duke ought to 
 govern Holftein as a fief of the empire, and Schles- 
 wic as a fief of Denmark in common. All thefe 
 agreements are in general the fources of war ; but 
 this above all others. 
 
 The Cantons of Friburg in Switzerland and of 
 Soleufe join with the other eight. This by itfelf is 
 but a trifling event. Two i'mall towns cut but a 
 finall figure in the hiftory of the world ; but becom- 
 ing members of a body always free, this liberty fets 
 them above the greateft provinces that compofe it. 
 
 1482. 
 
 Miry of Burgundy dies. Maximilian governs 
 her pofleflions in the name of Philip the minor his 
 foa. Thefe towns are all priveledged. Thefe privi- 
 leges caufe almoft perpetual diflenlions between the 
 people who would fupport, and the fovereign who 
 would fubjedl them to his will. Maximilian re- 
 duces Zealand, Leiden, Utrecht and Nimeguen. 
 
 148 P 
 
 All the towns furrenderone after another, but with- 
 out any agreement, and are reduced gradually. The 
 feeds of difcontent ft ill remain. 
 
 1486. 
 
 So far are they from uniting again ft the Turks, 
 that Matthias Hunudes king of Hungary, inftcad of 
 nuking a proper ulc of the death of Mahomet II. 
 
 D 2 to
 
 76 FREDERIC. 
 
 to the prejudiceof the Turks, falls foul of the emperor. 
 What's the reafon of this war of the pretended fon 
 againft the pretended father ? It is difficult to guefs. 
 He wants to pcflefs himfelf of Auftria. What right 
 has he to it ? his troops beat the Imperialifts ; he 
 takes Vienna. Here is his fole right. The emperor 
 appears infenfible to the lofs of lower Auflria j he 
 roves about the low-countries ; thence he goes to 
 Frankfort to fecure among the ele&ors the title of 
 king of the Romans to his fon. A man could not 
 have lefs perfonal glory, nor prepare better for the 
 grandeur of his houfe. 
 
 Maximilian is crown 'd at Aix-la-chapelle on the 
 Qth of April, by the archbifhop of Cologn ; pope 
 Innocent VIII. giving his confent thereto, for the 
 popes always grant what they believe to be necefTary. 
 The emperor, who had credit fufficient in the diet 
 of Frankfort, to make his fon king of the Romans, 
 had not enough to obtain 50, oco florins a month, 
 to enable him to recover Auftria. This is one of 
 thofe ftrange contradictions often to be met with in 
 hiftory. At this time was made the league of Suabia 
 to prevent the particular wars which rend and weaken 
 Germany. It was a regulation of all the princes at 
 the diet of Frankfort, a menacing law, which put all 
 thofe who attack'd their neighbours under the ban 
 of the Empire. At length all the gentlemen of 
 Suabia aflbciatcd themfelves to avenge the wrongs 
 done them. This was a piece of true knight-erran- 
 try. They went in troops to demolifli the ftrong- 
 holds of the Malandrins or robbers. They alfo 
 obliged duke George of Bavaria to defift from in- 
 fulting 'his neighbours. This was a militia for the 
 public good. It did riot laft long. 
 
 148?- 
 
 The emperor makes a treaty with Matthias Hu- 
 niades which only a vanquifh'd man would have 
 made. He leaves to him the lower Auftria, until 
 
 he
 
 FREDERIC. 77 
 
 he flaould pay to him all the expences of the war, 
 and referving to himfelf the right of fucceeding his 
 adopted fon in the kingdom of Hungary. 
 
 I488- 
 
 Maximilian king of the Romans finds himfelf 
 at the fame time attacked by the French and by his 
 own fubjedts in the Low-countries. The inhabitants 
 of Bruges, on whom he would willingly have levied 
 fome taxes againft the laws of the country, all of a 
 fudden clap him into prifon where they hold him 
 four months ; and give him his liberty only upon con- 
 dition, that he Ihould withdraw the few German 
 troops which he had with him, and make peace with 
 France. 
 
 How happen'd it that the miniftry of the young 
 Charles VIII. king of France neglected fo favourable 
 a, conjuncture ? this miniftry was then weak. 
 
 Maximilian fecretly efpoufes by proxy theduchefo 
 Anne of Bretagne. Had he efpeufed her effe&ually 
 and had children by her, he had doubly prefs'd 
 France, which was furrounded at the fame time by 
 Franche-Comte, Alfatia, Bretagne, and the Low- 
 countries. 
 
 1420. 
 
 Matthias Corvinus Huniades being dead, let us fee 
 if the emperor Frederic, his adopted father, fucceeded 
 him by virtue of treaties. Frederic parts with his 
 right to the emperor Maximilian. 
 
 But Beatrix, widow of the former king, makes the 
 ftates fwear to acknowledge him only whom Ihe 
 fhould efpoufe, and foon weds Ladislaus Jagellon 
 king of Bohemia, whom the Hungarians crown. 
 Maximilian neverthelefs recovers lower Aultria, and 
 carries the war into Hungary. 
 
 D 3 145)1.
 
 7*? FREDERIC. 
 
 1491. 
 
 The fame treaty that Frederic III. made with 
 Matthias is renewed between Ladislaus Jagellon and 
 Maximilian. Maximilian is acknowledged prefump- 
 tive heir to Ladislaus Jagellon in Hungary and 
 Bohemia. 
 
 Fate, even at this diftance, was preparing Hungary 
 for fubjedtion to the houfe of Auftria. 
 
 The emperor does a bold action in thefe times of 
 profperity. He puts his kinsman Albert of Bavaria 
 duke of Munich under the ban of the Empire. It is 
 aftonifhing to think what a number of princes of this 
 houfe have been thus treated. What was the 
 occafion of it ? Tirol was given folemnly to this 
 duke of Bavaria by Sigismund of Auftria, and 
 this donation or fecret fale was looked upon as the 
 gift of his wife Cunigonda, only daughter of the em- 
 peror Frederic III. 
 
 The emperor pretended that the Empire could not 
 be alienated, and the whole Empire was divided upon 
 thisqueftionj an indubitable proof, that the laws were 
 not at all clear, and perhaps there was nothing fo 
 much wanting in fociety. 
 
 The ban of the Empire was in fuch cafes no more 
 than a declaration of war, but this was very foon 
 concluded, Tirol remain'd in the pofleflion of Auftria: 
 fome compenfations are given to Bavaria, and the 
 duke of Bavaria delivers up Ratisbon, which had 
 been for fome time in his hands. 
 
 Ratisbon was an imperial town. The duke of 
 Bavaria had looked upon it as part of his eftate, 
 cftablifhing his title upon ancient right ; it had been 
 newly declared an imperial town ; there fcarcely re- 
 main'd to the duke of Bavaria above one half of the 
 rights of cuftom. 
 
 1492. 
 
 Maximilian, king of the Romans, who imagin'd 
 he might eftablifh the grandeur of his houfe upon a 
 
 peace-
 
 FREDERIC. 79 
 
 peaceable foundation by marrying his daughter Mar- 
 garet of Auftria to Charles VIII, king of France, 
 with whom {he was brought up j and foon after by 
 marrying Ann of Bretagne by Proxy, learns that his 
 wife is really married to Charles VIII. on the 6 th of 
 December 1491, and that they are about to fend 
 back his daughter Margaret to him. Women are 
 no longer the fubje&s of war among princes ; but the 
 provinces are. As the inheritance of Matilda had 
 fo long troubled the peace of Italy, fo does that of 
 Maria of Burgundy kindle perpetual difcord. 
 
 Maximilian furprifcs Arras ; after which he con- 
 cludes an advantageous peace by which the king of 
 France cedes to him la Franche-Comte in pure fove- 
 reignty, the Artois and the Charolois and Nogent on 
 condition of homage. 
 
 It is not to Maximilian properly that thtfe coun- 
 tries are ceded but to his fon Philip, as the reprefen- 
 tative of his mother Mary of Burgundy. 
 
 It muft be acknowledged, that no king of the Ro- 
 mans ever began his career fo glorioufly as Maxi- 
 milian. The victory of Guinegafte over the French, 
 the taking of Arras, and the obtaining Artois by the 
 ftroke of a pen cover'd him with glory. 
 
 H.93- 
 
 Frederic III. dies the iQth of Auguft aged 78. He 
 had reigned 53 years. No emperor's reign had been 
 longer, but it had not been the moft glorious. 
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 FORTIETH EMPEROR. 
 
 ABOUT the time of Maximilian's coming to the 
 Empire, Europe began to wear a very different 
 afpecl. The Venetians at length oppofed themfelves as 
 
 D 4 a
 
 8o MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 SL bulwark againft the Turks, who already polTefs'd 
 a very large territory. The Venetians (till kept 
 Cyprus, Candy, a part of Greece and of Dalmatia. 
 They extended their fovereignty in Italy ; but the 
 town of Venice alone was worth more than all their 
 other dominions ; the gold of the world flowing in 
 upon them thro' the channels of commerce. 
 
 The popes were become fovereigns of Rome ; but 
 fovereigns extremely confined in this capital : and 
 mod pf the territories which had been formerly 
 given them, and which had been always difputed, 
 were loft by them. 
 
 The houfe of Conzagna poffefs'd Mantua, a town 
 belonging to the countefs Matilda, and a fief of the 
 Empire which the holy fee never poflefs'd, Parma 
 and Placentia which now belonged to them, were in 
 the ha,nds of the Sforzas dukes of Milan. Ferara and 
 Modena were ruled by the houfe of EJle. Bologna 
 belonged to the Bentivoglio, Perufa to the Baloni* 
 llavenna to the Polentlni, Farenza to the Manfredi, 
 Immola and Forli to the Rimario ; almoft all the 
 patrimony of St. Peter, and that country .which 
 is called Romania, was poffcfled by particular fove* 
 reigns, the moft of whom eafily obtained charters as 
 vicars of the Empire. 
 
 The Sforzas had not during 15 years condefcend- 
 ed to take this title. Florence had a much finer, 
 that of Free, under the direction tho' not in the 
 power of the Medicis. 
 
 The ftates of Savoy, as yet very much oppreffed, 
 Handing in need of both money and commerce, were 
 then much lefs confiderable than the Swifs. 
 
 If from the Alps we take a view of France, we 
 fliall find it begin again to flourifh. Its members, 
 that had been fo long divided, re-unite and form a 
 ppweiful body. 1 The marriage of Ann of Bretagne 
 with Charles VIII, compleated the ftrcngthning of 
 this kingdom, which had received fome confiderable 
 
 improve-
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 81 
 
 Improvements under Lewis XI. by the acquifiticn of 
 Burgundy and Provence. Since the decline of the 
 race of Charlemagne, fhe had had but little influence 
 in the affairs of Europe. 
 
 Spain, as yet more unhappy than flie had been for 
 near 700 years, at this time began to revive. lfa r 
 bella and Ferdinand, after having driven the Moors 
 out of the kingdom of Grenada, extended their views 
 to Naples and Sicily. 
 
 Portugal was employed in an eriterprife of glory 
 unheard of until that time ; (he began to open a 
 new channel of commerce to mankind, by teaching 
 a paflage to the Indies by fea. Here are the fources 
 of all the great events that have fince actuated all 
 Europe. 
 
 The Turks under Bajazet ceafe not as yet to Le 
 terrible, tho' lefs fo than under Mahomet. They 
 make incurfions into Hungary and fome part of the 
 Auftrian dominions ; but thefe are only a few fcatter- 
 ed billows, that after the mighty ftorm contend upon 
 the furface. Maximilian goes to fecure Croatia and 
 Carniola. 
 
 He marries at Infpruc the neice of Lewis Sforza, 
 otherwife called Lewis the Moor, the ufurper of 
 Milan, who had poifoned his pupil and natural heir. 
 This was not the only houfe where crimes had the 
 fan&ion of nobility. Money only conftituted this 
 match. Maximilian weds Blanche of Sforza at once, 
 and gives the inveftiture of the Milanefe to Lewis the 
 Moor, which Germany refcnts. 
 
 At the fame time Lewis the Moor calls a!fo Char- 
 les VIII. into Italy, and gives him money. A duke 
 of Milan keeps at the fame time in pay an emperor 
 and a king of France. 
 
 He deceives them both. He believes that he may 
 
 divide the conqueft of Naples with Charles VUf, :ir.l 
 
 while Charles VIII. is in Italy, intends that. the em- 
 
 D 5 pcior
 
 82 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 peror (hall invade France. The beginning of the 
 15 th century is famous for the deepeit intrigues and 
 the blackeft treacheries. It was the crifis of Europe, 
 but above all of Italy, where many petty princes 
 endeavoured to gain by their crimes what they 
 Wanted in power. 
 
 A new imperial chamber eftabliflied at Francfort, 
 of which the count d Hohenzollern, the eldeft of 
 the houfe of Brandenburg is firft prefident. It was 
 the fame chamber which was afterwards transferred 
 to Worms, to Nuremberg, Augsburg, Ratisbon, and 
 at length to Vetzlar, where fome procefles were 
 determined, which had fubfifted fince its foundation. 
 
 Wirtemberg erected into a duchy. 
 
 A great difpute to determine, whether the duchy 
 of Lcrrain be a fief of the empire. Duke Reignier 
 does homage and takes an oath of fidelity as 
 duke of Lorrain and Bar, at the fame time pro- 
 tefting, that he did it only in confideration of hold- 
 ing certain fiefs. Which ought to weigh moft, his 
 homage or his proteftation ? 
 
 While Charles VIII. called into Italy by Lewis 
 the Moor, and by pope Alexander IV. rapidly con- 
 quers all before him, and makes himfelf mafter of 
 the kingdom of Naples by means of a baftard of the 
 houfe of Arragon, this fame Lewis the Moor, and 
 the fame pope Alexander IV. league with Maximi- 
 lian and the Venetians to drive him out. Charles 
 chufes to wait for them, appearing to be very formida- 
 ble, tho' in reality not fo. 
 
 1496. 
 
 Maximilian goes into Italy whence Charles VIII. 
 is driven out. There he found what has been always 
 feen there, a ftrong hatred againft the French and 
 Germans, defiance and divifions between the feveral 
 powers. But what is moft to be remarked is, that 
 
 he
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 83 
 
 he arrived there too weakly attended. He had but 
 a thoufand horfe with him, and four or five thoufand 
 other men. He looked rather like the penfioner of 
 Lewis. He wrote to the duke of Savoy, the marquis 
 of Saluce and to the duke of Modena, by their pre- 
 fence to affift his coronation at Pavia, which all thefc 
 lords refufe. Every thing concurs to fliew him 
 that he came too indifferently attended, and that 
 Italy believed itfelf independent. 
 
 It is the emperor's fault if he has fo little credit 
 in Italy ? it appears not. The princes and diets of 
 Germany fcarcely furnifh him any fubfidies. He 
 draws but little afliftancc from their territories. The 
 Low-countries belong not to Maximilian, but to his 
 fon. The voyage to Italy was ruinous. 
 
 1497. 
 
 The feudal right is always the occafion of troubles. 
 A diet at Worms having ordered a flight Tax for the 
 fervice of the Empire, the Frieslanders refufe to pay 
 it. They always pretend that they are not a fief 
 of the Empire. Maximilian fends the duke of Saxony 
 in quality of governor to reduce the Frieflanders. A 
 people poor and very fond of their liberties, defcended 
 of theancient Saxons atXeaft, part of whom had fought 
 Charlemagne. They defend themfclves ; but not fo 
 fuccefsfuliy as the Swifs. 
 
 '498- 
 
 Charles VIII. dies, and in fpite of aflbciations, in 
 fpite of treaties, Maximilian makes an irruption on 
 the fide of Burgundy, a fruitlefs irruption, after which 
 they again enter into new treaties. Maximilian per- 
 il ft s to reclame all the fucceffion of Mary of Bur- 
 gundy for his fon Philip le Beau. 
 
 Lewis XII. gives up many places to this young 
 prince, who pays homage to the chancellor of France 
 at Arras, for the Charolois, Artois and Flanders j and 
 they mutually agree to fubmit their pretenfions on 
 
 D 6 the
 
 ?4 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 tlie duchy of Burgundy to the dccifion of the parlia- 
 ment of Paris. 
 
 Maximilian treats with the Swifs, who are looked 
 upon as invincible in their own territories. 
 
 The ten united cantons form a league with the 
 Grifons. Maximilian hopes to regain them by 
 mildnefs. He writes them a foothing letter. The 
 Swifs in their affembly at Zurich cry out, that no 
 confidence to be placed in Maximilian. 
 
 1499. 
 
 The Auftrians attack the Grifons. The Swifs 
 defeat the Auftrians, and fupport not only their own 
 liberty but that of their allies. The Auftrians are 
 again beaten in three battles. 
 
 The emperor at length makes peace with the ten 
 cantons as with a free people. 
 
 I fOO. 
 
 The imperial town of Bafil,Schaffhoufen, and Apen- 
 zel, join the Swifs union, which is compofcd of the 13 
 cantons. 
 
 The Aulic council, projected about this time by 
 Maximilian. This is an image of the ancient tri- 
 bunal which formerly accompanied the emperor. 
 This chamber is approved by the ftates of the Em- 
 pire in rhe diet of Augsburg. It is permitted to carry 
 caufes thither as well as to the imperial chamber ; 
 but the aulic council having more power, caufes its 
 decrees to be better executed, and becomes one of 
 the greateft fupports of the imperial power. The 
 f>rm of this chamber was not quite fettled till the 
 year 1512. 
 
 The Empire is divided into fix circles, in which 
 the electoral territories are comprized as well as the 
 reft of the Empire. Tho'this regulation had not yet 
 fofficient force till twelve years after the diet of 
 Cologn. 
 
 Charles
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 85 
 
 Charles V. born in the town of Ghent, the 24 th 
 of February being St. Matthias's day. We have 
 remarked this, becaufe the day was always favour- 
 able to him. They forthwith give him the title of 
 duke of Luxemburg. 
 
 Fortune begins to declare the very fame year in 
 favour of this child. Don Michael the infant of 
 Spain dies, and the infanta Johanna, mother to the 
 young prince, becomes prefumptive heir to that mo- 
 narchy. 
 
 About this time the new world was difcovered, 
 the fruits of which difcovery Charles V, was one 
 day to reap. 
 
 IfOT. 
 
 Maximilian had been the vaflal of France for part 
 of the fucceffion of Burgundy. Lewis XII. de- 
 mands, that he fhould be the fame for the Milanefe. 
 He comes from conquering that province under Lewis 
 the Moor, uncle and feudatory of the emperor, with- 
 out Maximilian's appearing in the leaft disturbed at 
 the fate of a country fo dear to all his predeceflbrs. 
 
 Lewis XII. had alfo conquered and divided the 
 kingdom of Naples with Ferdinand king of Arra- 
 gon, without Maximilian's appearing any more dif- 
 tuibed. i 
 
 Maximilian promifes the Inveftiture of Milan< 
 upon condition that madam CLiudia daughter o, f 
 Lewis XII. and of Anne of Bretagne fliould marry 
 the young duke, Charles of Luxemburg:. He in- 
 tends declaring the Milanefe a feminine fief. There 
 are certainly, by nature, neither feminine fiefs nor 
 mafculine. Whether a daughter fliall or fhall not 
 inherit, all that depends on cuftom imperceptibly 
 efhblifhed. 
 
 Lewis XII. ought certainly to regard the Milanefe 
 as a feminine fief in effect, becaufe he had had no 
 other pretenfions to it than in the right of his grand- 
 mother,
 
 86 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 mother, Valentina Vifcomti. It was Maximilian's 
 intention that the Milanefe and Bretagne fliould one 
 day pafs to his grandfon, in which cafe Lewis XII. 
 had neither conquered nor manied but for the ad- 
 vantage of the houfe of Auftria. 
 
 The arch-duke Philip, and his wife Johanna, 
 daughter to Ferdinand and Ifabelia, caufed themfelves 
 to be acknowledged heirs to the kingdom of Spain. 
 Philip there takes the title of prince of Afturias. 
 Maximilian fees nothing but real grandeur for his po- 
 fterity, and has fcarce any thing for himfelf but 
 titles ; for he has but the fhadow of power in Italy, 
 and of precedency in Germany. He could carry his 
 fmallefl defigns into execution only by policy. 
 
 He endeavours ineffectually to make Auftria an 
 electorate. 
 
 The electors continue to meet for two whole years 
 to fupport their privileges. 
 
 The extinction of the great fiefs in Germany 
 awakens the attention of the German princes. 
 
 The popes begin to form a temporal power, and 
 Maximilian permits it. 
 
 Urbino, Camarino, and fome other territories are 
 forced from their new mafters by one of pope Ale- 
 xander the fixth's baftards. That is the famous ce- 
 far Borgia a deacon, an archibifhop and a fecular 
 prince. He employs more art in getting pofTeffion of 
 7 or 8 frnall towns than the Alexanders, the Gen- 
 gis, and the Tamerlanes had fhewn in the conqueft 
 of Afia. His father the pope and himfelf thrive by 
 the bowl and dagger ; and the good king Lewis XII. 
 had been a longtime in alliance with thefe two blood- 
 ftained men, becaufe he flood in need of them. As 
 for the emperor, he feemed intirely to have forgotten 
 Italy. i 
 
 The
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 87 
 
 The town of Lubec declares war againft Den- 
 mark. Lubec feenied to be endeavouring at being in 
 the North what Venice was already in the Adriatic ; 
 and the troubles that reigned in Sweden and Den- 
 mark prevented its being crufhed. 
 
 If 04. 
 
 The quarrels of Denmark and of Sweden have 
 nothing to fay to the hiftory of the empire } but it 
 ought not to be forgotten that the Swedes having 
 chofen a governor, of whom king John of Denmark 
 not approving, he condemned the fcnators of Swe- 
 den as rebels and traitors, and remitted the fentence 
 to the emperor for him to confirm it. 
 
 This king John had been elected king of Denmark, 
 of Sweden, and of Norway j notwithftanding which 
 there was a neceflity for an emperor whofe power 
 was very weak, to approve and confirm his fen- 
 tence. This very king John tho' with three crowns 
 had very little power himfelf, efpecially in Sweden 
 from whence he had been driven out. But this kind 
 of difference, of which from time to time we fee 
 examples, marks fufficiently the refpect always paid 
 to the empire. It was always addrefled when there 
 feemed to be a neceflity for it, as the holy fee was 
 often folicited to ftrenghten uncertain rights. Maxi- 
 milian neverthelefs failed not to procure a proper re- 
 fpecl: to be paid to the refcripts of that authority 
 which they attributed to him. He commanded the 
 ftates of Sweden to obey, threatening that he would 
 otherwife proceed againft them according to the 
 rights of the empire. 
 
 This year a civil war fprung up, between a branch 
 of the Palatine and the polTeffbrs of the houfe of Ba- 
 varia. The branch of the Palatine is at laft condemned 
 in the diet of Augfpurg. Yet this does not make the 
 war the lefs. Unhappy conftitution of a ftate where 
 
 the
 
 88 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 the laws are without force. ! The branch of the Pala- 
 tine lofes in this war more than one territory. 
 
 A treaty of a very fingular nature is concluded at 
 Blois between the ambaffadors of Maximilian and 
 his fon Philip on the one part, and the cardinal 
 d'Amboife in the name of Lewis XII. on the 
 other. 
 
 This treaty confirms the alliance with the houfe of 
 Auftria, by which Lewis XII. fhould be in reality 
 inverted with the duchy of Milan. But by which, 
 if Lewis XII. fhould break the marriage of madam 
 Claudia with the archduke Charles of Luxemburg, 
 the latter prince fhould have the duchy of Burgundy, 
 the Milanefe, and the county of Afti by way of re- 
 paration : on the other hand, fhould the treaty be 
 broken on the Tide of Maximilian, or of Philip prince 
 of Spain, father to the young archduke, the houfe of 
 Auftria fhould not only quit its pretenfions upon the 
 duchy of Burgundy, but alfo upon the Artois, the 
 Charalois, and other territories. It is fcarce credible 
 that fuch a treaty was ferious. If Lewis XII. fhould 
 marry the princefs, he fhould lofe B.retagne ; if he 
 broke the marriage, he was to lofe Burgundy. No- 
 thing elfe can be faid in excufe of fuch promifes, than 
 that there was no intention of keeping them. This 
 was exchanging imprudence for ignominy. 
 
 If Of. 
 
 
 Ifabella queen of Caftile dies, and by her will 
 
 (disinherits her kinsman Philip father of Charles of 
 Luxemburg, and Charles is not to reign till the age 
 of twenty. This was in order to preferve the king- 
 dom of Caftile to her hufband Ferdinand of Ar- 
 jagon. 
 
 The mother of Charles of Luxemburg, Johanna 
 daughter of Ifabella, heirefs of Caftile, was, at it is 
 well known, called Johanna the foolifh. She well 
 ficferved the title. An ambaffador of Arragon comes 
 
 to
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 89 
 
 to Bruflfels, and engages her to fign her mother's 
 will. 
 
 An agreement between Ferdinand of Arragon and 
 Philip. The latter confents to icign in common 
 with his wife and Ferdinand. In all public a&s the 
 name of Ferdinand was put firft ; after it that of Jo- 
 hanna and that of Philip. A fure way to confound 
 3 perfons, as will appear in the fequel. 
 
 The ftates of France, in concert with Lewis XII. 
 and the cardinal d'Amboife, oppofe the treaty which 
 give madam Claudia and Bretagne to the houfe of Au- 
 itria. They marry her to the prefumptive heir of the 
 crown, count d'Angoulefme, afterwards Francis I. 
 Charles VIII. had got the wife of Maximilian, Fran- 
 cis I. the wife of Charles V. 
 
 While fo many treaties were making on this fids 
 the Alps ; while Philip and Johanna were gone into 
 Spain and Maximilian kept fair on all fides, at the 
 fame time not letting the inheritance of Hungary out 
 of his eye, the popes purfued their new defign of 
 eftablifhing a great fovereignty by force ofarms. Ex- 
 communications were weapons too much ufed. Pope 
 Alexander VI. had began, Julius II. finiftied it. He 
 takes Bologna from the Bentivoglio, and Lewis XII. 
 or rather the cardinal d'Amboife, affift him therein. 
 
 He had already reunited to the fee of Rome the 
 territory which Cefar Borgia had taken for himfelf. 
 In effecl: Alexander VI. had fought for his fon, but 
 Julius II. conquered for the fee of Rome. 
 
 The titular king of Spain, Philip, dies at Burgos. 
 On his death-bed he appoints Lewis XII. guardian of 
 his fon Charles. This will was formed on the hatred 
 which he had for his ftep-father Ferdinand, and in 
 fpite of their difagreement on account of madam 
 Claudia's marriage, he looked upon Lewis XII. 
 to be a much honefter man than Ferdinand the catho- 
 
 lic
 
 QO MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 lie. A mighty religion, but a moft perfidious mo- 
 narch ! who had deceiv'd the whole world, but above 
 all his parents, and more particularly his kinfman. 
 
 If 07. 
 
 A flrange affair ! the Low-countries refufe to ac- 
 knowledge the emperor Maximilian for regent during 
 the minoiity of Charles. They fay that Charles was 
 a Frenchman, becaufe he was born at Ghent the ca- 
 pital of Flanders, during the time that his father paid 
 homage to the king of France. Under this pretext 
 the feventeen provinces govern'd themfelves for eigh- 
 teen months without Maximilian's being able to re- 
 medy the infult. There was no conquer'd country 
 more free than the Low-countries at this day j Eng- 
 land had not obtain'd near fo much liberty. 
 
 If Og. 
 
 A war againft the houfe of Gueldres who had been 
 long fmce driven from their dominions, part of which 
 having recover'd they inceflantly ftruggled for the reft, 
 obliges the ftates at laft to cede the regency to Maxi- 
 milian, and Margaret of Auftria his favourite daugh- 
 ter is declared governefs. 
 
 Maximilian intends to try if he can recover fbme 
 credit in Italy by getting himfelf crown'd at Rome. 
 The enterprife was difficult. The Venetians now 
 become more powerful than ever, haughtily declare 
 they would oppofe his progrefs in Italy iftoo ftrongly 
 attended. The governor of Milan for Lewis the 
 Xllth joins the Venetians. Pope Julius the lid tells 
 hira that he gives him the title of emperor, but that 
 he does not advife him to go to Rome. 
 
 He advances towards Verona, in fpite of the Ve- 
 netians who had not fufficiently guarded the paffes. 
 Here they keep their word with him, and force him 
 to retire to Infpruc. 
 
 The
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 9* 
 
 The famous Venetian general Alviano intirely de- 
 feats the emperor's little army near the Trentin. 
 The Venetians poffefs themfelves of almoft this whole 
 province* and their fleet takes Triefte, capital ofiftria 
 and other towns. Alviano entets Venice in triumph. 
 
 Maximilian then as a laft refource fends a circular 
 letter to all the ftates of the empire, injoining them 
 to give him the title of Roman emperor elefied- y a 
 title which his fucceflbrs have ever fince taken at 
 their acceffion. Cuftom heretofore had given the 
 name of emperor to thofe only who were crowned 
 at Rome. 
 
 The empire at that time had no footing in Italy, 
 where there were no more than two great powers 
 and many fmall ones. Lewis XII. on one fide, 
 niafter of the Milanefe and of Genoa, who having 
 a free communication by Provence, threatened the 
 kingdom of Naples, heretofore imprudently divided 
 with Ferdinand of Arragon, who took every thing to 
 himfelf with that perfidy which is ufually called po- 
 licy. The other new power was Venice, the ram- 
 part of chriftiauity againft the infidels, a rampart 
 broken indeed in an hundred places ; yet ftill mak- 
 ing fome refiftance by the towns that remained to 
 them in Greece, by the isles of Candy, Cyprus, and 
 Dalmatia. Befides, fhe was not always at war with 
 the Ottoman empire, and gained more by her com- 
 merce with the Turks than (he loft by her pofTeflions. 
 Her dominions uponTerra Firma began to be fome- 
 thing. She had feized upon Faenza, Rimini, Ce- 
 feno, fomc territories belonging to Ferrara, and 
 the duchy of Urbino, after the death of Alexander 
 VI. They poflefled Ravenna, and juftified the moft 
 of thefe acquifitions, becaufe, that having aflifted the 
 houfes difpoflefled by Alexander VI. in the recovery 
 of their dominions, thefe territories were awarded to 
 them as their recompence. The Venetians had for 
 
 t
 
 92 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 a long time poffeffed Padua, Verona, Vicenza, the 
 marquifate of Trevifa, and Frionia. They had near 
 the Milanefe Breffia and Bergamas. Francis Sforza 
 had given them Crema, Lewis XII. had ceded to 
 them Cremona and Guiara d'Adda. 
 
 All this did not compofe in Italy a ftate fo very 
 formidable, that Europe fhould fear the Venetians as 
 conquerors. The real power of Venice was in St. 
 Mark's treafury. It was there that they had where- 
 with to refain an emperor and a king of France. 
 
 In the month of April 1509, Lewis XII. marches 
 againft his old allies the Venetians at the head of 
 15, ooo horfe, 12, ooo French infantry and 8000 
 Swifs. The emperor advances againft them on the 
 fide of Iftria and Frioul. Julius II. the firft warlike 
 pope, enters the towns of Romania at the head of 
 10, ooo men. 
 
 Ferdinand of Arragcn, as king of Naples, declares 
 alfo againft the Venetians becaufe that he held fome 
 ports in the kingdom of Naples on account of fome 
 money which he had formerly lent upon them. 
 
 The king of Hungary alfo declares againft them in 
 hopes of having Dalmatia. The duke of Savoy hav- 
 ing fome pretenfions upon the kingdom of Cyprus, 
 gives a!fo an helping hand to the enterprife. The 
 duke of Ferrara a vafTal of the holy fee alfo joins in 
 it. In fine fo far from attacking the great Turk, the 
 whole continent of Europe joins at once to opprcfs 
 the Venetians. 
 
 Pope Julius the lid was the firft promoter of this 
 fingular league of the ftrong againft the weak, fo 
 well known by the name of the League of Cambray. 
 And he who would have fhut ftrangers out of Italy 
 for ever, floods the whole country with them. 
 
 Lewis the Xllth has the misfortune to beat the 
 Venetians compleatly in the battle of Guiaro d'Adda. 
 This was not very difficult. The mercenary foldiers 
 of Venice could hold out againft the other fovereigns 
 
 r
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 93 
 
 of Italy but not againft the French gens d'armes. 
 The misfortune of Lewis the Xllth in beating the 
 Venetians was, that he labour'd for the empeior. 
 Mailer as he was of Genoa and Italy, no more remained 
 to prevent the Germans ever entering Italy, than for 
 him to have joined the Venetians. 
 
 The fear of the power of Venice was badly found- 
 ed. Venice was only rich, and they muft (hut their 
 eyes not to fee, that the new channels of commerce 
 by the Cape of Good Hope and the American feas, 
 would finifh the fources of the Venetian power. 
 Lewis XII. had received from Maximilian 100, ooo 
 golden crowns for joining this league, without which 
 the emperor could not poffibly have marched towards 
 the Alps. 
 
 The 14 th of June 1509 the emperor gives the in- 
 veftiture of the Milanese to, cardinal d'Amboife, 
 who receives it for Lewis XII in the town of Trent. 
 The emperor not only gives this duchy to the king, 
 but in default of his iflue to count d'Angoulefme 
 Francis I. This was the pi ice of the ruin of Venice. 
 
 Maximilian received for this grant 60, ooo golden 
 crowns. Thus for three ages palt had every thing 
 been fold. Lewis XII. might have employed this 
 money to fettle himfelf in Italy ; and he returns to 
 France, after having reduced Venice almoft to her 
 Iflands. 
 
 The emperor then advances on the fide of Frioulf, 
 and reaps all the fruits of the French victory. But 
 Venice during the abfence of Lewis XII. acquires 
 new courage, and her money procures her new ar- 
 mies. She forces the emperor to raife the fiege of 
 Padua, and by giving him up every thing that he afks 
 concludes a treaty with the promoter of the league 
 Julius II. 
 
 The principal defign of Julius II. was to drive the 
 Barbarians out of Italy, and rid it at once of the 
 French and the Germans. The popes had formerly 
 
 called
 
 94 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 called in thefe nations to fupport him, one againft 
 the other, and vice verfa. Julius, by repairing the 
 faults of his predeceflbrs, by delivering Italy and 
 ftrenghtening himfelf, fought an immortal name. 
 Maximilian refufes to aid Julius in driving out the 
 French. 
 
 Julius II. at length makes his own ufe of the Swiis 
 whom he fpirits up againft Lewis XII. as alfo old Fer- 
 dinand king of Arragon and of Naples. He endea- 
 vours to procure a peace between the emperor and 
 Venice ; and at the fame time devifes the feizing 
 Ferrara, Bologna, Ravenna, Parma and Placentia. 
 
 A great diet is held at Augsburg in the midft of fo 
 many different interefts. Here they debate, whether 
 Maximilian fhall give peace to Venice. 
 
 Here they confirm the liberty of the town of 
 Hamburg, which had been long difputed by Den- 
 mark. 
 
 Maximilian and Lewis XII. are again united, that 
 is to fay, Lewis XII. affifts the emperor in purfuing 
 the Venetians, and the emperor does not in the leait 
 contribute to preferve to Lewis Milan and Genoa 
 whence the pope endeavours to drive him out. 
 
 Julius II. at length gives the invefiiture of Naples 
 to Ferdinand king of Arragon, tho' he had pro- 
 mifed it to Lewis XII. Ferdinand, already matter of 
 Naples, flood in no need of this ceremony ; but then 
 it coft him only 7, ooo crowns rent, whereas formerly 
 48, ooo ufed to be paid to the holy fee. 
 
 Ifll. 
 
 Julius II. declares war againft the king of France, 
 who begins to have very little power in Italy. This 
 warlike pope intends the conqueft of Ferrara, be- 
 longing to Alphonfo d'Efte an ally of France. He 
 takes Mirandola and Concordia in his march and 
 
 gives
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 95 
 
 gives them to the houfe of Mirandola but as fiefs of 
 the holy fee. Thefe are but trivial wars, but cer- 
 tainly Julius IK had more policy than his predcceflbrs ; 
 iince he found the art of making them in forne mea- 
 fure profitable, while all the vi&ories of the French 
 were of very little fervice to them, fince they could 
 not enable them to curb the enterprifes of the pope. 
 
 Julius II. gives up Modena, of which he had been 
 fome time poflefled, to the emperor ; and he only 
 parts with it for fear that the troops which the king 
 of France had in the Milanefe fhould have befieg- 
 ed it. 
 
 If 12. 
 
 The pope at length prevails upon Maximilian fe- 
 cretly to fign a treaty with king Ferdinand and him 
 againft France. Thefe are the fruits that Lewis XII. 
 gathers from his league of Cambray, and fo much 
 money given to the emperor. 
 
 Julius II. who intended chafing the Barbarians out 
 of Italy, inftead of it introduces all at once the Swifs, 
 the Arragons, and the Germans. Gafton de Foix, 
 nephew to Lewis XII. governor of Milan, a young 
 prince, who acquires great glory and reputation, by 
 fupporting himfelf with a very fmall army, defeats 
 the allies at the battle pf Ravenna, but is killed in 
 the victory, and by that means the fruits of it are 
 loir. Such almoft always has been the fate of the 
 French in Italy. They lofe the Milanefe after that 
 famous battle of Ravenna, which at another time 
 had given them the empire of Italy. Pavia is almoft 
 the only place that remains to them. 
 
 The Swifs who, excited by the pope, had made 
 an hand of this refolution, receive from his hcli- 
 nefs, inftead of money, the titles of defenders of 
 the holy fee. 
 
 Maximilian in the mean time continues the war 
 againft theVenetians; but thefe rich Republicans make 
 a good defence and daily repair their former lofies. 
 
 The
 
 96 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 The emperor and the pope inceflantly treat. And 
 it is in this very year, that Maximilian offers himfelf 
 to the pope, to accept him as coadjutor in the pope- 
 dom. He fees no other way of re-eitablifliing the im- 
 perial authority in Italy, and from this view he fome- 
 times afTumes the title of pontifex maximus, in imi- 
 tation of the Roman emperors. His being a Jayman 
 was no exclufion from the papacy, it being juftified 
 by the example of Amadeus of Savoy. The pope 
 having difappointed him in his views of being coad- 
 jutor to him, Maximilian begins to devife the fuc- 
 ceeding him, for which purpofehe gains fome cardi- 
 nals, and- endeavours to borrow money to purchafe 
 the remaining votes at the death of Julius, which 
 he imagines very near. His famous letter to the arch- 
 duchefs, Margaret his daughter, is a teftimo/jy of 
 this, the original being flill to be feen. 
 
 The inveftiture of the duchy of Milan, which 
 three years before had coft Lewis XII. 160, ooo gol- 
 den crowns, is given to Maximilian Sforza at a much 
 eafier rate. To the fon of that Lewis the Moor 
 whom Lewis XII. had kept fo harfhly, yet fo juftly, 
 in prifon. The fame Swifs who had betrayed Lewis 
 the Moor to Lewis XII, bring his fon back in triumph 
 to Milan. 
 
 Pope Julius II. dies after having laid the certain 
 foundation of the pope's temporal grandeur ; for as 
 for his fpiritual it daily diminifhes. This temporal 
 grandeur might have formed the equilibrium of Italy ; 
 yet it has not. The reafon of this is the weaknefs 
 of a facerdotal government and the nepotifm. 
 
 IH3- 
 
 A war breaks out between Denmark and the Hans 
 towns, Lubec, Dantzic, Vifmar and Riga. There 
 were many examples of this kind which we fhall not 
 fee in thefe days. The towns are beaten, and the 
 princes get the better inalmoftall parts of Europe ; 
 fo very hard is it to preferve true liberty. 
 
 Leo
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 97 
 
 Leo X. lefs warlike than Julius, but not lefs enter- 
 prifing, more cunning but lefs capable, forms a league 
 againft Lewis XII. with the emperor, with Henry 
 VIII. king of England, and old Ferdinand of Ar- 
 ragon. This league was concluded at Mechlin on 
 the fifth of April by the care of that Margaret of Au- 
 ftria governefs of the Low-countries, who had made 
 the league of Cambray. 
 
 The emperor was to poflefs himfelf of Burgundy, 
 the pope of Provence, the king of England of Nor- 
 mandy, the king of Arragon of Guienne. This 
 laft had lately ufurped Navarre from John d'Albret, 
 by means of a papal bull feconded by an army. Thus 
 do the popes, always weak, give kingdoms to the 
 ftrongeft. Thus rapacioufnefs always ac"b by the 
 hands of religion. Lewis XII. at length unites with 
 thole very Venetians he had before fo imprudently 
 loft. The papal league is broken almoft as foon as 
 formed. Maximilian only gets fome money from 
 Henry VIII. It was all that he wanted. What 
 weaknefs ! what knavery ! what cruelty ! what in- 
 conftancy ! what rapacity is manifefted in all thefe 
 great affairs ! 
 
 Lewis XII. vainly attempts to recover the Mila- 
 nefe. LaTrimouille marches thither witha few troops* 
 He is defeated at Navarre by the Swifs, and begins 
 to be doubtful whether the Swifs do not intend to 
 take Milan themfelves. Milan and Genoa as well 
 as Naples are loft to France. 
 
 The Venetians who formerly had in Lewis XII. 
 a terrible and imprudent enemy, have now only an 
 ufelefs ally in him. The Spaniards of Naples declare 
 againft them and beat their famous general Alvianos, 
 as Lewis XII. had before beaten them. Henry VIII. 
 of England is the only one of all the princes who 
 figned the league of Mechlin againft France, that 
 keeps his word. He embarks with the preparations 
 and hope of an Edward III. or a Henry V. 
 
 VOL. II. E Maximi-
 
 9 S 
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 Maximilian, who had promifed him an army, fol- 
 lows the king of England as a volunteer, and Henry 
 VJII. gives an 100 crowns a day, as pny, to that fuc- 
 ceifor of the Caefars, who would have fet himfelf up 
 for pope. He is prefent at that victory which Henry 
 gains in the new battle of Guinegafle, called the 
 battle of the fpurs, being the very fame place in which 
 he himfelf had won a battle in his youth. 
 
 Maximilian is afterwards paid a very confiderable 
 fum. He receives 200, ooo crowns to make war in 
 reality. France, thus attacked, by a young and po- 
 werful king was certainly after the lofs of her men 
 and money in Italy in imminent danger. 
 
 Maximilian neverthelefs with part of Henry's 
 money, procures the Swifs to attack Burgundy. Ulric, 
 duke or Wirtemberg here leads the German cavalry. 
 Dion is befieged. Lewis XII. lofes Burgundy after 
 the Milanefe, and all by the hands of the Swifs. Nor 
 can la Trimouille oblige them to retire without pro- 
 mifing in the name of his mafter, 400, ooo crowns. 
 What are the viciflitudes of this world ! what may 
 we not hope for, what have we not to fear i fince we 
 fee the Swifs, their hands ftill reeking with blood 
 flied in defence of their liberty againft the houfe of 
 Auftria, now arming in defence of that houfe, and 
 even the Hollanders preparing to do the fame. 
 
 1714. 
 
 Maximilian, feconded by the Spaniards, continues 
 the war againft the Venetians. This was all that 
 remained of the old league of Cambray, the prin- 
 ciple and object of which were now changed, and the 
 French, who had been formerly the heroes, were at 
 length become the vidtims of it. 
 
 Lewis XII. driven out of Italy, menaced by Fer- 
 dinand of Arragon, beaten and abufed by his fubjedts, 
 vanquilhed by Henry VIII, of England, who revives 
 the clames of his anceftors upon France, has no other 
 
 refource
 
 MAXIMILIAN. 99 
 
 refource than that of marrying Mary fitter of Henry 
 VIII. for his fecond wife. 
 
 This very Mary had been promifed to Charles of 
 Luxemburg. It feems to have been the luck of 
 France to carry off all the women promifed to the 
 houfe of Auftria. 
 
 Ifif. 
 
 The great point at which Maximilian always aims 
 is the eftablifhing his houfe. He concludes a mar- 
 riage between Lewis prince of Hungary and Bohemia, 
 and his grand-daughter Mary of Auftria, as well as 
 between the princefs Ann of Hungary, and one of 
 his grand -fons, Charles or Ferdinand, who were 
 afterwards fuccefllvely emperors. 
 
 This is the firft contract whereby a girl is promifed 
 to either one husband or another, as her parents fhall 
 think proper. Maximilian does not forget to men- 
 tion in this contract, that his houfe fhall inherit Hun- 
 gary, according to the antient conventions between, 
 the houfes of Hungary and Bohemia. Neverthelefs 
 thefe two kingdoms have been always elective, which 
 does not at all agree with conventions of this nature, 
 becaufe the votes of the nation are neceflary to fup- 
 port the Auftrian authority. 
 
 Charles being declared of age at fifteen, pays homage 
 to the king of France Francis the fit ft, for Flanders, 
 the Artois, and Charolois. Henry of Naflau takes 
 the oath of fidelity in the name of Charles. 
 
 Another new marriage is propofed for the arch- 
 duke Charles. Francis the firft promifed him madam 
 Raignier his ftcp-fifter ; but this appearance of union 
 covers an infatiable difcord. 
 
 The duchy of Milan is ftill the objeft of the am- 
 bition of Francis the firft, as it had been of Lewis 
 XII. He alfo, like his predeccflbr, begins by an alliance 
 with the Venetians, and buys victories. 
 
 After the battle of Marignan, he takes all the 
 Milanefe in one campaign. Maximilian Sforzare- 
 
 E 2 tires
 
 1 00 
 
 tires to live privately in France, upon a pen/ion of 
 30, ooo crowns. Francis the firft obliges pope Leo 
 X. to give up Parma and Placentia. He makes him 
 promife to furrender Modena,and Reggio, to the duke 
 of Ferrara. He concludes a peace with the Swi/s 
 whom he had defeated, and thus in one campaign be- 
 comes arbitrator of Italy. Thus the French always 
 begin. 
 
 Ferdinand the catholic, king of Arragon, grand- 
 father to Charles V. dies the 23* of January, after 
 having prepared much glory for his grand-foil, whom 
 he veiy little regarded. 
 
 The fuccefs of Francis the firft revives Maximilian. 
 He raifes troops in Germany with the money which 
 Ferdinand had fent him before his death : for the 
 itates of the Empire never fur.nifhed him any money 
 to carry on the quarrels in Italy. At length Leo X. 
 breaks the treaties which he had been forced to make 
 with Francis I; pays no regard to any of his pro- 
 rnifes ; neither does he furrender Modena, Reggio, 
 Parma, nor Placentia ; fo much had the popes always 
 at heart the great defign of keeping ftrangers out of 
 Italy ; of making them deftroy one the other, and 
 of acquiring by that expedient aright over the Italian 
 liberty of which they, were the avengers ; glorious 
 defign, worthy of antient Rome to attempt, not 
 in the power of modern Rome, to accomplish,. 
 
 The emperor Maximilian defcends by theTren- 
 tine, befieges Milan with 15, ooo Swifs ; but this 
 prince who was always railing money and always 
 wanting it, not paying his Swifs regularly, they mu- 
 tinied. The emperor fearing to be ftopt by them fe- 
 cures himfelf by flight. Here then you fee the laft 
 efforts of the famous league of Cambray, which had 
 (tripped Lewis XII. and obliged an emperor to fly, 
 for fear of being imprifoned by his hirelings. 
 
 He propofes to Henry VIII. king of England, to 
 cede him the Empire and the duchy of Milaa merely 
 
 with
 
 MAXIMILIAN.' 101 
 
 with a view of extorting money from him ; a cir- 
 cumftance almoft incredible, had it not been attefted 
 by letter under Henry's hand. 
 
 Another marriage is again ftipulated with the arch- 
 duke Charles, now king of Spain. Never prince had 
 been promifed to fo many wives without having got 
 one. Francis I, gives him his daughter Louifa aged 
 one year. 
 
 This marriage which turned out no better than the 
 others, is ftipulated in the treaty of Noyon. This 
 treaty directs, that Charles mail do juftice to the houfc 
 of Navarre ftripped by Ferdinand the Catholic, and 
 that he fhould engage the emperor his grand-father, 
 to make peace with the Venetians. This treaty is 
 no better executed than the marriage, altho' it mould 
 have brought in to the emperor's treafury 200, ooo 
 ducats, which the Venetians were to have paid him. 
 Francis I. was alfo to give Charles 100,000 crowns 
 a year, until he had fuil pofleffion of the kingdom of 
 Spain. Nothing is more trifling nor more whimftcal. 
 One would imagine them gamefters endeavouring to 
 deceive each other. 
 
 Immediately after this treaty the emperor makes 
 another with his grand-fon Charles and the king of 
 England againft France. 
 
 Charles pafles into Spain. He is acknowledged 
 king of Caftile jointly with Johanna his mother. 
 
 Ifl8. 
 
 Pope Leo X. has two great projects on the anvil; 
 tlut of arming the chriftian princes againft the Turks 
 who were now become more formidable than ever, 
 under Sultan Selim the 2 d , conqueror of Egypt ; 
 the other was to embellifh Rome, and finifh the court 
 of juftice of St. Peter, begun by Julius II. and abfo- 
 
 E 3 lately
 
 io2 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 lutely one of the fineft monuments of architecture 
 ever made by men. 
 
 He thought it would be allowed him to drain the 
 money of chriftianity by the fale of indulgences. 
 Thefe indulgences were originally exemptions from 
 certain impofts, granted either by the emperors or by 
 the governors to certain countries that had been 
 oppreffed. 
 
 The popes and alfo fome bifhops had applied thefe 
 temporal indulgences to fpiritual affairs but in a very 
 contrary manner. 
 
 The indulgences of the emperors were exemptions 
 of the people, thofe of the popes were taxes on them ; 
 much more fo fince the belief of purgatory had be- 
 come generally eftablimed, and that the vulgar, who 
 are in every country at leaft 18 out of 20, are led 
 into a perfuafion, that by obtaining a bit of paper at 
 a very trifling price,they buy off years of punifhment. 
 A public falc of this kind is one of thofe ridiculous 
 affairs which people of the leaft fenfe in thefe times 
 never think of. But then one ought no more to be 
 iurprifed at it than the people of the Eaft to fee the 
 Bonzes and Talapoins fell a remiflion of all fins for a 
 fixth part of a farthing. 
 
 There are every where offices of indulgence, where 
 they are leafed out as the rights of entries and exits. 
 Moft of thefe offices were held in houfes of entertain- 
 ment. The preacher, the farmer, the diftributor, 
 were all gainers. Hitherto all was carried on very 
 peaceably. In Germany the auguftines, who had 
 been long in poffeffion of the farming of thefe follies, 
 became jealous of the dominicans to whom this li- 
 berty was granted, and this was the iirft part of the 
 quarrel that inflamed all Europe. 
 
 This revolution was begun by the fon of a black- 
 fmith, born at Eisleben. This was Martin Luther an 
 auguftin monk, employed by his fuperiors to preach 
 agamft a merchandife which they had no longer the 
 
 vending
 
 MAXIMILIAN, 
 
 vending of. The quarrel was at firft between the augu- 
 ftins and the dominicans ; but Luther, after hav- 
 ing decried indulgences, began to examine into the 
 power of him who gave them to chriftians. A corner 
 of the veil was here lifted up. The people once 
 fpirited, began to judge that which they had adored. 
 Luther is openly protected by Frederic the old elector 
 of Saxony, furnamed the Wife. He who after the 
 death of Maximilian had the courage to refufe the 
 Empire. The dodtrine of this monk was as yet 
 neither firm nor confined. He contented himfelf in 
 the beginning with faying " that the communion 
 " ought to be adminiftred in common bread and 
 ce wine : that fin remained in the infant after baptifm: 
 " that auricular confeffion was really ufelefs : that 
 " neither popes nor councils could make articles of 
 ** faith : that purgatory could not be proved by the 
 <c canonical books : that monaftic vows were an 
 <c abufe ; and that all princes ought to unite in abo- 
 " lilhing the mendicant friers. ". 
 
 Duke Frederic elector of Saxony, as we have 
 already faid, was the protedtor of Luther and of his 
 doctrine. It is reported that this prince had fufficient 
 religion to conftitute a chriftian, fufficient reafon to 
 fee the abufesof it; and a ftrong defire to reform them. 
 Perhaps much rather with a view of dividing the im- 
 menfe wealth which the clergy poflefled in Saxony. 
 He did not imagine then that he laboured for his 
 enemies, and that the rich arch-duchy of Magdeburg 
 would fall to the houfe of Brandenburg already be- 
 come his rival. 
 
 While Luther, cited to the diet at Augsburg, with- 
 draws himfelf, after having made his appearance, 
 lummons a future council, and prepares without 
 knowing it, one of the greateft revolutions that ever 
 was made in the chriftian church fince the extinction 
 
 4 of
 
 104 MAXIMILIAN. 
 
 of paganifm. The emperor Maximilian who had been 
 already forgot, dies at I.nfpruc on the I2& of Ja- 
 nuary of a furfeit of melons. 
 
 ,AN INTERREGNUM 
 
 7o the fir (I of Oflober, 1520. 
 
 The ele&ors of Saxony and the Palatinate jointly 
 govern the Empire to the day of the emperor elect's 
 coronation. 
 
 Francis I. king of France and Charles ofAuftria 
 king of Spain put in for the imperial crown. Either 
 one or the other had it in his power to revive at leaft 
 fome fhadow of the Roman Empire. The neighbour- 
 hood of the Turks already become very formidable, 
 put the electors under the dangerous neceffity of 
 choofing a puiflant emperor. Chriftianity required 
 that either Francis or Charles (hould be elected : but 
 it was the intereft of pope Leo X. that neither one 
 nor the other of them fliould be put in the road of 
 being his mafter. Charks, Francis, the great Turk, 
 and Luther, were all of them objects equally, at that 
 time, to influence the pope with fear. 
 
 Leo X. crofles as much as poflible the two com- 
 petitors. Seven great princes were at the moft cri- 
 tical juncture to difpofe of the foremoft place in 
 Europe, and votes are neverthelefs bought. In the 
 midft of thefe intrigues, and during this interregnum, 
 the antient and modern laws of Germany are not 
 without their force. The Germans teach princes, 
 that great and ufeful leflbn of not abufing their 
 power. The league of Suabia renders itfelf praife- 
 worthy by making war upon duke Ulric of Wir- 
 temberg, who oppreiTed his vaflals. 
 
 This league of Suabia is really eftablifhed for the 
 public good. It obliges the duke to abandon his 
 territories, but afterwards fells them for a fcandalous 
 
 price
 
 CHARLES V. 105 
 
 price to Charles of Auftria. Then every-thing is 
 done for money ! how comes it that Charles, ready 
 to mount the imperial throne, plunders thus fuch a 
 houfe, and purchafes for a very trifle the eftate of 
 another ? 
 
 Lewis X. attempts governing defpotically in Tuf- 
 
 cany. 
 
 The ele&ors meet at Francfort. Can it be true, 
 that they offer the imperial crown to Frederic, fur- 
 named the Wife, elector of Saxony, the great pro- 
 te&or of Luther ? was he folemnly elected ? No. In 
 what then confifts his refufal ? In this ; that his 
 character had made him the objeft of public election, 
 he having before given his intereft to Charles, and 
 his recommendation influencing the other votes. 
 
 Charles V. is unanimoufly elected on the 28th of 
 June 1519. 
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 FORTY-FIRST EMPEROR. 
 
 THIS year is that of the firft capitulation drawn 
 up for the emperor. It was before this fufficient 
 they took an oath of fidelity at their coronatiort. 
 An oath void of juftice, opens a paflage to injuftice. 
 There ought to be a ftronger bulwark againft the 
 abufe of authority of a prince fo powerful in hirhfelf. 
 
 By this certain contradl of the fovereign with the 
 conftituents, the emperor promifes, that if he has any 
 eftates to which he fhall appear not properly intitled, 
 he will give them up at the firft intimation of the 
 electors. This is to promife much. 
 
 Some confiderable authors pretend, that they fwore 
 him alfo to a conftant residence in Germany ; but the 
 capitulation exprefsly fays, that he Jhall rtfide there 
 
 E 5 at
 
 106 C H A R L E S V. 
 
 as long as be pofjibly can.. To exact a piece of injuf- 
 tice, gives too much pretext for neglecting the exe- 
 cution of that which is juft. 
 
 The day of Charles the fifth's election is marked 
 by a battle between a bifhop of Hildesheim, and a 
 duke of Brunfwick in the duchy of Lunenburg. They 
 difpute about a fief, and in fpite of the eftablifhment 
 of the dujlregne^ of the imperial chamber and the 
 .aulic council, in fpite of the authority of the two 
 vicars of the empire, there are bloody engagements 
 almoft daily, for the moft trifling matters between 
 the bifliops, the princes, and the barons. Some laws 
 indeed fubfifted at that time in Germany j but the 
 coercive, which is the firft power of laws, was 
 wanting. 
 
 The news of Charles's election is carried into 
 Spain to him by the elector Palatine. The grandees 
 of Spain at that time reckoned themfelves equal to 
 electors ; the peers of France above them j and the 
 cardinals take the right hand of them both. 
 
 Spain, fearing to become a province of the empire, 
 Chailes is obliged to declare that kingdom indepen- 
 dent. He goes to Germany ; but firft makes a voyage 
 to England, to league already with Henry VIII. 
 againft Francis I. He is crowned at Aix-la-chapelle 
 the 23 d of Odlober 1520. At the time of acceffion 
 of Charles V. to the empire, Europe infenfibly af- 
 lumes a new afpect. The Ottoman power fixes it- 
 felf at Conftantinople on a foundation not to be 
 overturned. 
 
 The emperor, king of the Two Sicilies, and of 
 Spain, prepares to form a league againft the Tuiks. 
 The Venetians at the fame time ftand in awe of the 
 fultan and the emperor. 
 
 Pope Leo X. is mafter of only a trifling territory, 
 and already finds one half of Europe endeavouring to 
 efcape from his fpiritual authority ; for about the year 
 1520, from the bottom of the North, all the way to 
 
 France,
 
 CHARLES V. 107 
 
 France, the people were revolting both againft the 
 abufe of the Roman church and againft its laws. 
 
 Francis I. king of France, rather a brave foldier 
 than a great prince, had more define than he had 
 power to pull down Charles V. Had his prudence 
 and his ftrength been equal, how could they have fuc- 
 ceeded againft an emperor, king of Spain and of 
 Naples, fovereign of the Low-countries, whofe fron- 
 tiers extended even to the gates of Amiens, and into 
 whofe ports of Spain the treafures of a new-found 
 world began already to be poured ? 
 
 Henry VIII. king of England pretends at length 
 to hold the balance between Charles V. and Francis I. 
 A great example of what the courage of the Englifti, 
 aflilted by the riches of their commerce, was able to 
 do. In this review of Europe it is obfervable, that 
 Henry VIII. one of the principal perfonages, was 
 one of the greateft fcourges the earth ever felt ; ab- 
 folute even to brutality ; furious in his anger ; bar- 
 barous in his amours ; a murderer of his wives ; and 
 a tyrant as capricious in the government of his 
 kingdom, as in the management of religion : Yet 
 did he die in his bed ; and Mary Stuart, who had 
 only a criminal weaknefs, and Charles I. who could 
 be reproached with nothing but goodnefs, died upon 
 the fcaffold. 
 
 . A king ftill wickeder than Henry VIII. that is 
 Chriftian II. after reuniting to his power Denmark, 
 Norway, and Sweden, a monfter always ftained with 
 blood, and furnamed the Nero of the North, yet 
 at laft is punifhed for all his crimes ; altho' the brother 
 of Charles V. is dethroned, and dies in prifon in 
 old age, the object of contempt and deteftation. 
 
 Thus have I drawn in miniature the principal Chri- 
 ftian princes who cut a figure in Europe, when 
 Charles V. took the reins of the empire. 
 
 The fciences flourifhed at that time in Italy more 
 
 than ever. But fhe was never more diftant from that 
 
 E 6 gteac
 
 108 C H A R L E S V. 
 
 great end propofed by Julius II. of driving the Bar- 
 barians out of Italy. The European powers were 
 almoft always at war ; but happily for the people the 
 little armies, which were raifed for a time, returned 
 afterwards to the cultivation of the earth, and in the 
 midft of the moft obftinate difputes Europe had not 
 above one-fifth of the foldiers which fhe now main- 
 tains in times of profound peace. They knew no- 
 thing of that continual and dreadful effort which 
 confumes the fubftance of a government in always 
 keeping on foot thofe numerous armies, which in times 
 of peace can only be employed againft the people, 
 and may in futurity become fatal to their matters. 
 
 The principal force of the Chriftian armies con- 
 fided always of cavalry, foot was generally defpifed ; 
 wherefore the Germans called them Lands- Knechte^ 
 tillers of the earth. The Janifaries were the only 
 formidable infantry. 
 
 France almoft always made ufe of foreign infantry : 
 The Swifs as yet made no other ufe of their liber- 
 ty, than to fell their blood, and he generally believed 
 himfelf fure of victory in whofe army there were the 
 moft Swifs. They preserved this reputation until 
 the battle of Marignan, where Francis I. defeated 
 them with his cavalry, when he firft attempted a 
 defcent upon Italy. 
 
 War began to grow more an art under Charles V. 
 than it had ever been. His great fucceffes, the pro- 
 grefs of fciences in Italy, the reformation in point of 
 religion of one half of Europe, commerce opened 
 with India by the Ocean, and the conquefts of Mexico 
 and Peru will make this age eternally memorable. 
 
 iffti. 
 
 A diet at Worms, famous for re-eftablifhing the 
 imperial chamber, which no longer fubfifted but in 
 name. 
 
 Charles
 
 CHARLES V. 109 
 
 Charles V. eftablifhes two vicars, not of the 
 empire, but of the emperor. The vicars of the 
 empire, are Saxony and the Palatine, whofe de- 
 crees are irrevocable. The vicars of the emperor 
 are governors accountable only to the fovereign. 
 Thefe governors were his brother Ferdinand , to 
 whom he had given his pofleffion in Auftria, the 
 count Palatine, and 22 afliftants. 
 
 This diet fummons to appear before them, the 
 dukes of Brunfwick and of Lunenburg on the one 
 part, and the bifhops of Hildesheim and of Minden 
 on the other, who maintained a continual war. They 
 defpife their decree, and are put under the ban of 
 the empire, which they alfo hold in contempt, per- 
 fifting in mutual hoftility. The power of Charles V. 
 is not yet fufficiently ftrong to give force to his laws. 
 Two bifhops , armed and rebellious , difpofe the 
 people very much not only againft the church but 
 its pofTeflions. 
 
 Luther comes to this diet with a protection from 
 the emperor ; nor does he fear the fate of John Hus. 
 The priefts were not the ftrongeft party in this diet. 
 They confer with him without rightly underftanding 
 one another, agree upon nothing, and let him re- 
 turn in peace to Saxony to deftroy the Roman reli- 
 gion. On the 6 th of May the emperor publishes an 
 edicl: againft the abfent Luther, injoining under pain 
 of difobedience every prince and fovereignty of the 
 empire to imprifon Luther and his adherents. This 
 proclamation was levelled at the duke of Saxony ; 
 who, it was well known, would not obey it. llut 
 the emperor, who had united with Leo X. againft 
 Francis I. was willing to appear as a catholic. 
 
 He attempts in this diet to form an alliance be- 
 tween the empire and the king of Denmark, Chrif- 
 tian II. his brother-in-law, alluring him of fuccour. 
 Sentiments of horror againft tyranny are always pre- 
 dominant in general afTemblies ; the enthufiafm of 
 
 virtue
 
 no CHARLES V. 
 
 virtue muft communicate itfelf, and the cries of na- 
 ture will be heard. The whole diet exclames againft 
 an alliance with a villain , contaminated with the 
 blood of 94 fenators butchered before his eyes by the 
 common executioners in Stockholm, afterwards de- 
 livered up to be plundered. It is pretended that 
 Charles V. had in view the fecuring to himfelf the 
 three Northern crowns , in aiding his unworthy 
 brother. 
 
 The fame year pope Leo X. more cunning per- 
 haps than wife, and rinding that between Francis I. 
 and Charles V. he mould be only involved, makes 
 almoft at the fame time a treaty with each ; the firft 
 in 1520, with Francis I. to whom he promifes the 
 kingdom of Naples, referving to himfelf Gaietta, and 
 this by virtue of that chimerical law, that a king of 
 Naples can never be emperor. His fecond treaty 
 was in 1521, with Charles V. to drive the French 
 out of Italy, and give the Milanefe to Francis 'Sforza, 
 a younger fon of Lewis the Moor, and above all to 
 obtain for the holy fee Ferara , of which they always 
 attempt to deprive the houfe of Efte. 
 
 The firft hoflility that engages the empire againft 
 France is this. The duke of Bouillon, la Marck 
 fovereign of the caftle of Bouillon, folemnly declares 
 war by a herald againft Charles V. and ravages 
 Luxemburg. It is well known that he was ftirred 
 up by Francis I. who in public denied it. 
 
 Charles, united with Henry VIII. and pope Leo X. 
 makes war upon Francis I. on the fide of Picardy, 
 and towards the Milanefe. In 1520 it had been 
 already begun in Spain, but Spain is but an appendix 
 to the annals of the empire. 
 
 Lautrec, governor for the king of France in the 
 Milanefe , a very unfortunate general, becaufe he 
 was rafti and imprudent, is driven out of Milan, 
 Pavia, Lodi, Parma and Placentia , by Profpero di 
 Colonna. 
 
 Leo
 
 CHARLES V. in 
 
 Leo X. dies on the 2d of December. George 
 marquis de Malafpina, attached to France, and fup- 
 pofed to have poifoned the pope, is arrefted and clears 
 himfelf of a crime which it would have been very 
 hard to prove. 
 
 This pope had 12000 Swifs at his command. 
 
 Cardinal Wolfey, tyrant of Henry VIII. who was 
 the tyrant of England, has a mind to be pope. 
 Charles V. tricks him and manifefts his power by 
 making his preceptor Adrian, a native of Utrecht, 
 and then regent of Spain, pope. 
 
 Adrian is elected on the gth of January, and pre- 
 ferves his name , notwithstanding the eftablifhed 
 cuftom of the nth century. The emperor abfolute- 
 Jy governs the popedom. The old league of the 
 towns of Suabia is confirmed at Ulm for 1 1 years. 
 The emperor has fome reafon to fear it, but he in- 
 clines to pleafe the Germans. 
 
 If 22. 
 
 Charles goes again into England. He receives at 
 Windfor the order of the garter, and promifes to 
 marry his coufm Mary, daughter to his aunt Ca- 
 tharine of Arragon and Henry VIII. She who was 
 afterwards married to his fon Philip. He fubmits by 
 an aftonifhing claufe, in cafe he mould not marry 
 this princefs, to forfeit 500000 crowns. This is the 
 fifth time of his having been promifed without being 
 once married. He divides France already in imagi- 
 nation with Henry VIII. who begins to think of re- 
 viving the pretenfion of his anceftors upon that 
 kinpdom. 
 
 The emperor borrows money of the king of Eng- 
 land. Here the enigma of his forfeiting 500000 
 crowns is explained. This money lent is to ferve 
 one day as a portion, and this fingular forfeiture is 
 required of Henry VIII. as a fort of fecurity. The 
 emperor gives the prime miniftcr, cardinal Wolfey, 
 
 penfions,
 
 ii2 CHARLES- V. 
 
 penfions, which do not recompence him for the lofs 
 of the papacy. Why is the moft powerful emperor 
 that has been feen fince the days of Charlemagne, 
 obliged , Maxmilian - like, to borrow money of 
 Henry VIII ? He makes war on the fide of the 
 Pyrennian mountains, of Picardy, and in Italy all at 
 the fame time. Germany bears no part in his ex- 
 pence ; Spain very little : the mines of Mexico fur- 
 nifh yet no regular produce ; the expences of this 
 coronation and of his firft eflablifhments of every 
 kind, were immenfe.. 
 
 Charles V. is cvery-where fuccefsful. Only 
 Cremona and Lodi remain to Francis I. in the 
 Milanefe. Genoa, which me had hitherto pofTefTed, 
 is taken from him by the Imperialifts. The emperor 
 allows Francis Sforza, the laft prince of that race, 
 to enter Milan. 
 
 But in the mean time the Ottoman power threatens 
 Germany. The Turks are in Hungary. Solyman, as 
 formidable as Selim and Mahomet II. had been, takes 
 Belgrade, and thence proceeds to the fiege of Rhodes, 
 which capitulates in about three months. 
 
 This year is pregnant with great events. The ftates 
 of Denmark folemnly depofe their tyrant Chriflian, 
 whom they look upon as a criminal, arid imagine 
 they do him a kindnefs in confining themfelves barely 
 to depofing him. Guftavus Vafa, banifhes the ca- 
 tholic religion in Sweden. All the North even to 
 Wefer, is ready to follow this example. 
 
 While a controverfial war threatens Germany with 
 a revolution, and while Solyman menaces Chriftianity 
 in Eufope, the quarrels of Charles V. and of Fran- 
 cis I. occafion new misfortunes both to Italy and 
 France. 
 
 Charles V. and Henry VIII. in order to crum 
 Francis I. engage in their caufe the conflable of 
 
 Bourbon,
 
 CHARLES V. 213 
 
 Bourbon, who, excited by ambition and vengeance 
 rather than by a patriot love, undertakes to caufe a 
 diver/ion in the Heart of France as foon as the ene- 
 mies of Francis mail attack his frontiers. They 
 promife to him Eleonora filter of Charles V. widow 
 of the king of Portugal, and, what is ftill more eflen* 
 tial, Provence with other territories which they are 
 to ere into a kingdom. 
 
 To give the laft ftroke to France, the emperor 
 enters into alliance with the Venetians, pope Adrian 
 and the Florentines. Duke Francis Sfprza remains 
 poflefled of Milan, which is wrefted from Francis I. 
 But the emperor does not yet acknowledge Sforza to 
 be duke of Milan, and defers deciding upon that 
 province until he mall become fo abfolutely mafter 
 of it that the French can have no more pretenfion. 
 
 The imperial troops enter Champagne j the 
 treachery of the conftable of Bourbon being difco- 
 vered, he is obliged to fly, and goes to comniand for 
 the emperor in Italy. 
 
 In the midft of thefe great troubles a trivial war 
 breaks out between the elector of Triers and the 
 nobleffe of Alface, which appears like a fmall vortex 
 moving within a great ope. Charles V. is too much 
 ingrofled with ruminating on his vaft defigns and 
 his variety of interefts, to attend to the pacifying thefe 
 tranfitory quarrels. 
 
 Clement VII. fucceeds Adrian the 2qth of Novem- 
 ber. He was of the houfe of Medicis. His papacy 
 will be eternally remarkable for his unfortunate con- 
 nections ; for that weaknefs, which at length caufed the 
 deftru&ion of Rome, facked by the army of Charles 
 V ; it will be always diftinguifhed by the lofs of the 
 Florentine liberty, and by the irrevocable defection 
 of England torn from the Roman church. 
 15-24. 
 
 The firft ftep of Clement VII. is the fending a legate 
 to the diet at Nuremberg, in order to engage Ger- 
 many
 
 H4 CHARLES V. 
 
 many to arm againft Solyman , and to anfwer a 
 writing intitled, The hundred complaints againfl the 
 court of Rome. He fucceeds in neither one nor the 
 other. 
 
 It was not at all extraordinary that Adrian, the 
 preceptor and afterwards the minifter of Charles V. 
 a man born with the genius of a fubaltern, fhould 
 enter into a league which muft render the emperor 
 abfolute mafter of Italy, and foon of all Europe. 
 Clement VII. had neverthelefs fufficient courage to 
 detach himfelf from this league in hopes to hold an 
 equal balance. 
 
 There was at that time a man of the fame family 
 who was indeed a great man. This was John de 
 Medicis, Charles V's general. He commanded for 
 the emperor in Italy, together with the conftable of 
 Bourbon. It was he that in this year completed the 
 driving the French out of that little part of the Mi- 
 lanefe which they ft ill poflHTed ; who beat Bonhet 
 at Biagrajfe where the famous chevalier Bayard ioit 
 his life. 
 
 The marquis de Pefcara, whom the French call 
 Pefcacie, a noble rival to John de Medicis, marches 
 into Provence with the duke of Bourbon : The latter 
 determines on the fiege of Marfeilles in fpite of Pefca- 
 ra, and the enterprife mifcarries, but Provence is 
 ravaged. 
 
 Francis I , when he ought to have afiembled an 
 army, purfues the imperialifts, who withdraw ; he 
 pafles the Alps. He , to his misfortune , enters 
 that duchy of Milan, which had been fo often won 
 and loft. The houfe of Savoy was not yet fufficiently 
 ftrong to flop the progrefs of the French arms. 
 
 At that time the ancient papal policy difplayed it- 
 felf, and the fear which a powerful emperor infpired, 
 makes Clement VII. an ally to Francis I. to whom 
 he offers the kingdom of Naples. Francis marches 
 thither a large detachment of his army j thus by 
 
 dividing-
 
 CHARLES V. 115 
 
 dividing his forces he weakens himfelf, and prepares 
 inevitable misfortunes for himfelf and Rome. 
 
 The king of France befieges Pavia. The count 
 de Lanoy, viceroy of Naples, Pefcara and Bourbon, 
 endeavour to raife the fiege by forcing a pafiage at 
 Mirabel park, where Francis I. was ported. The 
 French artillery alone put the imperialifts to the rout. 
 The king of France ought not to have moved, and 
 he was beaten. He engages in the purfuit, and is 
 intirely defeated. The Swifs, who made up the force 
 of his infantry, abandoned him and fled, and he was 
 not perfuaded of the ill confequences of having an 
 in tire mercenary body of infantry, nor of having re- 
 lied too much on his own courage until he fell a 
 captive into the hands of the imperialifts and of that 
 Bourbon whom he had abufed and forced into 
 rebellion. 
 
 Charles V. received the news of his exceffive good 
 fortune at Madrid where he ftill was, and diflembles 
 his joy. They fend him his prifoner. He then ap- 
 pears abfolute mafter of Europe, and had been fo 
 effectually, had he purfued his fortune at the head 
 of 50000 men, inftead of remaining at Madrid. But 
 his fuccefles raifed him enemies ; and the more fo, 
 fince he , who patted for one of the moft aclive 
 princes, did not make a proper ufe of them. 
 
 Cardinal Wolfey, who was out of humour with 
 the emperor, inftead of perfuading Henry VIII. whom 
 he governed, to enter France, then abandoned and 
 an eafy prey, engages him to declare againft Charles 
 V, thereby feizing that balance which had efcaped 
 the feeble hands of Clement VII. Bourbon, whom, 
 Charles flattered with the hopes of a kingdom, made 
 up of Provence, Dauphine and the eftate of the con- 
 ftable, is as yet no more than governor of the Mi- 
 lanefe. 
 
 One
 
 no CHARLES V. 
 
 One muft neceflarily believe that Charles V. had 
 fome fecret weighty engagements in Spain, fmce at 
 that critical time he neither entered France, entirely 
 open to invafion, nor Italy, which to him might have 
 been an eafy conqueft; nor yet Germany, where 
 new difputes and the love of independency created 
 frefli troubles. 
 
 The different fectaries knew very well what they 
 would not believe , but did not know what they 
 would believe. All agreed in exclaming againft the 
 abufes of the court of Rome and its church, and 
 they introduced other abufes. Melanchton eppofes 
 Luther upon fome Articles. 
 
 Storck, a native of Silefia, goes farther than Luther 
 had done. He is the founder of the feel of Anabap- 
 tifts whofe apbftle is Muncer. They both preach 
 fword in hand. Luther began with engaging the 
 princes in his party, Muncer eflablifhed his among 
 the people of the country , whom he foothed and 
 fpirited with a notion of the equality nature's primi- 
 tive law, which had been deftroyed by force and 
 aflbciations. The firft fury of the peafants difplayed 
 itfelf in Suabia, where they were greater flaves than 
 elfewhere. Muncer goes to Thuringia , and there 
 whilft he preaches equality, makes himfelf mafter of 
 Mulhaufen j and while he preaches up difintereflnefs 
 caufed the wealth of the inhabitants to be laid at his 
 feet. All the peafants rife in Suabia, Franconia, in 
 part of Thuringia, the Palatinate, and Alface. 
 
 Indeed thefe fort of favages draw up a manifefto 
 which a Lycurgus would have figned. They infift upon 
 faying only the tithes of their corn, which Jhali be 
 employed to relieve the poor ; that they Jhall have free 
 libery of water and chace ; that they jhall be allowed 
 wood to build cabins^ to defend them againft the cold ; 
 and that their daily labour Jhall be lejjened. They 
 lay clame to the rights of human people ; but they 
 fupport them like wild beafts. They maflacre all 
 
 the
 
 CHARLES V. 117 
 
 the gentlemen they meet. A natural fon of the em- 
 peror has his throat cut. 
 
 It is very remarkable, that thefe peafants at laft 
 fet a gentleman at their head, like the revolted flaves 
 mentioned in antiquity, who finding themfelves in- 
 capable of governing , chofe for their king the only 
 mafter that had efcaped the flaughter. 
 
 They feize upon Heilbron, Spire, Wurtsbourg 
 and the countries round thefe towns. 
 
 Muncer and Storck lead the army in quality of 
 prophets. The old elector of Saxony, Frederic, en- 
 gages in a bloody battle with them near Franchufen in. 
 the county of Mansfield. In vain do the two pro- 
 phets flng canticles in the name of the Lord ; thefe 
 fanatics are intirely defeated. Muncer, taken after 
 the battle, is condemned to lofe his head. He ab- 
 jures his tenets before his death. He had been no- 
 enthufiaft ; he had only conducted thofe that were. 
 But his difciple Fiffer condemned along with him, 
 dies fully perfuaded of them. Storck returns to preach 
 in Silefia, and fends difciples into Poland. The empe- 
 ror, in the mean time, negotiates at his eafe, with 
 the king of France his prifoner at Madrid. 
 
 1526. 
 
 The principal articles of the treaty whereby Charles 
 V. impofes laws upon Francis I. are thefe. 
 
 The king of France gives up to the emperor the 
 duchy of Burgundy and the county of Charolois. He 
 renounces his right of fovereignty upon the Artois 
 and upon Flanders. He cedes to him Arras, Tour- 
 nay, Mqrtagne, St. Amand, Lile, Douay, Orchies 
 and Hesdin. He defifts from his pretenfions upon 
 the Two Sicilies, the Milanefe, the county of Afte, 
 and upon Genoa. He promifes no longer to protect 
 the duke of Gueldres, whom he had always fupported 
 againft this powerful emperor, nor the duke of Wir- 
 temburg, who clamed his duchy, which had been 
 
 fold
 
 u8 CHARLES V. 
 
 fold to the houfe of Auftria. He promifes to oblige 
 the heirs to the crown of Navarre to renounce their 
 rights to it j he figns an offenfi ve and defenfive league 
 with the conqueror, who had ravifhed from him fo 
 many territories, and promifes to marry Eleonora his 
 fifter. 
 
 He is obliged to receive into favour the duke of 
 Burgundy, to reftore him his eftate, and to indem- 
 nify not only him but all his party. 
 
 Nor was this all, the two eldeft fons of this king 
 were to be delivered up as hoftages for fulfilling the 
 treaty, which is figned the I4th of January. . 
 
 While the king of France brings his two fons to be 
 left captives in his ftead, Lanoy, viceroy of Naples, 
 enters his apartments, booted, to make him fign the 
 contract of marriage with Eleonora, whom he had 
 never feen, and who was then four leagues off. A 
 ftrange way this of taking a wife ! 
 
 It is affirmed, that Francis I. made a formal pro- 
 teftation againft all his promifes, in the prefence of a 
 notary, before he figned them. It is difficult to be- 
 lieve, that a notary of Madrid either would or could 
 enter the prifon of a king, to witnefs fuch an act. 
 
 The dauphin and the duke of Orleans are fent 
 into Spain, exchanged for their father upon the river 
 Andoye, and carried into bondage. 
 
 Charles might have had Burgundy, had he caufed 
 it to have been ceded before he had releafed his pri- 
 foner. The king of France expofed his two children 
 to the emperor's anger by not keeping his word. 
 There had been a time when fuch an infringement 
 would have coft thefe two princes their lives. 
 
 Francis I. caufes it to be reprefented by the ftates 
 of Burgundy, that he cannot part with fo fine a pro- 
 vince of France. He ought not then to have pro- 
 mifed it. Such was the fituation of this king, that 
 every party was forry for him. 
 
 On
 
 CHARLES V. 119 
 
 On the 22 d of May, Francis I. whofe misfortunes 
 and neceffities had procured him many friends, figns 
 a league at Cognac with pope Clement VII. the king 
 of England, the Venetians, the Florentines, and the 
 Swifs, againft the emperor. This league is called 
 holy becaufe the pope is at the head of it. The king 
 thereby ftipuhtes, to put that very duke, Francis 
 Sforza, whom before he would have ftripped of it, 
 in pofleffion of the Milanefe. 
 
 He concludes with fighting for his old enemies. 
 The emperor finds France, England, and Italy, at 
 once arming againft his power ; becaufe that power 
 itfelf was not fufficiently ftrong to prevent fuch a 
 revolution, and becaufe he remained idle at Ma- 
 drid when he ought to have proceeded in making a 
 proper ufe of the victories won by his generals. 
 
 During this confufion of intrigues and of wars, 
 the imperialifts were mafters not only of Milan but 
 of almoft the whole province. Francis Sforza pof- 
 feffing no, more than the caftle of Milan ; but as 
 foon as the league is figned, there is a rifing in the 
 Milanefe. They take part with their duke. The 
 Venetians march and take Lodi from the emperor. 
 The duke of Urbino enters the Milanefe at the head 
 of the pope's army. In fpite of fo many enemies, 
 the good fortune of Charles prefervcs Italy to him. 
 He ought to have loft it for flaying at Madrid : But 
 it is defended for him by the old Antonio de Leva 
 and his other generals. Francis I. cannot march 
 troops fait enough from his own weakened kingdom, 
 the pope's army a6ts flowly, and that of Venice, 
 faintly. Francis Sforza is obliged to give up his caftle 
 of Milan. A very fmall number of Spaniards and 
 Germans, properly commanded and accuftomed to 
 victory, procure all thefe advantages for Charles, at 
 a time of his life when he fcarcely does any thing 
 himfelf. He remains ftill at Madrid. He applies 
 himfclf to the regulating ranks and forming titles ; 
 
 he
 
 120 CHARLES V. 
 
 he marries Ifabella, daughter to Emanuel the great, 
 king of Portugal, while the new elector of Saxony, 
 John the conjiant^ profefles the reformed religion, 
 abolifhing that of Rome in Saxony : While Philip 
 Landgrave of Hefle does the fame in his dominions, 
 Francfort eftablifhes a Lutheran fenate, and while a 
 great number of Teutonic knights, deftined to the 
 defence of the church, quit it in order to marry, and 
 appropriate to the ufe of their families the comman- 
 deries of the order. 
 
 Fifty of the knights Templars had been formerly 
 burned, and the order extirpated for no other reafon 
 but becaufe they were rich. The Teutonic order 
 was powerful, Albert of Brandenburg, who was grand 
 mafter of it, divides Pruffia with Poland, and remains 
 fovercign of that part, called ducal Pruffia, doing ho- 
 mage and paying tribute to the king of Poland. 
 This revolution is commonly placed in 1525. 
 
 Things being thus circumftanced, the Lutherans 
 haughtily demand the eftablifhment of their religion 
 in Germany at the diet of Spire. While Ferdinand, 
 who holds this diet, requefts affiftance againft Soly- 
 man, who returns to the attack of Hungary. The 
 diet grants neitherthe liberty of religion, nor thefuc- 
 coursin behalf of Chriftianity againft the Ottomans. 
 
 The young Lewis, king of Hungary and Bohemia, 
 imagines he {hall be able alone to fuftain the attacks 
 of the Turkifh empire. He dares give battle to 
 Solyman. This Battle was called that of the Mohats, 
 from the field on which it was fought, not far from 
 Buda. It was as dreadful in its confequences to the 
 Chriftians as the battle of Varnes. Almoft all the 
 noblefle of Hungary perifhed therein. The army is 
 intirely cut to pieces, and the king in his flight drow- 
 ned in a Morafs. The writers of thofe times tell 
 us, that Solyman caufed 1500 Hungarian prifoners, 
 who were of the nobleflc, to be beheaded ; yet that 
 he wept at feeing the picture of th<? unfortunate king 
 
 Lewis
 
 CHARLES V. 121 
 
 Lewis. It is fcarcely credible, that a man, who in 
 cold blood could ftrike of the heads off 1500 noblemen 
 fliould weep for the death of one. Thefe two facts 
 are equally doubtful. 
 
 Solyman takes Buda, and menaces the furrounding 
 countries. This misfortune of chriftianity aggran- 
 dizes the houfe of Auilria. The archduke Ferdi- 
 nand brother to Charles V. demands Hungary and 
 Bohemia, as eftates which ought to devolve to him 
 by family compacts, by way of inheritance. This 
 right of inheritance was reconciled by the right of 
 election made by the people, the one fupporting the 
 other. The ftates of Hungary elect him on the 26th 
 of Oaober. 
 
 In the mean time another party declare John Za- 
 poli count of Scepus, Vaivode of Tranfilvania, king 
 in Alba Regalis. Perhaps no kingdom fince that time 
 was fo unfortunate as Hungary. It was almoft always 
 divided into two factions and over-run by the Turks, 
 Ferdinand, in the mean time, has the good luck to 
 drive out his rival in a few days, and to be crowned 
 at Buda, whence the Turks had withdrawn them- 
 felves. 
 
 If 27. 
 
 On the 24th of February Ferdinand is elected king 
 of Bohemia without any competitor, and he acknow- 
 ledges that he holds the kingdom ex libera & bone 
 voluntate^ by the free and good-will of thofe who had 
 chofen him. 
 
 Charles V. remains ftill in Spain, while his houfe 
 acquires two kingdoms, and his fortune in Italy out- 
 foars his projects. 
 
 Pie pays but badly his troops under the command 
 of the duke of Bourbon, and of Philibert de Chalons 
 prince of Orange. However they fubfift upon rapine, 
 to which they give the name of contribution. The 
 holy league was confiderably difordered. The king 
 of France had neglected a vengeance which he fought 
 
 VOL, II. F after,
 
 122 C H A R L E S V. 
 
 after, and had not yet fent an army beyond the Alps. 
 The Venetians ftir but little ; the pope ftill lefs; and 
 he is reduced to raife very bad troops. Bourbon leads 
 his foldiers flraight to Rome, which he ftorms on the 
 27th, but is killed in fcaling the walls. However 
 the prince of Orange enters the town. The pope 
 takes refuge and is made prifoner in the caftle of St. 
 Angclo. The town is pillaged and deftroyed, as it 
 had formerly been by Alaric and by other Barbarians. 
 . It is faid that the pillage amounted to 15 millions 
 of crowns. Charles for only requiring half that fum 
 as its ranfom, might have reigned in Rome. But 
 after the troops had lived there for nine months at 
 difcretion, he was obliged to part with it. His luck 
 was the fame with all others who had facked that 
 capital. 
 
 There had been too much blood fpilt in this dif- 
 after j but many foldiers who were inriched by the 
 fpoil remained inhabitants of the country, and in 
 Rome and the neighbourhood round it, in fome few 
 months were reckoned not lefs them 4700 young 
 women with child. Rome, that had formerly been 
 inhabited by Goths and Vandals, was now peopled 
 by Spaniards and Germans ; the blood of the Romans 
 had been mixed with that of a crowd of ftrangers 
 under the Cxfars. At this day there is but one fingle 
 family in Rome that can call itfelf Roman. No 
 more than the name and ruins of this miftrefs of the 
 world fubfifr. . 
 
 During the imprifonment of the pope, Alphonfo 
 J. duke of Ferara, from whom Julius II. had taken 
 Modena and Reggio, recovers his pofleflions, when 
 Clement VII. capitulates in the Caftle of St. Angelo, 
 The Malateftas poflefs themfelves again of Rimini. 
 The Venetians, allies to the pope, take Ravenna, to 
 guard it for him, fay they, againft the emperor. The 
 Florentines, fhaking off" the yoke of the Medicis, fet 
 themfelves at liberty. 
 
 Francis
 
 CHARLES V. 123 
 
 Francis I. and Henry VIII. inftead offending troops 
 into Italia fend embafladors to the emperor, who 
 was then at Valadolid. Fortune in lefs than two 
 years had put into his hands Rome, the Milanefe, 
 a king of Fiance and a pope, without his making ufc 
 of thefe opportunities. 
 
 Strong enough to pillage Rome, yet he was not 
 able to keep it, and the old clame of the emperors, 
 their pretence upon the dominion of Rome, remain- 
 ed ftill eclipfed. 
 
 At length Francis I. fends an army into the Mi- 
 lanefe, under that very Lautrec, who had before loft 
 it, leaving his two children ftill in bondage. This 
 army once more re- takes the Milanefe, which they 
 had won and loft in fo fhort a time. Thisdiverfioit 
 and the plague which ravage Rome and the conquer- 
 ing army at the fame time, prepare the pope's deliver- 
 ance. Charles V. on the one fide fings Te Deum, 
 and makes proceffions in Spain for this deliverance of 
 the holy father, whom he neverthelefs holds in capti- 
 vity ; on the other, he fells him his liberty for 400,000 
 ducats. Clement Vil. lays down 100, oooand makes 
 his efcape without having paid the reft. 
 
 While Rome is facked, and the pope ranfomed in 
 the name of Chailcs V. the protector of the Catholic 
 faith, fuch feiSts as were enemies to that religion 
 make new progrefs. The facking of Rome and the 
 pope's captivity give the Lutherans frefh fpirits. 
 
 Mafs is legally aboliflied at Strasburg in confequence 
 of a public difputc. Ulm, Augsburg, and many other 
 imperial towns declare themfelves Lutherans. The 
 council of Berne admit the caufe of the catholics 
 and that of the Sacramentarians, difciplesof Zuinglius 
 to be pleaded before them. Thefe fe&aries differ 
 from the Lutherans principally about the eucharift. 
 The Zuinglians affirm, that God is in the bread only 
 by faith ; and the Lutherans affirm, that God is with 
 the bread, 'in the bread> and upon the bread j but all 
 
 F z agree
 
 i?4 CHARLES V. 
 
 agree, that the bread exifts. Geneva and Conftance 
 follow the example of Berne. The Zuinglians are 
 the progenitors of Calvinifts : Of people of found 
 fenfe, but fimple and auftere. The Bohemians, the 
 Oermans, and the Swifs are thofe who ravaged one 
 half of Europe at the fiege of Rome. 
 
 The Anabaptifts renew their fury in the name of 
 the lord from the Palatinate to Wiitsburg. They 
 are 'difperfed by the elector Palatine, affifted by the 
 generals Truchfes and Fronsberg. 
 
 The Anabaptifts appear again in Utrecht, and caufe 
 the archbifliop of that town, who was the fovereign 
 of it, to fell it to Charles V. left the duke of Gueldres 
 ihould make himfelf mafter of it. 
 
 This duke, fecretly proteded by France, oppofes 
 Charles V. whom nothing could hitherto withftand. 
 Charles makes peace with him on condition that the 
 duchy of Gueldres and the county of Zutphen fhould 
 revert to the houfe of Auftiia, in cafe of the duke's 
 dying without male ifsue. 
 
 The quarrels of religion feem to demand the pre- 
 fence of Charles in Germany, while war fummons 
 him to Italy. 
 
 Two Heralds, Guienne and Clarencieux, the one 
 on the part of France; the other on that of England, 
 declare war againft him at Madrid. Francis J. had 
 no bufmefs to declare it, becaufe he had already done 
 it in the Milanefe, and Henry VIII. {till Jefs, becaufe 
 he had pot done it at all. 
 
 It is an idle fancy to think, that princes neither 
 a& nor fpeak but like politicians. They do both 
 like men. The emperor fliarply reproaches the king 
 of England with his intended divorce from Catharine 
 of Arragon, who was Charles's aunt, and charges the 
 Herald, Clarencieux, to tell him, that cardinal Wolfey 
 advifcd both the divorce and the war to revenge 
 himfelf for the lofs of the papacy. As to Francis I. 
 
 he
 
 CHARLES V. 125 
 
 he reproaches him with the breach of his promife, 
 and declares he will fight him hand to hand. It is true 
 that Francis I. had broke his word; but it is no lefs 
 true, that to keep it had been extremely difficult. 
 
 Francis I. anfwers him in thefe terms : Tou lie in 
 your throat, and as often as you repeat it, you lie, &c. 
 Appoint the place of combat, we fhall meet you pro- 
 perly prepared. The emperor fends a herald to the 
 king of France, to notify the place of combat, whom 
 the king receives on the loth of September in the 
 moft magnificent manner. The herald would have 
 fpoken before the delivery of his letter, wherein was 
 afcertained the place of engagement ; but the king 
 filences him, and will only fee the letter, which there- 
 fore was never produced. Thus the time of two 
 kings is taken up with giving each other the lye by 
 Heralds at arms. There is in this procedure an air 
 of knight errantry and ridicule very different from 
 our manners. 
 
 During all thefe bravadoes, Charles V. lofes the 
 fruits of the battle of Pavia, of the taking of the 
 king, and the captivity of the pope. He is alfo near 
 lofmg the kingdom of Naples. Lautrec had already 
 feized upon Abbruzo intirely. The Venetians had 
 pofiefTed themfelves of moft of the maritime towns of 
 that kingdom. The celebrated A ndrew Doria, then 
 in the French fervice, had with the gallics of Genoa 
 beaten the imperial fleet. The emperor, who fix 
 months before was mafter of Italy, is near being 
 driven out of it ; but it is the fate of the French to 
 lofe always in Italy what they had gained. 
 
 The contagion reaches their army, Lautrec dies. 
 Naples is evacuated. Henry duke of Brunfwick 
 with a new army approaches to defend the Milanefe 
 againft the French and againft Sforza. 
 
 Doiia, who had contributed fo much to thefuccefs 
 f France, difgufted at Francis I. and fearing an 
 
 F 3 arreft,
 
 J26 CHARLES V. 
 
 arreft, quits his fervice and paiTes over to that of the 
 emperor with his gallies. 
 
 The war continues in the Milanefe, and pope Cle- 
 ment VII. negotiates while he waits the event of it. 
 It was no longer a time to excommunicate an empe- 
 ror, or transfer his fcepter into other hands by divine 
 appointment. This formerly might have been the 
 cafe, had he refufed to lead the pope's horfe by the 
 bridle; but the pope, after his imprifonment, after 
 the facking of Rome, ineffectually fupported by the 
 French, fearing even the Venetians, his allies, wil- 
 ling to eftablifh his family at Florence, perceiving 
 befides Sweden, Denmark, and one half of Germany 
 fallen from the Roman church ; the pope, I fay, in 
 thefe extremities, refpe&ed and feared Charles V. 
 fo very much, that inftead of breaking the marriage 
 between Henry VIII. and Catharine, the aunt of 
 Charles, he was ready to excommunicate that very 
 Henry VIII. his ally, becaufe Charles required it. 
 
 15-29. 
 
 The king of England, a flave to his pafllons, bends 
 his thoughts upon nothing but being feparated from 
 his wife Catharine of Arragori, a very virtuous 
 woman, by whom he had had a daughter fome years 
 before, and marrying his miftrefs Ann of Bolein, or 
 Bollen, or Boulen. 
 
 Francis I. frill leaves his two children captives to 
 Charles V. in Spain, and makes war againft him in 
 the Milanefe. Duke Francis Sforza is ftill leagued 
 with that king and feeks the countenance of the em- 
 peror, willing to preferve his duchy by the hands of 
 the ftronger, and fearing to lofe it either by the one 
 or the other. Germany is rent by the Proteftants 
 and Catholics. The fultan Solyman prepares to at- 
 tack it, and Charles V. remains at Valadolid. 
 
 Old Antonio de Leva, one of the greateft generals 
 of his time, 73 years old, fick of the gout, and car- 
 ried
 
 C II A R L E- S V. J27 
 
 ried on a litter, defeats the French in the Milanefe, 
 near the frontiers of Pavia. The remainder of them 
 difperfe, and quit a country that has been fo fatal 
 to them. The pope ftill continues to treat, and 
 had happily concluded his negotiation, before the 
 French receive this laft ftroke. The emperor treats 
 the pope very generoufly j firft, to make amends in 
 the eyes of the Catholics j and in truth he had fome 
 need of it, for the fcandal of facking Rome. Se- 
 condly, to engage the pontif to oppoi'e the arms of 
 religion to the fcandal that was like to fall upon his 
 aunt at London, by making void her marriage, and 
 baftardizing his coufin Mary, that very Mary to 
 whom he ought to have been married ; and thirdly, 
 bccaufe the French were not rooted out of Italy, 
 when this treaty was concluded. 
 
 The emperor gives Ravenna, Servia, Modena, 
 and Reggiu to pope Clement VII. leaving him at li- 
 berty to purfue his pretenfions on Ferara. He pro- 
 mifes him alfo to give Tufcany to Alexander de Me- 
 decis. This treaty, fo advantageous to the pope, 
 was ratified at Barcelona. 
 
 Immediately after he agrees to terms with Francis I. 
 who purchafes his children for 2, ooo, ooo of golden 
 crowns, paid down, and 500, ooo crowns to be given 
 by Francis to Henry VIII. being the furn forfeited by 
 Charles V. for not marrying his coufin Mary. 
 
 Francis had certainly nothing to fay to Charles the 
 Vth's debts ; but he was conquered and his children 
 ought to be redeemed: 2, 500, ooo golden crowns cer- 
 tainly impoveriflied France, but was not equal to the 
 value of Burgundy, which remained to the king j 
 befides it was fo contrived with the king of Eng- 
 land, that the forfeit was never paid. 
 
 France, then impoveriflied, appears no longer for- 
 midable ; Italy waits the orders of the emperor ; the 
 Venetians temporize, while Germany fears the Turks, 
 and wrangles about religion. 
 
 F 4 Ferdi-
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 Ferdinand afiembles a diet at Spire, where the Lu- 
 therans take the name of proteftants from the pro- 
 tefting of Saxony, Heffia, Lunenburg, Anhalt, 14. 
 imperial towns againft the edicl: of Ferdinand, and 
 appeal to a future council. 
 
 Ferdinand leaves the proteftants to believe and a& 
 as they pleafe : He did well. Solyman, who had no 
 religious difputes to appcafe, ftill intends the crown 
 of Hungary for John Zapoli, Vaivode of Tranfil- 
 vania, an oppofer of Ferdinand, and this kingdom 
 was to have become tributary to the Turks. 
 
 Solyman fubdu'es Hungary, enters Auftria, takes 
 Altemburg by afTault, befieges Vienna on the 26th 
 of September ; but Vienna is always the ftumbling- 
 block of the Ttrrks. It is the fortune of the houfe 
 of Bavaria to defend Auftria in thefe perils. Philip 
 the Warlike^ brother to the elector Palatine, the laft 
 elector of the eldeft Palatine branch, defends Vienna. 
 Solyman raifes the fiege in 30 days ; but remains 
 mafter of Hungary, and gitfes the inveftiture of it to 
 John Rapoli. 
 
 Charles at laft quits Spain, and arrives at Genoa, 
 which, no longer French, attends her fate from him. 
 He declares Genoa free and a fief of the empire. He 
 goes from town to town in triumph, during the time 
 that the Turks befiege Vienna. Pope Clement VII. 
 waits for him at Bologna, whither Charles at length 
 comes to receive, on his knees, the benediction of 
 him, whom he had held captive, whofe dominions 
 he had defolated. After having been at the pope's 
 feet as a catholic, he receives, as an emperor, Fran- 
 cis Sforza, who throws himfelf at his, and afks his 
 pardon. He gives him the inveftiture of the Mila- 
 nefe for 100,000 golden ducats, paid down, and 
 500, ooo payable in 10 years. He gives him his 
 neice, the daughter of the tyrant Chriftiern in mar- 
 riage ; after which he himfelf is crowned by the 
 pope at Bologna. Like Frederic HI. he receives 
 
 from
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 from him 3 crowns, the one of Germany, the other 
 of Lombardy, and the third of the empire. The 
 pope in giving him the fcepter, addrefles him thus : 
 Emperor , our fan, take this fcepter, to reign over the 
 people of the empire, over whom we and the electors 
 judge you worthy to command. In giving him the 
 globe he fays to him j This globe reprefents the world 
 which you ought to govern with virtue, religion, and 
 conjlancy. The ceremony of the globe recals to 
 mind the image of the ancient Roman empire matter 
 of the beft part of the known world, and in fome 
 meafure belonging to Charles V. fovereign of Spain, 
 Italy, Germany, and America. 
 
 Charles kifles the pope's feet in the time of Mafs, 
 but he had no mule to lead. The emperor and pope 
 eat in the fame ftate, each at a table by himfelf. 
 
 He promifes to the pope's nephew Alexander de 
 Medecis his baftard Margaretta, with Tufcany as 
 a portion. 
 
 By thefe regulations and conceflions it is evident, 
 that Charles V. did not afpire at being king of the 
 Chriftian continent as Charlemagne had been. He 
 only aimed at being the principal perfonage, at hav- 
 ing the chief influence there, and prelerving his 
 right of fovereignty over Italy. Had he intended to 
 have tngrofled ail to himfelf, he had drained Spain of 
 men and money, to have eftablifhed himfelf at Rome, 
 and governed Lombardy as one of his provinces. But 
 this he does not do ; for the more he had ingroiled 
 the more he had had to fear. 
 
 If30. 
 
 The Tufcans, feeing their liberty facrificed by the 
 union between the emperor and the pope, have the 
 courage to defend themfelvcs againfr. them both ; 
 but this courage is ufelefs, oppofed to ftrength. Flo- 
 rence befieged furrendeis upon condition. 
 
 F 5 Alexan-
 
 J3 CHARLES V. 
 
 Alexander de Medecis is received as their fovereign, 
 and acknowledges himfelf a vaflal of the empire. 
 
 Charles V. difpofes of principalities like a judge 
 and a matter. He gives up Modena and Reggio to 
 the duke of Ferrara in fpite of the prayers of the pope. 
 He erects Mantua into a duchy. It was at this aera 
 he gave Maltha to the knights of St. John, who had 
 loft Rhodes. The donation bears date the 24th of 
 March. He makes them this prefent as king of 
 Spain and not as emperor. He avenges himfelf as 
 much as poffible upon the Turks, by oppofing to them 
 this bulwark, which they could never deftroy. 
 
 After having thus difpofed of territories, he goes 
 to endeavour to give peace to Germany ; but it is 
 much harder to fettle the quarrels of religion, than 
 the interefts of princes. 
 
 The confeflion of Augfburg was made about this 
 time, which ferves as a rule to the proteftants and a 
 rallying of their party. This diet of Augfburg began 
 the 20th of June. On the 26th the proteliants pre- 
 ient their confeflion of faith in Latin and German. 
 
 Strasburg, Menninguen, Lindau, and Conftance 
 there prefent their at of feparation, and call it the 
 confejfron of the four towns. They were Lutherans 
 like the reft, and differed but in few points. 
 
 Zuinglius alfo fends thither his confeflion, altho' 
 neither he nor the Canton of Berne were either Lu- 
 therans or imperialifts. 
 
 Difputes run high. On the 22th of September, 
 the emperor publifhes a decree, injoining the Pro- 
 teftants to defift from farther innovations, to leave 
 fall liberty to the catholic religion in their different 
 territories, and to prepare a prefentation of their 
 griefs for a council to be convoked in fix months. 
 
 The four towns form an alliance with the three 
 Cantons of Berne, Zurich, and Bafil, whereby they 
 are to be furnifhed with troops, fhould any incroach- 
 ments be made upon their liberty. 
 
 The
 
 C H A R L E S V. 131 
 
 The diet makes out the procefs of the grand m after 
 of the Teutonic order ; Albert of Brandenburg, who, 
 as we have feen, had become a Lutheran, poflcfled 
 himfelf of ducal Pruflia, and chafed out the catholic 
 knights. He is put under the ban of the empire, 
 out is never the lefs mafter of Pruflia. 
 
 The diet fixes the imperial chamber in the town of 
 Spire. It is by this that it is finifhed ; and the em- 
 peror appoints another at Cologne, in order to have 
 his brother Ferdinand there elected king of the 
 Romans. 
 
 Ferdinand is chofen on the 5 th of January by all 
 the electors, except John the conjlant t of Saxony, 
 who fruidefsly oppofes him. 
 
 The proteftant princes at that time and the de- 
 puties of the Lutheran towns unite themfelves at 
 Smalcalde a town of Heflia. The league for their 
 general defence is figned in the month of March, 
 Their zeal for their religion, and fear of feeing the em- 
 pire, which was elective, become an hereditary mo- 
 narchy, were the motives of .this league between 
 John duke of Saxony, Philip landgrave of HeflTe, 
 the duke of Wirtemburg, the prince of Anhalt, the 
 cail of Mansfield, and the towns of their com- 
 munion. 
 
 Francis I. who caufed the Lutherans in his own 
 dominions to be burnt, promifes to aflift thofe of 
 Germany. The emperor then negotiates with them ; 
 the anabaptifts only are profecuted who had fettled in 
 Moravia. Their new apoftle, Hutter, who travelled 
 about making profelyteo, is taken at Tirol, and burn- 
 ed at Infpruck. 
 
 This Hutter preached neither fcdition nor Slaughter, 
 
 as moft of his predeceflbrs had done. He was a man 
 
 infatuated with tiie fimplicity of the primitive times, 
 
 and would not allow even his own difciples to carry 
 
 F 6 arms.
 
 C H A R L E S V. 
 
 arms. He preached up reformation and equality, 
 and therefore they burned him. 
 
 Philip, landgrave ofHefle, a prince worthy of 
 greater power and better fortune, is the firft who 
 undertakes to re-unite the feds that are feparated 
 from the Roman Communion. A project which 
 has been fince vainly attempted, and would have fa- 
 ved much blood to Europe. Martin Bucer was 
 charged, in the name of the Sacramentarians, to re- 
 concile them to the Lutherans. But Luther and 
 Melanchton were inflexible, and in that fhew them- 
 felves more obftinate than cunning. The Princes 
 and the Towns have in view the two objects, their 
 religion, and the reduction of the imperial Power to 
 narrower bounds. Had it not been for this laft ar- 
 ticle there had been no civil war. The Proteftants 
 psrfift in refufing to acknowledge Ferdinand for king 
 of the Romans. 
 
 The emperor, made uneafy by the Proteftants, 
 and threatened by the Turks, ftifles for fome time 
 the rifing troubles, by granting to the Proteftants all 
 they afked in the diet held at Nuremberg in the 
 month of June, and fupprefling all proceedings againft 
 them, gives them intire liberty even to the holding 
 a council ; nay leaves even the rights of his brother 
 Ferdinand undecided. 
 
 He could not have yielded more ; but it was to 
 the Turks the Lutherans owed this indulgence. 
 
 The condefcenfion of Charles encourages the Pro- 
 teftans to manifeft their duty. They furnifh an 
 army againft Solyman, and raife, by way of common 
 fubfidy, 150,000 florins for that fervice. The pope 
 alfo exerts himfelf, by furnifhing 6000 men and 
 400,000 crowns. Charles draws troops out of Flan- 
 ders and Naples. We now fee an army of above 
 100,000 men compofed of nations different in their 
 language and education , yet animated with the 
 
 fame
 
 CHARLES V. 133 
 
 fame fpirit to march againft the common enemy. 
 The count Palatine, Philip, deftroys a body of Turks, 
 who had advanced as far as Gratz in Stiria. The 
 flower of Solymans's numerous army is cut off, and 
 he is obliged to retreat to Conftantinopfe. Solyman, 
 in fpite of his great reputation, conduces this cam- 
 paign with little judgment. He had in truth taken 
 many wrong fteps, bringing with him near 200,600 
 flaves. This was waging war like a Tartar, and 
 not like an experienced commander. 
 
 The emperor and his brother, after the departure 
 of the Turks, difband their army ; the greater part 
 of which vas auxiliary, and collected only for the 
 prefent danger. But few troops remained under the 
 imperial enfigns. At that time every thing was done 
 of a fudden. There were no eftablifhed fund for 
 the maintenance of an army any long time, and very 
 few defigns were long followed. Seizing an oppor- 
 tunity was every-thing. Charles V. than made war 
 in peifon, which others had fo long made for him; 
 for till that time, he had feen none but the fiege of 
 the little town of Mouzon in 1521. ever fince 
 which having met nothing but good fortune, he had 
 now inclined to partake of the glory. 
 
 He returns into Spain by the way of Italy, leaving 
 to his brother the king of the Romans the care of 
 governing the Proteftants. 
 
 He is no fooner in Spain than his aunt Catharine 
 of Arragon is repudiated by the king of England, 
 and her marriage annulled by Cranmer archbiftiop of 
 Canterbury. Clement VII. could no longer excufe 
 himfelf from extommunicating Henry VIII. 
 
 The Milanefe were ftill neareft the heart of Fran- 
 cis I. This prince feeing Charles peacably in- 
 clined, but few troops in Lombardy, and Francis 
 Sforza without children, endeavours to draw off 
 
 the
 
 134 CHARLES V. 
 
 the latter from the emperor's intereft. He fends him 
 fecretly a Minifter named Maraviglia, born in the 
 Milanefe, with orders not to affume any character, 
 altho' he gave him credential letters. 
 
 The fubjeft of this man's commiffion is feen into. 
 Sforza > to clear himfelf with the emperor, quarrels 
 with Maraviglia ; a man is killed in the fray, and 
 Sforza orders the minifter's head to be ftruck off, 
 nor is the king of France able to revenge it. 
 
 All that he can do is to fecretly aflift Ulric duke 
 of Wirtemberg, to re-enter his duchy, and fhake 
 off the yoke of the houfe of Auftria. This prince 
 being a proteftant, expected his re-eftablifhment from 
 the league of Smalcalde and the king of France's 
 affiftance. 
 
 The princes of the league had fufficient authority 
 in the diet of Nuremburg to have it determined, 
 that Ferdinand king of the Romans (hould fur render 
 the duchy of Wirremburg of which he was poffeffcd. 
 The diet in this acted conformably to the laws. 
 The duke had a fon, who certainly ought not to be 
 punifhed for the faults of his father. Ulric had not 
 been guilty of treafon againft the empire, confequentiy 
 his iffue ought not to be deprived of his poffeflions. 
 
 Ferdinand promifes to conform to the decree of the 
 empire, but negledts it. Philip, landgrave of Hefle- 
 Caffel, furnamed veryjufrly the magnanimous ^ takes 
 tke-part of the duke of Wi.rtemberg : he goes to 
 France ; borrows of the king 100,000 golden crowns ; 
 raifes an army of 15,000 men, and reftores Wir- 
 temburg to its mafter. 
 
 Ferdinand fends troops thither under the command 
 of the, very count Palatine, Philip tbs warlike, who 
 had beaten the Turks. 
 
 IB4- 
 Philip the magnanimous of HelTe beats Philip the 
 
 warlike. Then the king of the Romans fubmits to 
 a compofttion. 
 
 Duke
 
 CHARLES V. 135 
 
 Duke Ulric was re-eftablifhed j but the duchy of 
 Wirtemberg declared a mafculine fief of the arch- 
 duchy of Auftria, and as fuch ought to revert in cafe 
 of the failure of male ifsue to the arch-ducal houfe. 
 
 In this year Henry VIII. feparates himfelf from 
 the Roman communion, and declares himfelf head 
 of the Englifti church. This revolution was made 
 without the leaft trouble. In Germany it was very 
 different. There religion caufed much bloodfhed, 
 particularly in Weftphalia. 
 
 The Sacramentarians at length become the moft 
 powerful in Munfter and drive out bifhop Waldec. 
 The Anabaptifts fucceed to the Sacramentarians, and 
 poflefs themfelves of the town. This feel fpreads 
 itfelf in Friezeland and Holland. A Taylor of Ley- 
 den, named John, goes to the fuccour of his Brethren 
 with a troop of prophets and affaflins. He caufed 
 himfelf to be proclamed king, and folemnly crowned 
 at Munfter the 24th of June. 
 
 Bifhop Waldec befieges the town, affifted by 
 the troops of Cologn and of Cleves; The Anabaptifts 
 compare themfelves to Holofernes, and believe them- 
 felves the people of God. A woman, willing to imi- 
 tate Judith, goes out of the town with the fame in- 
 tention ; but inftead of returning to her Bethulia with 
 the bifhop's head fhe is hanged in the camp. 
 
 Charles, at that time in Spain, meddled but little 
 in the affairs of the Germanic body, which to him 
 was a continual fource of uneafinefs without the leaft 
 advantage. He fecks for glory in another quarter. 
 Not ftrong enough in Germany to carry on the war 
 againft Sqlyman, he Intends revenging himfelf on the 
 Turks by turning his arms againft the famous admiral 
 Chercdin, who had poffcffcd himfelf of Tunis, after 
 having driven out the king Muleiaflem. The de- 
 throned African came to offer himfelf as a tributary 
 to Charles, who pafTed over into Africa in the month 
 
 of
 
 136 G H A R L E S V. 
 
 of April, with about 25, ooo men, 200 tranfports 
 and 115 gallies. Pope Paul III. granted him a tenth, 
 which was pretty confiderable, of" all the ecclefiaftical 
 revenues in the Auftrian territories. He joined 9 
 gallies to the Spanifh fleet. Charles goes to attack 
 the army of Cheredin in perfori, which was fuperior 
 to his in number but very ill difciplined, 
 
 Hiftdrians report that Charles, before the battle, 
 expreffed himfelf thus to his generals : tho' ftraw 
 may ripen medlars, our tardinefs rather rots than 
 ripens the courage of our foldiers. Prince feldom 
 fexprefs themfelves thus j they ought to be made 
 to fpeak nobly, or rather no words ought to be put 
 into their mouths which they never faid ; almoft all 
 their harangues are fictions cooked up in hiftory. 
 
 Charles gains a complete victory, and re-eftablifhes 
 Muleyaflen who gives up to him Goulett with an 
 extent of country for 10 miles round, declaring him- 
 felf and his fucceflbrs vaflals to the kings of Spain ; 
 fubmitting to pay as a tribute 20, ooo crowns a 
 year. 
 
 Charles returns a conqueror to Sicily and Naples, 
 bringing with him all the chriftian flaves whom he 
 had fet at liberty ; beftowing liberally among them 
 wherewith to carry them to their refpedtive homes. 
 Thefe we're fo many mouths who every-where pu- 
 blifhed his praifes. Never did he enjoy before fo 
 fine a triumph. 
 
 In this zenith of glory having repulfed Solyman, 
 given a king to Tunis, and obliged Francis I. to 
 abandon Italy, he piefTes Paul III. to call a council. 
 The afflictions of the Roman church daily increafe. 
 
 Calvin began to rule in Geneva ; the feet, to 
 which he had the credit of giving his name, fpread 
 itfelf in France, and was to be feared by the Roman 
 church, who fcarcely retained more than the territory 
 of the houfe of Auftria and Poland. 
 
 In the mean time Francis Sforza duke of Milan 
 
 dies
 
 CHARLES V. 137 
 
 dies without children ; Charles V. feizes upon that 
 duchy as a fief devolving to him. His power and his 
 riches increafe. His will is a law in Italy where he 
 is more mafter than in Germany. 
 
 At Naples he celebrates the marriage of his natural 
 daughter Margaret with Alexander de Medecis the 
 created duke of Tufcany in the moft brilliant manner, 
 whereby he increafes the affection of the people, 
 if 36. 
 
 Francis I. did not lofe fight of the Milanefe that 
 fepulchre of the French. He demands the inveftiture 
 of it at leaft for his fecond fon Henry. The em- 
 peror gives him but empty words. He might have 
 rcfufed him plainly. 
 
 The houfe of Savoy was no longer attached to 
 France, whofe ally it had a great while been. The 
 emperor had every thing ; there was fcarcely a prince 
 in Europe who had not fome pretenfions at the coft 
 of his neighbours. The king of France had demands 
 upon the county of Nice, and upon the marquifate of 
 Salluce. He fends an army thither, which poflefles 
 itfelf of almoft all the duke of Savoy's territories, 
 which were not then what they are at this day. 
 
 France's real reafon for having and keeping the 
 Milanefe was to command and fortify Piedmont; once 
 miftrefs of the Alps (he had been fooner or later fo> 
 vereign of Lombardy. 
 
 The duke of Savoy goes to Naples to implore the 
 emperor's protection. This prince, altho' fo powerful, 
 had yet no army of confequence in Italy. It was the 
 cuftom then to have them only for the prefent occa- 
 fron j but he at length engages the Venetians in his 
 interefts ; as alfo the Swifs, who recal their troops 
 from the French army. He foon augments his forces, 
 and goes to Rome magnificently attended. He enters 
 it in triumph ; but not as a rrtafter which he might 
 formerly have done. He takes a feat at the confiflory 
 fcclow that of the -pope. One is aftonifhed to hear 
 
 a viclo-
 
 I3 8 C H A R L E S V. 
 
 a viaorious Roman emperor, pleading his caufe bt r 
 fore the pope. He pronounces a difcourfe againft 
 Francis J. as Cicero had done againft Antony. But 
 he does what Cicero did not; propofes fighting his 
 antagonift in a duel. There was in all this a mix- 
 ture of the manners of antiquity with the fpirit of 
 knight- errantry. After having fpoken of duelling, he 
 mentions the council. Pope Paul 111. publifhes the 
 bull of convocation. 
 
 The king of France had fent troops fufficient to 
 poflefs themfelves of the duke of Savoy's territories, 
 then left almoft defencelefs ; but this army was not 
 fufficiently formidable to refift one foon after led by 
 the emperor, compofed of a number of brave fellows 
 tutored by victories in Italy, Hungary, Flanders and 
 .Africa. 
 
 Charles retakes all Piedmont, Turin excepted. He 
 enters Provence with an army of 50, ooo men, while 
 his fleet hovers upon the coaft, confifting of 140 vef- 
 fels commanded by Dona. All Provence, exclufive 
 of Marfcillcs, is fubdued and ravaged. He could at 
 that time have revived the antient rights of the em- 
 pire upon Provence, Dauphi-ny, and the old kingdom 
 : of Aries. 
 
 He, on the other hand, prefles France in Picardy 
 with an army of Germans, which under count dc 
 Reux take Guife, and proceed ftill farther. 
 
 In the midft of thefe difafters, Francis the Dauphin, 
 fon to Francis I, dies of a pleurify at Lions. Twenty 
 authors have affirmed, that the emperor caufed him 
 to be poifoned. No calumny can be more abfurd, 
 or more contemptible. What had the emperor to 
 fear from a young prince who had never oppofed 
 him ? What could he gain by his death ? Of what 
 mean, and of what fhameful crime has he been guilty, 
 to lay him under fuch a fufpiqon ? They pretend, 
 there was poifon found in the box of Montecuculr, 
 
 a do-
 
 CHARLES V. 139 
 
 a domeftic of the Dauphin's brought into France by 
 Catharine of Medicis. 
 
 Montecuculi was quartered, becaufe poifon was 
 found in his poflefiion and that the Dauphin was dead. 
 
 The queftion was put to him, whether he had ever 
 converfed with the emperor ? He anfwered, that 
 having been once prefented to him by Antonio de 
 Leva, that prince had afked him, what order the king 
 of France obferved in his meals. Was this a reafon 
 ftrong enough to throw the fufpicion of fo abominable 
 and ufelefs a crime upon Charles V. 
 
 The invafion of Provence is fatal to the French 
 without being ferviceable to the emperor, out of 
 whofe power it is to take Marfeilles. Great part of 
 his army is deftroyed by ficknefs. He returns to 
 Genoa on board his fleet. His other army is obliged 
 to evacuate Picardy. France, tho' on the brink of 
 ruin, (till holds out. That which had loft Naples to 
 Francis I. lofes Provence to Charles V. Enterprifes fo 
 very diftant from one another feldom fucceed. 
 
 The emperor returns to Spain, leaving Italy fubdued, 
 France weakened, and Germany full in trouble. 
 
 The Anabaptifts continue their depredations in 
 Friezeland, Holland and Weftphalia, which they call 
 fighting the Lord's battles. They go to fuccour their 
 prophet king John of Leyden, and are defeated by 
 George Schenk governor of Friezeland. The town 
 of Munfler is taken. John of Leyden and his prin- 
 cipal accomplices are fhewn about in a cage, and 
 afterwards torn with red-hot pincers. The Lutheran 
 party increafe their ftrength ; animofities alfo increafe. 
 The league of Smalcald does not as yet produce a 
 civil war. 
 
 U37- 
 Charles is not at eafe in Spain. There is a ne- 
 
 ceflity to fupport the war which Francis I. had incon- 
 fiderately begun, and ftill continued to wage againft 
 the emperor. 
 
 The
 
 340 C H A R L E S V. 
 
 The parliament of Paris fummon the emperor, 
 declare him a rebellious vaflal, and deprive him of the 
 counties of Flanders, the Artois, and the Charolois. 
 This edift fur ely was good after his having conquered 
 thofe provinces. The imperial troops, in fpite of it, 
 advance in Picardy. Francis I. goes in perfon to be- 
 fiege Hesdin in the Artois j but is obliged to quit it. 
 There are feveral trivial engagements fought, but the 
 fuccefs of them undecifive. 
 
 Francis I. refo'ves to make a great ftroke, and ha- 
 zards chriftianity to revenge hirnfelf on the emperor. 
 He engaged with Solyman that he would invade the 
 Milanefe with a powerful army, at the fame time 
 that the Turks fhould make a defcent upon the king- 
 dom of Naples and upon Auftria. 
 
 Solyman keeps his word j but Francis is too weak 
 to be true to his. The famous Captain Pacha Chcre- 
 din makes a defcent with part of his gallies upon 
 Apulia -, alfo near Otranto He ravages the country, 
 and carries off 16, ooo Chriftian flaves. This is that 
 Cheredin, Viceroy of Algiers, whom authors call 
 Barb'arofla. This nick-name had been given to his 
 brother, who died in the year 1519, after having 
 made fume conqueits on the coaft of Barbary. . 
 
 Solyman advances into Hungary. Ferdinand king 
 of the Romans comes up with the Turks between 
 Buda and Belgrade. A bloody battle enfues, iii 
 which Ferdinand is put to flight with the lofs of 
 24, ooo men. One would have imagined Italy and Au- 
 ftria were in the hands of the Ottomans, andFrancis I. 
 mafter of Lombardy ; but this is not the cafe. Bar- 
 barofla, not rinding Francis I. appear to aflift him in 
 the Milanefe, retreats with his booty and his flaves 
 to Conftantinople. Auftria is, left in fecurity. The 
 emperor had withdrawn his troops from the Artois 
 and Picardy. His two lifters, the one Mary of Hun- 
 gary, governefs of the Low-countries, the other 
 Elconora of Portugal wife of Francis I. having 
 
 managed
 
 CHARLES V, 141 
 
 managed a treaty upon the frontiers, the emperor 
 confents to it, that he may have frefh troops where- 
 with to oppofe the Turks, and Francis I. is left at li- 
 berty to pafs into Italy. 
 
 The dauphin Henry was already in Piedmont, 
 where the French were mailers of almoft all the 
 towns, fome few excepted, which were defended by 
 the marquis del Vafto, whom the French call Du- 
 guaft. A treaty is then concluded for fome months 
 in this country. This was not making war ferioufly 
 after projects of fo great and fo dangerous a nature. 
 He who loft moft by this peace was the duke of 
 Savoy, plundered both by friends and enemies ; for 
 both imperialifts and French keep ftill the pofleifton 
 of moft of his towns. 
 
 If 38- 
 
 The treaty between Charles V. and Francis I. is 
 prolonged at the expence of the duke of Savoy 
 for ten years. 
 
 Solyman is angry that his ally don't purfue his vic- 
 tory. All things are done by halves in this war. 
 
 Charles, having paft into Italy to conclude the 
 treaty, marries his baftard daughter widow of Alex- 
 ander de Medicis to OtStavio Farnefe, grandfon to 
 a baftard of Paul the third duke of Parma, Placen- 
 tia, and Caftro. Thefe duchies had been formerly 
 the inheritance of the countefs Mathilda ; fhe had 
 given them to the church, and not to the pope's baf- 
 tards. They have fince been annexed to the duchy 
 of Milan. Pope Julius II. joined them to the eccle- 
 liaftical ftate, whence they were detached by Paul Ilf. 
 who gave them to this fon. The emperor might 
 very juftly have clamed the fovereignty of them ; 
 but he rather chofe to favour the pope than quarrel 
 with him. 
 
 After all thefe great preparations for defence, 
 Francis I. retires from the frontiers of Piedmont. 
 
 Charles
 
 142 CHARLES V. 
 
 
 
 Charles V. takes the road of Spain, and meets Fran- 
 cis I. at Aignemortes with as much familiarity as if 
 this prince had never been his prifoner, as if he had 
 never given him the lye, as if he had never chal- 
 lenged him to fingle combat, as if the king of 
 France had not brought the Turks into the empire ; 
 and as if he had not fuffered Charles V. to be treated 
 as a poifoner. 
 
 Charles V. is informed in Spain, that Ghent, the 
 place in which he was born, is upon the brink of revolt- 
 ing in defence of its privileges. All the towns of theLow- 
 countries have certain rights j no afliftance was ever 
 *; obtained in this flouriftiing country by arbitrary im- 
 pofition. The {rates always furnifhed their fovereign, 
 when it feemed needful with a free gift, and the 
 town of Ghent, from time immemorial, had enjoyed 
 the prerogative of naming her own contribution. 
 The ftates of Flanders having granted 120, ooo 
 florins to the governefs of the Low- countries, ap- 
 point 400, ooo to be raifed upon the people of Ghent, 
 who oppofe this incroachment, and refer to their 
 privileges. The governed caufes the principal ci- 
 tizens to be arrefted ; a raifmg enfues, the inhabi- 
 tants take up arms : It was one of the richeft and 
 largeft cities in Europe. They offer to give them- 
 felves up to the king of France as to their fovereign ; 
 but he makes a merit of refuting their propofal ; ftill 
 .flattering himfelf with hopes 'of obtaining from the 
 emperor the inveftiture of Milan for one of his fons. 
 And what enfues ? He obtains neither Ghent nor 
 Milan. 
 
 The emperor then demands a paflage for himfelf 
 thro' France, that he may puniih the rebels of Ghent. 
 The dauphin and the duke of Orleans receive him 
 at Bayonne. Francis I. goes before him to Chate- 
 blerant. Charles V. enters Paris on the ift of Ja- 
 
 nuary.
 
 C HA R L E s V. 143 
 
 nuary. The parliament and all the public bodies 
 meet and compliment him without the walls of the 
 town. They carry to him their keys. Prifoners 
 are in his name fet at liberty. He prefides in parlia- 
 ment and makes a knight. This aft of authority in 
 Sigismund was found fault with, in Charles V. it 
 was approved. To create a knight st that time was 
 only declaring a man noble, to which nobility was 
 adjoined an honourable and ufelefs title. 
 
 Knighthood had been in great efteem in Europe ; 
 but it had never been more than a name given infen- 
 fibly to lords of fiefs, diftinguiflied for their military 
 atchievements. By little and little thefe lords of 
 fiefs had erected knighthood into a fort of imaginary 
 order, compofed of religious ceremonies of virtue 
 and debauchery. But this title of knight was never 
 part of the conftitution of a (late ; they never acknow- 
 ledged any but feudal laws. A lord of a fief, when 
 a knighr, might be more refpe&ed than another in 
 fome caftles, but it was not upon the footing of a 
 knight that he entered the diets of the empire, the 
 ftates of France, the courts of Spain, or the parlia- 
 ment of England, but upon the footing of a baron, 
 earl, a marquis, or a duke. The lords bannerets in 
 the armies were called knights, but it was not in 
 quality of knights that they had banners, no more 
 than that they had caftles and territories in quality of 
 worthies ; but they only called them worthy^ becaufe 
 they were fuppofed to have done fome worthy 
 action. 
 
 In the main that which is called knighthood be- 
 longs rather to Romance than hiftory. It was little 
 more than an honourable Mummery. Charles V. 
 ought not to have created a bailif of a town in France, 
 becaufe that is a real employment. He conferred the 
 vain title of knight, and in effecT: the real part of this 
 ceremony was his declaring a man to be noble who 
 was not fo. This nobility was acknovvledged in 
 
 France
 
 i44 CHARLES V. 
 
 France only by cmtefy out of refpe& to the emperor. 
 But what is moft likely is, that Charles V. by this 
 procedure would have infinuated a belief of the em- 
 peror's right to confer this title in every dominion. 
 Sigismund had made one knight in France, Charles 
 would therefore make another ; nor could this pre- 
 rogative be refufed to an emperor to whom they had 
 granted that of fetting prifoners at liberty. 
 
 Thofe who have imagined that the detaining 
 Charles prifoner was a fubjed of debate, fpeak with- 
 out any proof. Francis I. would have been guilty of 
 the greateft infamy, if thro' a mean treachery he had 
 detained him prifoner, whofe captive he had been by 
 force of arms. There are fome ftate crimes which 
 have the fan&ion of cuftom } there are others which 
 no cuftom can authorize, and which the chivalry 
 of thefe times would have difcountenanced. It is 
 fa yd that the king only exacted from him a pro- 
 mife of conferring the Milanefe on the duke of Or- 
 leans brother to the Dauphin Henry, and that he fa- 
 tisfied himfelf with his bare word. Here he piqued 
 himfelf more upon his generofity than his cunning. 
 
 Charles enters Ghent at the head of 2000 horfe 
 and 6000 foot which he brought with him. The 
 people of Ghent might have raifed 80, ooo armed 
 men, yet they give him no oppofition. 
 If 40. 
 
 On the 1 2th of May the privileges of Ghent were 
 taken from it, 24 of the principal citizens were 
 hanged, the citadel razed to the ground, and the ci- 
 tizens condemned to advance towards the rebuilding 
 it 300, OOO ducats, and to furnifh 9000 ducats yearly 
 for the fupport of the garrifon. There is feldom a 
 better ufe made of law in the hands of the ftrong. 
 When the blood of the minifters of Mary of Bur- 
 gundy had been here fhed before her eyes, the town 
 efcaped without punifhment, while for fupporting her 
 real rights ihe was almoft ruined. 
 
 Francis
 
 CHARLES V. 145 
 
 Francis I. fends his wife Eleonora to Bruflels to fo- 
 licit the inveftiture of Milan ; to facilitate which he 
 not only renounces his alliance with the Turks, but 
 enters into an offenfive one with the pope againft 
 them. It was the emperor's defign to make him lofe 
 his ally, and yet not to give him Milan. . 
 
 The Lutheran religion and the league of Smal- 
 cald acquire, new ftrength in Germany by the death 
 of George of Saxony, the powerful fovereign of 
 . Mifnia and Thuringia. He was a very zealous 
 catholic, and his brother Henry, who continued the 
 line, was a firm Lutheran. George, by his laft will, 
 disinherited his brother and his nephews in cafe they 
 did not return to the religion of their ancestors, and 
 left his dominions to the houfe of Auftria. This 
 was quite a new cafe. No law of the empire could 
 deprive a prince of his eftate on account of his reli- 
 gion. John Frederic elector of Saxony, and the 
 brave landgrave of HefTe, George's kinfman, pre- 
 fer ve the fucccflion to the natural heir by fu.rnifh.ing 
 him with troops. Luther comes to preach amon-j: 
 them, and the inhabitants here as well as thofe of 
 Saxony and Hefle, become Lutherans. 
 
 Lutheranlfm fignalifes itfelf by tolerating polygamy. 
 The wife of the landgrave, the daughter of George, 
 indulges her hufband, whom flie could not pleafe, 
 with leave to marry again. The landgrave, being in 
 love with Margaret de Saal, daughter to a Saxon 
 gentleman, propofes the queftion to Luther, Me- 
 lanchton, and Bucer, whether he could in confcience 
 have two wives? and whether the law of nature could in. 
 this point be reconciled to the chriftian law? The three 
 apoftles, extremely confounded give him privatelytheir 
 permifiion in writing. All hufbands might be per- 
 mitted to do the fame ; for in a cafe of confcience a 
 landgrave cannot be allowed greater privileges than 
 another man. But this example was not followed. 
 The difficulties enfuing from keeping two wives ex- 
 ceeds greatly the difgnft arifing from having only one. 
 VOL. II. G The
 
 146 CHARLES V. 
 
 The emperor does his beft endeavours to overturn 
 the league of SmalcaU j and is able only to divide 
 from it Albert of Brandenburg firnamed the Alci- 
 biades. Several conferences are held between the 
 Proteftants and Catholics, the common confequence 
 of all which is their being unable to agree. 
 
 If4I. 
 
 On the i8th of July the emperor publifhes at Ra- 
 tiabon an interim, an inhalt^ fo it is commonly calLd, 
 or an edidt whereby every perfon is left to his own be- 
 lief without moleftation. 
 
 This edidr. was neceflary now when armies were to 
 be levied againft the Turks. We have before re- 
 marked that numerous armies were only levied upon 
 points of exigency. Solyman had been confidered as 
 the protector of John Zapoli, who had always been 
 competitor for the crown of Hungary w;th Ferdi- 
 nand. This protection gave a pretext to the Tur- 
 kifh invafion ; for John being dead Solyman re- 
 mained in the place of tutor to his fon. 
 
 The imperial army befieges the young pupil of So- 
 lyman in Buda ; but the Turks come to his affiftance, 
 and give the Chriftians an irrecoverable overthrow. 
 
 The Sultan at length weary of fighting and con- 
 quering fo often for Chriftians, feizes on Hungary as 
 .the reward of his victories, and leaves Tranfylvania 
 to the young prince, who according to his doctrine 
 could have no hereditary right to an elective king- 
 dom as Hungary was. 
 
 Ferdinand king of the Romans, then offers to be- 
 come tributary to Solyman, provided he will give 
 him that kingdom, and is anfwered by the Sultan, 
 that he muft renounce all claim to Hungary, and be- 
 fkles do him homage for Auftria. 
 
 Whilft thirrgs were in this fituation, and the Tur- 
 kiih army diminifhed by the plague, Solyman returns 
 to Conftantinople i and Charles pafles over into Italy. 
 
 Inftead
 
 CHARLES V. 147 
 
 Inftead of projecting the refcue of Algiers from the 
 Turks, he prepares for an attack upon Algiers. Thi 
 was being more attentive to the glory of Spain than 
 that of the empire. Matter of Tunis and Algiers 
 all Barbary had been fubjeclcd to the Spanifh yoke ; 
 while Germany was to defend itfelf againft the 
 Turks as well as it could. He lands on the coaft of 
 Algiers, on the 23d of October, with almoft as 
 many people as attended him at the fiege of Tunis. 
 But a violent ftorm having funk fifteen of his gal- 
 lies, 86 of his vefiels, and his troops having been 
 annoyed, on land by the Moors and tempefts uni- 
 tedly, Charles is forced to reimbark on board the re- 
 mainder of his mips, and arrives at Carthagena in 
 November with the ruins of his fleet and army. His 
 reputation fuffers confiderably. He is blamed for ills 
 raihnefs in this undertaking j yet had he fucc^eded j 
 he had been ftill the avenger of Europe. The fa- 
 mous Herman Cortez, the conqueror of fo many 
 American nntions, ferved as a volunteer in this expe- 
 dition againft Algiers. Here he faw the difference 
 between a fmall number of men who know how to 
 defend themfelves, and anultitucies who permit them- 
 ielves to be overcome. 
 
 Why Solyman remained inactive after his con- 
 queirs, is inconceivable ; but it is cafy to fee why 
 Germany permitted it. Becaufe the Catholic unite 
 againft the Proteftant princes ; it is becaufe the league 
 of Smalcald makes war againft the duke of Brun- 
 fwic a catholic, drives him out of his dominions, and 
 fets at ranlbm all the eccleliaftics. It is, in fine, be- 
 caufe the king of France tired with the refufal of the 
 inveftiture of the Milanefe, prepares ftrong alliances 
 and potent armies againft the emperor. 
 
 Charles the Vth's life and empire were but one 
 
 continual tern pelt. The Sultan, the pope, Venice, 
 
 one half of Germany and France were one or other 
 
 of then* almoft always againft him j. and fometimes 
 
 G 2 al!
 
 148 
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 all together. England was at one time a fecond, at 
 another an oppofite. No emperor was ever more 
 feared ; yet lefs to be feared. 
 
 Francis I. fends an ambaflador to Constantinople 
 and another to Venice at one and the fame time. 
 He who was fent to Solyman was a native of Navarre, 
 called Rincone ; the other Fregofe a Genoefe. 
 Both were aflaffinated on the Po, by the governor of 
 Milan's order. 
 
 This murder was perfectly like that of colonel St. 
 Clair aflaffinated in our time as he returned from 
 Conftantinople to Sweden ; thefe two events were 
 either caufes of, or pretexts for very bloody war ; 
 Charles V. difavows the aflaffination of the two am- 
 bafTadors of the king of France. In truth he looked 
 on them as men born his fubjedls and become infi- 
 dels. But it is much better proved that man is born 
 with a natural right to chufe his own party , than it 
 can poflibly be, that a prince has any right to aflaffi- 
 nate his fubjecb. Jf this is one of the prerogatives 
 of royalty it is very dreadful for it. Charles in dif- 
 avowing the action committed in his name, owned it 
 in effecl: to be a moft mameful crime. 
 
 Politics and revenge equally fpur the armament of 
 Francis I. 
 
 He fends the dauphin into Rouflillon with an army 
 of 30, ooc men, and his other fon the duke of Or- 
 leans with the like number into Luxemburg. 
 
 The duke of Cleves, heir to the duchy of Guel- 
 dres, invaded by Charles V. was with count Mans- 
 field in the duke of Orleans's army. 
 
 The king of France has as yet an army in Pied- 
 mont. The emperor is aftonifhed to find France, 
 whom he had fo often opprefTed, ftill miftrefs of fuch 
 force and fo many refources. War is waged equally 
 between, them without any advantageous decifion 
 for cither one party or the other. The council of 
 Trent a/Terrible during this war. The imperialifts 
 
 arrive
 
 CHARLES V. 149 
 
 arrive there on the 28th of January. The Protef- 
 tants refufe to attend, and the council is fufpended. 
 
 I543- 
 
 On the 26th of Auguft is completed at Nuremberg 
 that transaction of the duke of Lorraine, with 
 the Germanic body, whereby his duchy is acknow- 
 ledged an independent fovereignty, and exempt from 
 the charge of paying to the imperial chamber two 
 thirds of the tax of an elector. 
 
 In the mean time* there is publiftied a new league 
 againft Francis I. between Charles V. and Henry ViJ J, 
 Thus do princes quarrel, and thus do they re-unite. 
 That very Henry VIII. whofe excommunkatiou 
 Charles had procured, for having repudiated his aunt, 
 allies himfelf to him who was thought to be his irre- 
 concileable enemy. Charles at length attacks Gue.1- 
 derland, and poflefles himfelf of all that country be- 
 longing to the duke of Cleve^ ally to Francis I. 
 The duke of Cleves aflcs him pardon upon his knees. 
 The emperor makes him renounce the fovereignty 
 of the duchy of Gueldres, and gives him- the invefti- 
 ture of Cleves and of Juliers. 
 
 He takes Cambray, about which, altho' a free 
 town, the Empire and France had wrangled. No fooner 
 had Charles V. leagued with the king of England to 
 bear down France, but Francis I. calls the Turks to 
 his afliftance a fecond time. Cheredin their admiral 
 comes with gallies to Marfeilles. He goes to the 
 fiege of Nice with count D'Enguien ; he takes that 
 town, but the caftle is fuccoured by the imperialifts, 
 and Cheredin withdraws to Toulon. This defcent of 
 the Turks was not very memorable, becaufe they 
 had been armed in the name of the moft ehrif- 
 tian king. 
 
 At the fame time that Charles V. makes war againft 
 
 France and Picurdy in Piedmont, and in Rouffillon ; 
 
 G 3 while
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 while he treats with the pope and the Protefhnts ; 
 v. hile he prefies Germany to fecure him from the 
 Turkifh invafions, he wages war againft the king of 
 Denmark. 
 
 Chriflicrn II. kept in prifon by thofe who had been 
 formerly his fubje&s, had made Charles V. heir to 
 his three kingdoms, which he no longer pofltfTed, 
 and which were eleclive. Guftavus Vafa reigns 
 peaceably in Sweden. The duke of Holftein had been 
 elected king of Denmark in 1536. It was this king 
 of Denmark, by name Chriftiern III. who attacked 
 the emperor in Holland with a fleet of 40 (hips ; but 
 a peace is foon clapt up. Thrs Chriftiern III. renews 
 with his two brothers, John and Adolphus, the an- 
 cient treaty, relating to the duchies of Holllein and 
 of Schlefwick. John and Adolphus, and their de- 
 fcendants, were to pofiefs thefe duchies in common 
 with the kings of Denmark. 
 
 Charles affembles at that time a great diet at Spire; 
 at which Ferdinand his brother, and all the electors 
 and princes, as well Catholic as Proteftant, are pre- 
 fent. Charles V. and Ferdinand there demand fuc- 
 cour againft the Turks and againft the king of France. 
 There they gave Francis I. the names of Benegad, 
 Barbatian, and the enemy of God. The king of 
 France intends to fend ambafladcrs to this great diet. 
 He difpatches a herald to procure him a pafsport, and 
 they put his herald in prifon. 
 
 The diet grant him fubfidiesand troops ; but thefe 
 only for fix months. They confift of but 4000 
 horfe and 20, ooo foot : But a feeble affiftance for a 
 prince who had no great hereditary dominions. 
 
 The emperor cannot obtain this fuccour without 
 doing much in favour of the Lutherans. He gains 
 an important point by obtaining in this diet, that the 
 imperial cbaaiber of Spire fhall be made up of one 
 
 half
 
 CHARLES V. 151 
 
 half Lutherans and the other half Catholics, of which 
 the pope loudly, but vainly, complains *. 
 
 The old admiral Barbarofla, who had pafled the 
 winter at Toulon and Marfeilles, again fails on the 
 coaft of Italy, and carries off his gallics loaden with 
 plunder and flaves to Constantinople, where he 
 finifhed a career that had been a long time fatal to 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 The king of France gathered a lefs odious and 
 more honourable fuccefs from the battle of Cerifoles, 
 which count d'Enguien gained in Piedmont over the 
 marquis Del Vafto, a famous general of the empe- 
 ror, on the nth of April: Yet this victory could 
 not open a paffage to the French in the Milanefc, 
 while the emperor penetrates to SoifTons and menaces 
 Paris. 
 
 * Father Barre, author of a large hiftory of Germa- 
 ny, puts thefe words into the mouth of Charles V. 
 The pope is happy in that the princes of the league ofSmal- 
 cald did not propofe my becoming a protejlant. In that 
 tafe, I kno-M not iv bat I Jbould have doi:e ft is well 
 known, that this was the emperor Jofeph's anfwer 
 to Llement XT. when he compla ned of his condefcen- 
 lionb to Chnrles XII. Father Barre is not fatisfied 
 V/ith imputing to Charles V this difcourfe, which he 
 never held ; but he has alfo inferted in his book a 
 great number of fact; and dikourfes, taken word for 
 word from the hiftory of Charles XII. He has copied 
 above i oo pages. It is not impoflible that they may 
 have faid and aded in the i 2th, 13th, and i4th cen- 
 turies exadly as in the i8th, but it is not at all likely. 
 There was a neceffity for making this note, becaufe 
 Journalifts having perhaps feen in the hiftory of 
 Charles XII. ^nd that of (jermany. fo many accounts 
 abfolutely alike might have accufcd the writer of 
 Charles the Xilth's life of plagiarifm ; never con- 
 fidering that the latter hiflorian had written 20 years 
 before the former. 
 
 G 4 Henry
 
 15* CHARLES V. 
 
 Henry VIII. is for his part in Picardy. Notwith- 
 franding the battle of Cerefoles, France is in more 
 danger than ever. Nevertheless, by one of thofe 
 myfteries, which hiftory can fcarcely ever clear up, 
 Francis 1. makes an advantageous peace. To what 
 can this be attributed but the miftrufts mutually en- 
 tertained of each other by the kings of France and of 
 England. This peace is concluded on the i8th of 
 September, at Crepi. This treaty imports, that the 
 duke of Orleans, fecond fon of the king of France, 
 {hall efpoufe a daughter, either of the emperor or the 
 king of the Romans, and that he fhall have the Mila- 
 nefe or the Low-countries. This appears to be a 
 very extraordinary alternative. Charles in parting 
 with the Milanefe beftows only a fief of the Empire ; 
 but in giving up the Low-countries he drips his fon 
 of his inheritance. 
 
 As for the king of England his conquefts are ended 
 at the town of Boulogne, and France is preferved 
 from every attempt. 
 
 . 
 The council of Trent opens in the month of April. 
 
 The proteftants declare, that they will not acknow- 
 ledge it for a council. The civil war begins. Henry, 
 duke of Biunfwic, (tripped, as we have feen, of his 
 pofleffions by the league of Smalcald, re-poflefles them 
 by the affifrance of his brother the archbifhop of 
 Biemen, where he puts all to fire and fword. 
 
 Philip the famous landgrave of Hefle, and Maurice 
 of Saxony the nephew of George, reduce him to the 
 laft extremities. He furrenders to thefe princes at 
 difcretion, marching bare-headed, together with his 
 fon Victor, among the troops of the conqueror. Char- 
 les approves of, and compliments thefe dangerous 
 Victors. He keeps fair with them as yet. 
 
 As foon as the council meets, Paul III. with the 
 confent of the emperor, gives in the moft folemn 
 manner the inveftiture of Parma and Placentia to 
 
 his
 
 C'H A R L E s V. 15:3 
 
 his eldeft fon Peter Lewis Farnefe, whofe fon Odta- 
 vius had already married the widow of Alexander da 
 Medecis, who was Charles Vs. baftard. This coro- 
 nation of a pope's baftard made a ftrange contrail 
 with the council convoked to reform the church. 
 
 The elector Palatine made ufe of that opportunity 
 to renounce the Roman communion. Luther dies 
 foon after at Isleben on the i8th of February, 1545,- 
 reckoning according to the old calendar. He hack 
 had thefatisfaction of withdrawing one half of Europe 
 from the Roman church, and he efteemed this glory 
 beyond any that conqueft can beftow. 
 
 I f 46, 
 
 The death of the duke of Orleans, who was W 
 have married the emperor's daughter, and to have had 
 either the Low-countries or the Milanefe, removes one 
 uneafmefs of Charles ; however he had others that 
 were very fufficient ; the proteftant princes of the 
 league of Smalcald had effectually divided Germany 
 into two parties. In the one, there was fcarccly 
 more acknowledged than the name of emperor ; in 
 the other, they did not openly difavow his authority;., 
 but then they refpected it as little as if it had been in- 
 tirely aboliflied among the proteftant princes. 
 
 Thefe princes fhew their credit in managing the 
 peace between the kings of France and of England.. 
 They fend ambafl'adors to thefe two kingdoms j th<; 
 peace is concluded, and Henry VIII. favours the 
 league of Smalcald. 
 
 Lutheranifm had made fuch a progrefs, that the 
 elector of Cologn, Herman de Neuvid, altho' an 
 archbifhop, introduced it in his territories, and waited 
 only a fair opportunity to fecularife both himfelf and 
 his electorate. Paul III. excommunicates and de- 
 prives him of his archbifhoprick. A pope might 
 excommunicate whom he pleafed : but it was not fo 
 eafy for him to deprive a piincc of the Empire of his 
 
 G 5 domi-
 
 154 C H A R L E S V. 
 
 dominions ; to that Germany muft confent. The 
 pope in vain orders, that they fhould acknowledge 
 Adolphus de Schavembourg the archbimop's coadju- 
 tor ; but not the elector's coadjutor. Charles V. 
 always acknowledges the eleftor Herman, and threa- 
 tens him to the end that he fhould give noafliftance 
 to the princes of the league of Smalfald ; but the year 
 following Harman is at length depofed, and Scha- 
 vembourg has his electorate. 
 
 A civil war already begins on account of Henry of 
 Brunfwick who is detained prifoner by the landgrave 
 of Hefle. Albert of Brandenburg margrave of Culm- 
 bach, joins with John of Brunfwick the prifoner's 
 nephew, to deliver and avenge him. The emperor 
 encourages, and underhand aififts them. 
 
 At that time the troops of the piinces and of the 
 confederate towns take the field. Charles no longer 
 able to difTemble, begins by obtaining of Paul III, 
 about 10, coo foot, and 500 light horfe, for fix months 
 paying 200, coo Roman crowns, and being granted 
 a buJl for levying one half of one year's revenue, be- 
 longing to the ecclefiaftical benefices in Spain, and to 
 alienate monafterial po/le/lions to the amount of 
 500, ooo crowns. He duift not have demanded the 
 fame concefiions from the churches of Germany. 
 The Lutherans were too near neighbours, and many 
 churches would have rather fecularifed themfelves than 
 have fubmitted to pay. 
 
 The proteftants are already matters of all the pafles 
 of the Tirolefe, and extend themfelves thence to the 
 Danube. The elector of Saxony John Frederic 
 and Philip landgrave of Hefle, march by the way of 
 Franconia. Philip, a prince of the houfe of Brunfwick, 
 and his four fons , three princes of Anhalt and 
 George of Wirtemberg uncle to duke Ulric, are all 
 in his ar-my. The counts of Oldemburg, of Mansfield, 
 of Oettingen, of Henneberg, of Furftemberg, and 
 many other princes are feen at the head of their troops. 
 7 The
 
 CH A R L E S V. 155 
 
 The towns ofUlric, of Strasburg, of Norlinguen, and 
 of Augsburg, fend out their forces alfo. There are eight 
 regiments of Swifs proteftants. This army confifted. 
 of more than 60, ooo foot, and 15, ooo horfe. 
 
 The emperor, who had but very few troops never- 
 thelefs ads as matter, put the elector of Saxony 
 tinker the ban of the empire at Ratisbon on the iSth 
 of July. He has foon an army ftrong enough to fup- 
 port his edict. The 10, ooo Italians fent by the pope 
 arrive ; 6000 Spaniards being his old regiments from 
 the Milanefe and from Naples join themfelves to his 
 Germans ; but tho' he ought to have three nation;: 
 armed, he had not as yet art army equal to that of 
 the league when reinforced by the fbkiiery of the 
 elector Palatine. 
 
 There are feveral flight fkirmimes ; feveral ports 
 and towns, as in all other wars, are taken, and re~ 
 taken. 
 
 The emperor is preferved by n proteftant prince. 
 Maurice, marquis of Mifnia and Thuringia, of the 
 houfe of Saxony, nephew to George, and kinsman 
 to the landgrave of Hefle, the fame to whom tha 
 landgrave and elector of Saxony had preferved his 
 dominions, and whofe tutor the elector had been, 
 forgets his duty to thefe his neighbours and fides with 
 the emperor, who promifes not to moleft him in his 
 religion of Lutheranifm ; and this affurance ferves him 
 as a pretext for his conduct to his fubjects. 
 
 He aflembles 10, ooo foot and 3000 horfe; makes 
 a diverfion in Saxony, defeats the elector's troops ; 
 and is the firft caufe of the misfortune of the allies.. 
 The king of France fends them 200, ooo crowns. 
 This was enough to keep difcord on foot, but not to 
 make their party victorious. 
 
 The emperor gains ground daily. Mod of the 
 towns of Frnnconia furrender, and are heavily taxed. 
 
 The elector Palatine, one of the princes of the 
 league, throws himfelf at Charles's feet, and aflcs his 
 
 G 6 pardon-
 
 156 CHARLES V. 
 
 pardon. Almoft all the country as far as HefTe-caflel 
 is fubdued. 
 
 Then pope Paul III. withdraws his 10, oco men, 
 for whofe fervice he had only articled fix months. 
 He fears aflifting the emperor too much, even againfl 
 the proteftants. Charles is not much weakened by 
 this lofs. The death of the king of England Henry 
 VIII. happens on the 28th of January, and a diforder 
 which at the fame time haftens the diflblution of 
 Francis I. deprives the league of Smalcald of two 
 powerful prote&ors. 
 
 If 47- 
 
 Charles eafily fucceeds in detaching the old duke 
 6f Wirtemberg from the league. He was fo irritated 
 at the revolts, to which religion had given a pretext, 
 that he attempted eftablifliing at Naples an inquifi- 
 tion, of the fame fort with that fo long fettled in 
 Spain ; but this tribunal is no fooner fet up there than 
 it is abolifhed, having caufed a moft violent fedition. 
 The emperor liked much better draining the Neapo- 
 litans of money to aflift him in fupprefling the league 
 f Smalcald, than to perfift in forcing upon them an in- 
 quifition, from whence he could reap no advantage. 
 
 The league feems almoft deftroyed by the fubmif- 
 fion of the Palatinate and of Wirtemberg, but acquires 
 new ftrength from the junction of the citizens of 
 Prague and feveral of the cantons of Bohemia who 
 revolt againft their fovereign Ferdinand, and go to 
 fuccour the confederates. Albert of Brandenburg, 
 margrave of Culmbac, furnamed Alcibiades, of 
 whom we have often fpoken, was in reality for the 
 emperor ; but his troops are defeated, and he is taken 
 prifoner by the elector of Saxony. 
 
 To recompence the lofs of the elector of Bran- 
 denburg, John the fevere, all Lutheran as he is, takes 
 arms in favour of the head of the empire and affifts 
 Ferdinand againft the Bohemians. 
 
 All
 
 CHARLES V. 157 
 
 All things were in confufion, and nothing heard 
 of but battles and ravages towards the Elbe. At 
 length the emperor pafles the Elbe with a veryftrong 
 army near Mulberg, accompanied by his brother 
 and his brother's children, Maximilian and Ferdi- 
 nand, the duke of Alva being his principal general. 
 
 The army of the duke of Saxony is attacked on the 
 24th of April. This battle of Mulberg was decifive, 
 and it is affirmed that in it there were but 40 
 men killed on the fide of the emperor. This is 
 almoft incredible. The elector of Saxony being 
 wounded is taken prifoner with the young prince 
 Erneft of Brunfwic. On the 1 2th of May Charles 
 caufes the elector to be condemned to lofe his head by 
 advice of council. The fevere duke of Alva, pre- 
 fided on this judgment. The fecretary of the council 
 fignified his fentence to the elector on the fame day, 
 who was playing at chefs with prince Erneft of 
 Brunfwic. 
 
 Duke Maurice, who was to have had his electorate, 
 has the eafily acquired glory of obtaining pardon for 
 him. Charles grants him his life, on condition that 
 he renounce for himfelf and his children the electoral 
 dignity in favour of Maurice. They leave him the 
 town of Gotha and its dependancies, having firft 
 demolifhed the fortrefs. From him are defcended the 
 dukes of Gotha and of Weimar. Duke Maurice 
 engages to pay him a penfion of 50,000 golden 
 crowns yearly, and to advance him 100,000 at one 
 time towards the payment of his debts. All thofe 
 that had been made prifoners, particularly Albert 
 of Brandenburg and Henry of Brunfwic, were fet at 
 liberty ; but the elector remains ftill the prifoner of 
 Charles. 
 
 His wife Sibilla, fitter to the duke of Cleves, 
 throws herfelf at the emperor's feet, all bathed in 
 tears, to requeft her hufband's liberty, but in vain. 
 
 The
 
 158 CHARLES V. 
 
 The elector's allies are foon difoerfed. The land- 
 grave of Hefle thinks only of fubmitting, which he 
 is allowed to do conditionally, that he comes to em- 
 brace the knees of the emperor, that he razes all his 
 fortreflej, except Caflel or Zingenheim, paying be- 
 lides 150,000 golden crowns. 
 
 The new elector, Maurice of Saxony, and the 
 elector of Brandenburg, promife under their hands 
 to the landgrave, that they will make no attempt upon 
 his liberty. They give fecurity, and confent to be 
 fummoned to a court of juflice either by him or his 
 children, and in cafe of failure to undergo fuch 
 treatment as the emperor ihall think breach of faith 
 deferves. 
 
 Upon thefe aflurances tae landgrave fubmits to 
 every thing. Granvel bifhop of Anas, afterwards 
 cardinal, fettles the conditions which Philip figned.. 
 We have been always aflured, that this prelate de- 
 ceived the unfortunate prince, who had exprefsly 
 ftipulated, that he fhould not be detained a prifoner 
 in coming to nfk the emperor's pardon. Granvel 
 writ that he fhould not always be detained a prifoner.. 
 There needed but a U in the place of an N to caufe 
 this ftrange difference in the German language. The 
 
 O O O 
 
 words of the treaty ought to have been nicbt mit 
 einiger gff<zngnifs t and Granvel writ e Wiger. 
 
 The landgrave was remifs in revising the treaty ; 
 he imagined it was as it ought to have been ; confiding 
 in which, he went and threw himfelfatthe emperor's 
 feet. When he imagined that he might retire in 
 fafety, he was arrefted and kept a long time in the 
 emperor's train. The conqueror feized upon all the 
 artillery of John Frederic elector of Saxony, of the 
 landgrave of Hefle, and alfo of the duke of Wirtem- 
 berg. He confifcated the pofieflion of many of the 
 chiefs of the party : he impofed taxes on all thofe 
 whom he had vanquifhed, not excepting the towns 
 
 that
 
 CHARLES V. 159 
 
 that had only affiflxd them. It is pretended that in 
 this manner he railed 1,600,000 golden crowns. 
 
 Ferdinand king of the Romans, on his part puniflies 
 the Bohemians, depriving the citizens of Prague of 
 their privileges and their arms, many of whom were 
 condemned to death, and others to perpetual im- 
 prifonment. The taxes and confifcations were im- 
 menie, thefe never fail to have a confiderable part in 
 the vengeance of fovereigns. 
 
 The council of Trent was difperfed during thefe 
 troubles. The pope inclines to transfer it to Bo- 
 logna. 
 
 The emperor had conquered the League, but not 
 the proteftant religion. Thofe of that communion 
 demand in the diet of Augfburg, that the proteftant 
 divines fhall have a deliberative voice in the council. 
 
 The emperor was more diflatisfied with the pope 
 than with the protertant divines. He could not for- 
 give him for having recalled the troops of the church 
 in the heat of the war of Smalcald. He makes him 
 feel h ; s anger on account of Parma and Placentia. 
 He had permitted the holy father to give the invcfti- 
 ture of it to his bafrard fon when he had a mind to 
 keep fair with him ; but when duTatisfied he recol- 
 lected, that Parma and Placentia are dependent on 
 the Milanefe, and that it was the emperor alone who 
 ought to give the inveftiture. Pope Paul III. alarmed 
 at the power of Charles V. negotiates againft him 
 with Henry II. and the Venetians. 
 
 In thefe circumflances, the fon of the pope become 
 odious for his crimes all over Italy was afTaffinated 
 by the confpirators. The emperor then pofTefles him- 
 felf of Placentia, taking it from his kindred, not- 
 withftanding his parental tenderncfs for Margaret 
 his daughter. 
 
 The emperor quarrels with the pope, and favours 
 the proteftants a little more. He had alway defigned 
 
 the
 
 160 CHARLES V. 
 
 the council to be in fome German town, and pope 
 Paul III. transferred it to Bologna. This added frefh 
 fuel to the quarrel fubfifting on account of Placentia. 
 On the one fide the pope threatened the emperor with 
 excommunication, and thereby gave the proteftants a 
 new opportunity of reflecting on him, who held the 
 fpiritual arms employed by the pope in favour of his 
 children, in that ridiculous light they merited. On 
 the other hand, Charles V. made himfelf in fome 
 meafure the head of religion in Germany. 
 
 On the 1 5th of May the grand Interim was pub- 
 limed in the diet of Augfburg. This was a formulary 
 of faith and difcipline ; the tenets were catholic, 
 except that they permitted the communion in both 
 kinds to the laity and marriage to the priefts. Many 
 indifferent ceremonies were facrificed to the Lutherans 
 to engage them to receive fuch things as were more 
 eflential. 
 
 This regulation was very reafonable ; therefore it 
 contented no body. The people were too unfettled ; 
 both the PapHts and the Lutherans complained, and 
 Charles V. perceives that to win battles is eafier than 
 to govern opinions. Maurice the new elector of 
 Saxony, in order to oblige him, in vain endeavours 
 to have the new form received in his dominions, but 
 the proteftant minifters were ftronger than he. 
 The elector of Brandenburg and the elector Palatine 
 receive the Interim. The landgrave of Hefle fub- 
 mits to it in hope of obtaining his liberty, in which 
 he is neverthelefs deceived. 
 
 John Frederic the former elector of Saxony, altho* 
 aprifoner, refufes to fign it. His example is followed 
 by many princes and feveral towns. The clergy in 
 general cry out againft the peace prefented them by 
 the Interim. 
 
 The emperor contents himfelf with threatening 
 them ; and as he leans more to the pope than to the 
 Lutherans at that time, he decrees by the diet that 
 
 the
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 the council mould return to Trent, and charges him- 
 felf with the care of transferring it. 
 
 The Low- countries are in this diet put under the 
 care of the Germanic body. They are declared free 
 from the taxes which the ftates were to pay the em- 
 pire, and from the jurifdi&ion of the imperial cham- 
 ber, tho' included in the the tenth circle. They are 
 not obliged to be any way (erviceable to the empire j 
 but in cafe of a war with the Turks, then they were 
 to contribute as much as three electors. Thefe rules 
 were fubfcribed by Charles V. on the 26th of June. 
 The people of Valois are put under the imperial ban 
 on account of not having paid their taxes ; from 
 which they are at this day exempt, becaufe they are 
 known to have become free. 
 
 The town of Conftance does not receive the 
 Interim until it is put under the ban of the empire. 
 
 The towns of Strafburg prevails fo far as to procure 
 the Interim to take place in that diftricT: with refpe6l 
 only to the catholic churches, and that Lutheranifm 
 ihall be publicly profefled. 
 
 Chriftiern III. king of Denmark receives the m- 
 veftiture of the duchy of Holftein, in common with 
 his brothers John and Adolphus, by the hands of his 
 Ambafladors. 
 
 Maximilian, fon of Ferdinand, efpoufcs Mary his 
 coufm, the emperor's daughter. This marriage is 
 celebrated at Valladolid the latter end of September, . 
 and Maximilian and Mary are conjointly regents of 
 Spain, which is notwithftanding governed by a council 
 named by Charles V. 
 
 The emperor retired to BnifTcls, caufes the pro- 
 vinces of Flanders, Hainault, and the Artois to do 
 homage to his eldeft fon Philip. 
 
 The council of Trent is ftill divided. There were 
 fome few prelates there in the emperor's intereft. 
 
 The
 
 162 CHARLES V v 
 
 The pope had called together fome others at Bologna. 
 A fchifm was much dreaded. The pope indeed fear- 
 ed that the houfe of Bentivoglio fhould, under the 
 emperor's protection, re-enter Bologna, of which 
 Julius II. had difpoflefled them. He difiblves the 
 council of Bologna. 
 
 O&avio Farnefe kinfman to Charles V. and grand- 
 fon to Paul III. has occafion to complain equally of 
 his father-in-law and his grandfather. His father-in- 
 law detains Placentia from him, being at variance 
 with the pope ; and his grandfather keeps him out of 
 Parma, becaufc he had a difpute with the emperor. He 
 attempts however to feize upon Parma without fuccefs. 
 It is pretended that the pope died of the griefs heaped 
 upon him by his family and the emperor : But ought 
 not they who advanced this, to remember adding that 
 he was 81 years of age ? 
 
 The arms of Solyman were turned towards the 
 Euphrates, fothat the empire was not at all difturbed 
 by the Turks. The Perfians preferve Auftria, but 
 the Turks remain ftill mafters of the greateft part of 
 Hungary. 
 
 Henry II. king of France feems very eafy. The 
 affairs of the council and thofe of Placentia gave con- 
 fiderable uneafmefs to the new pope Julius III. The 
 emperor has the better in the Interim^ which is flill 
 the occafion of vexation in Germany. What mufti 
 the people think to fee men fo little fcrupulous as 
 Paul III. Julius III. and Charles V. decide upon 
 religion ? 
 
 The powerful town of Magdeburg was in league 
 with the town of Bremen, and carried on a war 
 againft the duke of Mecklenburg. The emperor 
 condemns thefe two towns and commits the reduction 
 of Magdeburg to Maurice the new elector of Saxony, 
 whom he irritates by giving him this mark of his con- 
 
 fidence.
 
 CHARLES V. 163 
 
 fiderice. Maurice juftifies the ambition which had 
 /tripped his tutor and his kinsman of the electorate of 
 Saxony by the laws attaching him to the head of the 
 empire. But he thought his honour loft by the im- 
 prifonment of his father-in-law, the landgrave of 
 Hefle, who notwithstanding his fecurity and that of 
 the elector of Brandenburg was ftill detained a captive. 
 Thefe two princes prefs the emperor continually to 
 redeem their word. Charles takes the fingular refo- 
 lution of freeing them from their promife. The land- 
 grave endeavours to efcape, which coft fome of his 
 domeftics their heads. 
 
 The elector of Saxony thus difiatisfied with Charles 
 V. is in no great hafte to fight for an emperor whofe 
 power all the princes felt fo defpotically. He does 
 nothing againft Magdeburg. He lets them quietly 
 beat the duke of Mecklenburg, whom they take pri- 
 foner, and the emperor begins to repent that he had 
 given Maurice the electorate. He had too much 
 reafon to be forry for it. It was Maurice's intention 
 to make himfelf head of the proteftant party, and to 
 engage in his interefts feveral towns, as well as Mag- 
 deburg,and by the means of this new acquired power 
 to balance that of the emperor. Upon thefe prin- 
 ciples he already treats with Henry II. and a new 
 ftorm is brewing in the empire. 
 
 Charles V, whom one would have imagined in the 
 fulncfs of power, was neverthelefs prodigioufly embar- 
 rafled. The proteftant party could not be attached 
 to him, nor yet could they be deftroyed. The affair 
 of Parma and Placentia, in which the king of France 
 began to meddle, (hewed him the profpect of an 
 approaching war. The Turks were ftill in Hungary; 
 and in Bohemia, almoft every-body revolted againft 
 his brother Ferdinand. 
 
 Charles
 
 164 
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 Charles imagined he fhould give additional weight 
 to his authority by engaging his brother to part with 
 his title of king of the Romans and his clame of 
 fucceeding to the empire in favour of his fon Philip. 
 Paternal tendernefs might have fuggefted this defign ; 
 but it is certain that the imperial authority flood in 
 need of a chief, who, matter of Spain and of the new 
 World, had been alfb fufficiently powerful to control 
 at the fame time his enemies and the princes of the 
 Empire. It is alfo certain, that the princes faw thereby 
 their prerogatives in danger, and fubmitted, not with- 
 out difficulty, to the emperor's views. They con- 
 tributed only to anger Ferdinand and embroil the 
 two brothers. 
 
 Charles comes to an open rupture with Ferdinand, 
 demands his depofition, of the electors, and requires 
 their votes in favour of his fon. He reaps nothing 
 from this undertaking but the mortification of being 
 refufed, and of feeing the ele&or Palatine with the 
 electors of Saxony and of Brandenburg openly oppofe 
 his defigns. 
 
 The elector Maurice at length enters Magdeburg 
 upon conditions, and tho' he had taken this town in 
 the name of the emperor, he had fubdued it for himfelf. 
 The fame ambition which had prompted him to re- 
 ceive the electorate of Saxony, at the hands of Charles- 
 V. now fpurred him on to unite againft that prince 
 with Joachim, elector of Brandenburg, Frederic the 
 count Palatine, Chriftopher duke of Wirtemberg, 
 Erneft marquis of Baden-dourlach and feveral other 
 princes. 
 
 This league was infinitely more dangerous than 
 that of Smalcald. Henry II. king of France, a young 
 enterprifing prince, joins the league. He was to 
 furnifh 240, OOO crowns during the three firft months 
 of the war, and 60, OOO each month following. He 
 makes himfelf mafter of Cambray, Metz, Toul, and 
 Verdun, protecting them as vicar of the Empire ; a 
 
 fmgular
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 fingular fort of title, which he then a/Turned as a 
 pretext, as if he had been really one. 
 
 The king of France already laid hold of the affair 
 of Parma, as a fufficient caufe for carrying the war 
 into Italy. It does not appear in the order of things, 
 that it was he who mould have protected O&avio Far- 
 nefe againft the emperor his father in-law j but it was 
 very natural for Henry II. to leave nothing uneflayed 
 towards the recovery of the duchy of Milan to which 
 his predeceflbrs had always pretenfions. 
 
 Henry alfo unites with the Turks, according to the 
 plan of Francis I. and the admiral Dragut, a man 
 not lefs formidable than Cheredin, furnamed Barba- 
 rofTa, had been, made a defcent upon the coaft of 
 Sicily, where he pilaged the town of Augufta. 
 
 The army of Solyman at the fame time advances 
 in Hungary. Julius III. WHS the only perfon who 
 took the part of Charles V. with whom he united 
 againft his kinsman, Octavio Farnefe, tho* at 
 bottom, the interefts and pretenfions of the pope and 
 the emperor were very different, each pretending a 
 right of fovereignty ever Parma and Placentia. 
 
 The French alfo carry the war into Piedmont and 
 Montferrat. The emperor is at one and the fame 
 time obliged to oppofe a formidable army of Turks 
 in Hungary, one half of Germany leaguered and 
 armed againft him, and a king of France, young, 
 rich, and well ferved, impatient to fignalize himfelf, 
 and to repair the misfortunes of his predeceflbrs. 
 
 Charles and Ferdinand are reconciled by intereft 
 and danger. They have at length fome fuccefs in 
 Hungary. 
 
 Ferdinand was at the fame time happy enough to 
 get Tranfilvania. The widow of John Zapoly, 
 queen of Hungary, who was a queen only in name, 
 govera'd Tranfilvania, in the name of her fon Ste- 
 phen Sigifmund, under the protection of the Turks, 
 a protection fo very tyrannical, that {he was weary 
 
 of
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 of it. She is induced by Martinufius Bifhop of Wa- 
 radin, afterwards cardinal, to exchange Tranfilvania 
 with Ferdinand for fome poiTeflions in Silefia, fuch 
 as Opelen and Ratibor. Never did queen make fo 
 bad a bargain. Ferdinand declares Martinufius Vai- 
 vode of Tranfilvania. This cardinal governs in Fer- 
 dinand's name with authority and courage. He puts 
 himfelf at the head of the Tranulvanians to march 
 againft the Turks, whom he aflifts the imperialists, in 
 repulfmg. But Ferdinand beginning to miftruil him, 
 caufes him to be aflaffinated by ralavicini in the 
 caftle of Wintz. 
 
 The pope was at that time too clofely conne&ed 
 with the emperor to dare enquiring into the caufe of 
 this aflaffination ; however he excommunicated Fer- 
 dinand the year following. An excommunication 
 productive or neither noife nor effect ; It is one of 
 thofe which have been often called brutum fulmen. 
 It was neverthelefs put in practice when fuch men as 
 fpake in the name of the divinity, imagine they have 
 a right in his name, to fet themfelves above fuch fo- 
 vereigns as abufed their power to excefs j but thofe 
 who judge of kings, ought themfelves to be irrepre- 
 henfible. 
 
 Iffi. 
 
 Maurice the elector of Saxony throws off his 
 mafk, and publishes a manifefto, declaring himfelf 
 allied to the king of Fiance, to obtain the liberty of 
 John Frederic, the very man whom he had difpof- 
 fefs'd, the enlargement of the landgrave of Hefle, and 
 for the fupport of his religion. 
 
 He is join'd by Joachim ele<fror of Brandenburgh. 
 William fon of the imprifoned landgrave of Hefle, 
 Henry Otho elector Palatine and Albert of Meck- 
 lenburg are up in arms before the emperor has 
 crawn together any troops. 
 
 Maurice and his confederates march to the defiles 
 of Tirol, and drive out the few imperialifts who pof- 
 
 fefs'd
 
 CHARLES V. 167 
 
 fefs'd them. The emperor and his brother Ferdinand 
 are nigh being taken prifoners, and fave themfelves 
 by a very diforderly- flight. Charles always carries 
 with him the old elector of Saxony as a prifoner. He 
 offers him his liberty. That he refufed to accept it, is 
 almoft unaccountable. Perhaps if the truth was 
 known, the emperor did not offer it. 
 
 Neverthelefs about the beginning of April the 
 king of Fiance feizes upon Verdun, Toul and Metz. 
 He takes Haguenau and WifTemburgh. Thence he 
 turns off towards Luxemburgh, poffeffes himfelf pf 
 feveral towns. 
 
 To add to the emperor's difgraces, he is informed 
 in his flight that the pope has abandon'd his intereft, 
 and declared himfelf neuter between France and him. 
 It was about this time his brother Ferdinand was ex- 
 communicated. It had been much more to the pope's 
 honour, that thefe cenfures were not pafs'd at a time 
 when they feem the effects of politics. 
 
 In the mid ft of thefe troubles the fathers of the 
 council withdraw themfelves from Trent, and the 
 council is again fufpended. 
 
 In thefe unhappy times all Germany is a prey to 
 devaftation. Albert of Brandenburgh plunders all 
 the commanderies of the Teutonic order, as well as 
 Bambergh, Nurembergh, Weitzbergh and many 
 towns of Suabia. The confederates deftroy by fire 
 and fword the dominions of the eledtor of Mentz, 
 Worms, Spire, and lay ficge to Francfort. 
 
 In the mean time the emperor having retired to PaJ- 
 fau, and aflembled an army after fo many difgraces, 
 brings the confederates into meafures. A peace, is 
 concluded on thj i 2th of Auguft. By this renowned 
 peace of Paffau, he grants a general amnefty to all 
 who had born arms againfthim, fince the year 1546. 
 The proteftants not only obtain a free exercife or tbeir 
 religion, but are alfo admitted into the imperial cham- 
 ber, whence after the victory of Mulberg they had 
 
 been
 
 168 CHARLES V. 
 
 been excluded. It is fome matter of furprife, that 
 the liberty of the landgrave of Hefle was not included 
 in this treaty, he remaining ftill confined in the fort 
 of Rheinfeld until he mould give afliirances of his 
 fidelity. Nor is it lefs wonderful, that nothing was 
 ftipulated in favour of John Frederic the former 
 elector of Saxony. 
 
 The emperor neverthelefs, in ,a fhort time after, 
 fets this unfortunate prince at liberty, and permits 
 him to return to Thuringia, of which he was ftill 
 mafter. 
 
 The happy Maurice of Saxony, having crowned 
 his religion with laurels and humbled the emperor, 
 enjoys the additional glory of defending him. He 
 leads 1 6, ooo men into Hungary, notwithftanding 
 which afliftance, Ferdinand finds it impoflible to keep 
 pofleflion of the upper Hungary, without fubmitting 
 to theftates, and paying an annual tribute of 20, OOO 
 golden crowns to Solyman. 
 
 This was a haplefs year for Charles V. Piedmont. 
 Montferrat and Parma were over-run with French 
 troops, and more powerful invaiions were to be fear- 
 ed in the Milanefe and the kingdom of Naples. 
 Dragut infefts all the Italian coafts. 
 
 Notwithftanding the taxes impofed upon the Ger- 
 mans, after the battle of Mulberg, and the treafures 
 of Mexico, Charles's finances were drained. The 
 vaft extent of his territories, his voyages and his wars 
 abforb them all. He borrows 200,000 golden crowns 
 from the duke of Florence, count de Medicis, and gives 
 him the fovereignty of Piombiono and of the ifland 
 of Elbe. With his afliftance he fupports himfelf in 
 fome meafure in Italy, and lays fiege to Metz with 
 a powerful army. 
 
 Albert of Brandenburgh, the only proteftant prince, 
 who ftill held out againft him, is reconciled, and 
 joins his forces ; but the famous Francis duke of 
 Guife, who defended Metz with the flower of the 
 
 French
 
 CHARLES V. 169 
 
 French nobility, obliges them, on the 26th of De- 
 cember to raife the fiege after having lain 65 days 
 before the town. Charles lofes in this undertaking 
 more than one third of his army. 
 
 Charles, to revenge himfelf of the misfortune that 
 had befallen him at Metz, fends the counts de Lalain 
 and de Roeux to lay fuge to Terouane, which town 
 is taken and deftroyed. 
 
 PhilibertEmanuel, prince of Piedmont, afterwards 
 duke of Savoy, who Toon became one of the greateft 
 generals of the age, is put at the head of the imperial 
 army. He takes Hesdin, which is razed to the ground 
 in the fame manner as Terouane. But the duke of 
 Arfcot, who commanded a confiderable body of' 
 troops, fuffers himfelf to be beaten, and the fortune 
 of Charles is again at a ftand. 
 
 The affairs of Italy remain in the fame fituation ; 
 nor are thofe of Germany fettled. The reftlefs Al- 
 bert of Brandenburg, called Akibiades, ftill heads a 
 body of troops that fubfift only by pillage. He ra- 
 vages the dominions of Henry of Brunfwic and of 
 Maurice elector of Saxony. 
 
 The elector Maurice gives him battle near Hildes- 
 heim in the month of July, in which he defeats Al- 
 bort, but is himfelf killed. This prince, tho' but 
 32 years of age, had acquired the character of a good 
 commander and a great politician. He is fucceeded 
 by his brother Auguitus. 
 
 Albert, the Alcibiades, ftill continues the civil 
 war. The imperial chamber proceeds againft him, 
 notwithstanding which he continues his depredation ; 
 but at length wanting men and money takes refuge 
 in France. The emperor better to fecure that prodi- 
 gious power, which had received fo many additions 
 and diminutions, concludes the marriage of his fon 
 
 VOL. If. H Philip
 
 170 CHARLES V. 
 
 Philip with Mary queen of England daughter of 
 Henry VIII. by Catharine of Arragon. 
 
 Tho' the parliament of England made it an addi- 
 tional claufe in the marriage contract, that the alli- 
 ance between the Englifh and France fhould ftill fub- 
 fift, Charles had neverthelefs hopes, and thofe not 
 ill-grounded, that this alliance would be foon broken. 
 It was in reality to arm England againft France, that 
 he gave that kingdom to his fon as a foveieign ; and 
 had Mary had children, the houfe of Auftriahad feen 
 all the ftates of Europe from the Baltic fea, France 
 excepted, fubfervient to its laws. 
 
 Charles gives up the kingdoms of Naples and of 
 Sicily to his fon Philip, before that prince embarks 
 for England, where he lands in July, and is crowned 
 with Mary his fpoufe, in the fame manner as king 
 William has fince been with another Mary, but with 
 nothing of William's power. 
 
 The war between Charles V. and Henry II. is 
 ftill carried on upon the frontiers of France and Italy 
 with various fuccefs, but ftill in a fort of aequilibrium. 
 
 The troops of France ftill remained in Piedmont 
 and Montferrat, tho' this number was inconfiderable. 
 Nor were the forces of the emperor in the Milanefe 
 very great. It feemed as if they were drained on 
 both fides. 
 
 Cofmo duke of Florence takes up arms in be- 
 half of the emperor. Sienna, which feared falling 
 one day into the power of the Florentines, as it after- 
 wards happened, was protected by the French. Me- 
 dequino marquis of Marignan, general of the Flo- 
 rentine forces, gains a victory over the French 
 troops and their allies on the 2d of Auguft. In com- 
 memoration of this victory, which was gained on 
 St. Stephen's day, Cofmo inftituted the order dif- 
 tinguifhed by the name of this faint.
 
 CHARLES V. 171 
 
 Erneft count of Mansfeld, governor of Luxem- 
 burg, was very near getting pofleffion of the town of 
 Metz, by the contrivances of a Francifcan frier, 
 tho' the emperor had not been able to fubdue it with 
 50, ooo men. This Frier's name was Leonard j he 
 was keeper of a convent, had been confeflbr to the 
 duke of Guife, and was greatly refpe&ed in the town. 
 Thro' his means, for feveral days, many German, 
 Spanifh, and Italian veterans, entered the town dif- 
 guifed like Francifcan Friers, under pretence of a 
 general chapter which was foon to be held therein. 
 
 The confpiracy was difcovered by a Carthufian ; 
 father Leonard is arrefted, and found dead on the fol- 
 lowing day. His body is carried to the gallows, and 
 the people are fatisfied with making 18 Francifcan 
 Friers affift at the gibbeting him. 
 
 The ancient papal policy, revives under pope Paul 
 IV. of the houfe cif Caraffa. This policy, as has 
 been feen in the courfe of this work, was always to 
 prevent the pope from becoming too powerful in 
 Italy. 
 
 ^ The pope feems to have forgotten the council of 
 Trent. All his thoughts are bent upon making war 
 in the kingdom of Naples and the Milanefe with the 
 affiflance of France, to procure if poffible, thefe 
 principalities for his nephews. In cafe that Henry II. 
 fhall turnifh new troops, he engages to join them 
 with 10,000 men. 
 
 The war begins to grow bri/ker than ever. Charles 
 faw it impoflible for him to have one peaceful moment. 
 He was tormented by the gout, and the weight of 
 fuch a variety of affairs became painful to him. He 
 had for a long time born a principal part in all the 
 transaaions of Europe. He refolves to finifh his 
 courfe by the moft fmgular aftion of his life, that of 
 abdicating his crowns and the empire. 
 
 H 2 While
 
 CHARLES V. 
 
 While he prepared to renounce fo many fovereign- 
 ties that he might feclude himfelf in a monaftery, 
 he confirms the liberty of the Protefhnts in the diet 
 of Augfburg. He gives up to them the ecclefiaftical 
 revenues upon which they had feized, and on their 
 account the form of oath adminiftered to the coun- 
 c'ellors of the imperial chamber is changed to fwear- 
 ing by the gofpel, inftead of by the faints as for- 
 merly. Thus does the conqueror of Mulberg give 
 way to neceffity, and on the eve of afluming the mon- 
 Jcifh cowl ads like a philofopher. 
 
 On the 24th of November he gives up the Low- 
 countries to his fon Philip in prefence of the ftates 
 i'ilcmbJed at Bruffels, and Spain and the new world, 
 together with the hereditaiy province, on the loth 
 of the enfuing January. 
 
 He pardons his kinfman O&avio Farnefe, giving 
 up to him Placentia and the Novarefe, after which 
 he prepares himfelf to furrender the empire to his 
 brother the king of the Romans. 
 
 All things disgufted him. The Turks were matters 
 of part of Hungary as far as Buda, and troublefome 
 to the reft. The Tranfylvanians bore impatiently 
 their yoke. Proteftantifm fpread itfelf in Auftria, 
 and the emperor had for a long time determined to 
 .diveft himfelf of fo many cares. Burdened with a 
 premature and infirm old age, yet mafter of a foul 
 tree from iilufion, not being able to cede the empire to 
 his fon he gives it up tJ his brother, demanding pre- 
 vioufly theconfent of the holy fee ; he who certainly 
 had not made this demand when elected emperor 
 himfelf. 
 
 Pope Paul III. abufes the fubmifiion of Charles V. 
 by fendirg him a refiifal. This pontif was extremely 
 well fatisfied to fee him quit the empire, and to mo;- 
 tify him at the fame time. 
 
 Charles
 
 CHARLES V. 173 
 
 Charles V. without confulting the pope any more, 
 fends his abdication to Bruflels on the lyth of Sep- 
 tember 1556, and in the 36th year of his reign. 
 
 The prince of Orange carries the crown and im- 
 perial fcepter to Ferdinand. Charles foon after em- 
 barks for Spain, and fliuts himfelf up at Eftremadura 
 in the monaftery of St. Jultus, of the order of St. 
 Jerome. 
 
 It is a common notion, that he repented of this 
 proceeding ; but this is an opinion founded merely 
 upon human weaknefs, which believes it impoffibla 
 to quit without regret that which is fo furioufly en- 
 vied by the world. Charles abfolutely no more thought 
 of that theater on which he had played fo confider- 
 ab!c a part, nor yet of the world which he had 
 troubled. 
 
 Paul IV. engages the ecclefiaftical electors neither 
 to accept of the difmiffian of Charles V. nor to 
 acknowledge Ferdinand. It was his buiinefs to fow 
 the feeds of difcord in the empire, his power in Italy 
 acquiring thence new ftrength ; and in truth all the 
 ab of the empire were publifhed in the name of 
 Charles V. until his death ; a fail as important as it 
 is true, and yet not taken notice of by any hiftoruui. 
 
 FERDINAND I. 
 
 FORTY SECOND EMPEROR. 
 
 iff?- 
 
 TH E abdication of Charles V. leaves confirmed 
 the power of the German princes. The houfe 
 of Auftria, divided into two branches, is as yet the 
 rnoft confiderable in Europe ; but the Spanifh branch, 
 far fuperior to the other, intirely ingrofled by views 
 very different from that of the empire, no longer 
 H 3 per-
 
 i74 FERDINAND I. 
 
 permits the Spanifh, Italian, and Flemifh troops to 
 contribute to the imperial greatnefs. 
 
 Ferdinand has very large pofieffions in Germany ; 
 but the Upper-Hungary, which is his, fcarcely af- 
 fords him Sufficiency to maintain fuch troops as were 
 neceflary to make head againft the Turks. The Bo- 
 hemians feemed to bear their yoke with regret, and 
 it is impoffible for Ferdinand to be powerful inde- 
 pendent of the Empire. 
 
 The firft year of his reign is diftinguiflied by the 
 diet of Ratisbon, which confirms the peace of reli- 
 gion by reconciling the houfe of Hefle to that of 
 Naflau. 
 
 The elector Palatine, and the elector of Saxony, and 
 the duke of Cleves, who were chofen as umpires, ad- 
 judge the counties of Darmftadt to Philip landgrave 
 of Hefle and the county of Diatz to William of 
 Naflau. 
 
 This year is marked by a foit of war, waged by 
 an archbifhop of Bremen of the houfe of Brunfwic 
 againft Friezeland, And here is evinced the vaft uti- 
 lity of the wife inftitution of circles, and of direc- 
 tors of circles feton foot by Frederic III. and Maxi- 
 milian. The aflembly of the circle of Lower-Saxony 
 re-eftablifhes peace. 
 
 At length, on the 28th of February, the electors 
 confirm the abdication of Charles and thefway of his 
 brother at Francfort. An embafly is fent to the 
 pope, which he refufes to receive, ftill pretending 
 Ferdinand not to be emperor. The ambafladors 
 proteft and then withdraw from Rome j Ferdinand 
 is not the lefs acknowledged in Germany. 
 
 The duchy of Schlefwic is ftill acknowledged in- 
 dependent of the empire. 
 
 On the 2ift of September 1558, happens that 
 great event Charles the Vth's death. It is well 
 
 known,
 
 FERDINAND I. 175 
 
 known, that thro' a whimfical fort of devotion, a 
 fhort time before his laft illnefs, he caufed his obfe- 
 quies to be celebrated, hrmfelf affifting as a mourner ; 
 nay that he was ftretched upon the bier in the 
 middle of the church of St. Juftice while they fung 
 de profundis. In this laft action of his life he feemed. 
 to have pofTefled a little of the fpirit of Johanna his 
 mother, and yet upon a throne he had always con- 
 ducted himfelf like a politician, a hero, and a man. 
 not infenfible to his pleafures. How many contrarieties 
 united in his difpofition ! who, tho' pofTefled of more 
 than monkifli devotion was fuppofed at his death to 
 hold feveral of Luther's tentts. To what lengths 
 will not human weaknefs and extravagance extend ! 
 Maximilian would willingly be pope. Charles V. 
 tho' he died a monk, yet at his death is fufpe&ed of 
 herefy. 
 
 Since the funeral rites of Alexander nothing had 
 been fo fuperb as the obfequies of Charles V. in the 
 manner in which they were conducted in the principal 
 towns of his dominions. At Bruffels they coft 70,000 
 Ducats. Expences noble as thefe contribute to illuf- 
 trate the memory of a great man while they employ 
 and ene&irage arts : Yet more durable monuments 
 ought to have been rai fed than a fhow, paflable as 
 this, which is certainly far from being fufficient. 
 Something ought to be eredted to immortality. 
 
 Ferdinand holds a diet at Augfburg, in which the 
 ambafladors of Henry II. king of France are intro- 
 duced. France had juft made peace at Catan-Cam- 
 brelis with Philip II. king of Spain. The French by 
 this peace preferved in Italy only Turin and fome 
 other towns which they afterwards give up ; but they 
 kept Metz, Toul, and Verdun, which the emperor 
 might have demanded, yet it is hardly fpoken of in the 
 diet. It is barely hinted to the amballadors, that while 
 H 4 France
 
 *j6 FERDINAND I. 
 
 France keeps poffdfion of thefe three towns it will 
 be extremely hard for a good underftanding to fubfift 
 between France and Germany. 
 
 The new pope Pius IV. is not fo inflexible as 
 Paul IV. but foon acknowledges Ferdinand for em- 
 peror. 
 
 On the 29111 of November the council of Trent, 
 after having been fo long fufpended, is at length re- 
 eftablifhed by a bull of Pius IV. He gives notice of 
 the aflembling this council to all fovereigns ; he even 
 fignifies it to the proteftant princes of Germany. 
 But as the addrefs of his letters was To our mojl dear 
 fan, thofe who did not chufe to acknowledge them- 
 felves children of the pope fend back his letter un- 
 opened. 
 
 Livonia, which had hitherto belonged to the em- 
 pire, is divided from it and given up to Poland. The 
 knights of Livonia, who were a branch of the 
 knights of the Teutonic order, had been a long time 
 matters of this province under the imperlij' protec- 
 tion. But thefs knights, unable to refill: the Mufco- 
 vites, and receiving no fuccours from Germany, give 
 up this province to Poland. Sigismund, king of 
 Poland, confers the duchy of Poland and the dig- 
 nity of viceroy of Livonia on Godar Ketler. 
 
 The meetings of the council of Trent begin. 
 
 The ambaflador of Bavaria contends with that of 
 Venice for precedence. The Venetians are main- 
 tained in pofieffion of their rank. The communion 
 by bread and wine is one of the firft things difcufled 
 in this council. The council neither allows nor for- 
 bids it to the feculars. The decree barely impotts, that 
 
 the
 
 FERDINAND I. 177 
 
 the church has very juft reafons for prohibiting it, 
 and that the fathers (hall conduct themfelves in this 
 affair, in ti rely by the judgment of the pope, which 
 fhall be to them decifive. 
 
 On the 24-th of November, the electors at Franc- 
 fort unanimoufly declare Maximilian fon of Ferdi- 
 nand, king of the Romans. 
 
 All the electors aflift perfonally in their feveral 
 functions at this ceremony, according to the tenor of 
 the golden bull. This folemnity was rendered the 
 more glorious by the prefence of an ambaiTaclor from 
 Solyman, who ligns a peace between the two empe- 
 rors, whereby the limits of the Auftiian and Otto- 
 man Hungary are regulated. Solyman begins to grow 
 old, and is notfb terrible as he has been. Neverthe- 
 lefs this peace was of no long duration ; but it was 
 made at a time when the body of the empire was 
 cafy and happy. 
 
 This year is memorable for the diiTolution of the 
 council of Trent. This long council, which was 
 the bft general, neither ferved to foften nor fubdue 
 the enemies of the Roman church. They publilhed 
 fome edicts concerning difcipline, which werefcarce- 
 ly admitted in any catholic country, and were not 
 productive of any one great event. 
 
 The council of Bafil had rent the church and fet 
 up an anti-pope. That of Conftance kindled the 
 fires of perfecution and was the caufe of a thirty years 
 war. That of Lyons depofed an emperor, and drew 
 upon it his vengeance. That of Lateran ftriped count 
 Raymond of his dominion of Touloufe, and Gre- 
 gory VII. by the excommunication of f lenry IV. in 
 the eighth council of Rome, fjt all things in a flame. 
 The ^th council of Constantinople, which was held 
 againft Photius in the time of Charles the Bald y was 
 a fceneof many clifputes. The-fecond of Nicea, un- 
 H 5 der
 
 178 
 
 FERDINAND I. 
 
 derlreneus, was ftill more tumultuous and more dif- 
 turbed by the difputes about images. The difputes 
 of the Monothelites were very near making the third 
 council of Conftantinople a very bloody one. It is 
 well known that great divifions actuated the councils 
 held on account of Arius. The council of Trent 
 was the only one which had been conduced with 
 tranquillity. 
 
 15-64. 
 
 On the 25th of July, Ferdinand dies.- A will 
 that he had made twenty years before, that is in the 
 year 1543, and which he did not contradict in his 
 Jaft moments, fcattered afar the feeds of that war, 
 which difturbed Europe almoft 200 years after. 
 
 This famous teftament of 1543, appoints in cafe 
 of the failure of the male iflue of either Ferdinand 
 or Charles V. that the Auftrian territories fhall revert 
 to. his daughter Ann and her iflue. She was the fe- 
 cond daughter of Ferdinand, and wife to Albert II. 
 duke of Bavaria. This forefeen event happened in 
 our days, and embroiled all Euiope. Many unhappy 
 occurrences had been prevented, if the will of Fer- 
 dinand, as well as the marriage contract of his daugh- 
 ter had been more clearly exprefled. 
 
 It may be remarked, that this Ann duchefs of 
 Bavaria afTumed the title of queen of Hungary in 
 her marriage contract, as well as the reft of her fitters. 
 They might indeed have called her queen without her 
 being one, as (he was called archduchefs without 
 pcfleifing any archduchy. However this cuftom was 
 not followed. 
 
 Ferdinand be/ides, by his Lift will, left Hungary, 
 Bohemia, and the Upper and Lower Auftria to his 
 fon Maximilian king of the Romans. 
 
 To his fecond fon Ferdinand he bequeathed Ti- 
 rol and the anterior Auftria. 
 
 TO
 
 MAXIMILIAN I. 179 
 
 To Charles, Stiria, Carinthia, Carniola, and all 
 his pofieffions in Iftria. 
 
 The Auftrian dominions were at that time all di- 
 vided ; but the empire which ftill remained in that 
 houfe, was theftandard to which all the princes of that 
 ho life re- united. 
 
 Ferdinand was neither crowned at Lombardy nor 
 Rome. The inutility of thefe ceremonies began to 
 be perceived, and it was much more eflential for the 
 two principal branches of the imperial houfe, Spain 
 and Auftria, to hold a good intelligence. It is that 
 which" renders Italy fubmiflive, and brings the holy fee. 
 to a dependence upon that houfe,. 
 
 MAXIMILIAN II. 
 
 FOURTY-THIRD EMPEROR. 
 
 Til E empire, as we have already feen, without 
 ceafing to be elective becomes hereditary. The 
 emperors fince the time of Charles V. defift from 
 croffing the Alps to feek either an iron crown or one 
 of gold. The power of moft weight in Italy was 
 that of Philip II. , who, tho' at the fame time a vaffal 
 to the empire and to the holy fee, governed not only 
 in Italy but in Rome by his politics, and by the riches 
 of the new world, only the firft gleanings of which 
 his father had poflefied, but he enjoyed its real fweets. 
 The empire under Maximilian II. as under Fer- 
 dinand I. was certainly Germany, Paramount of 
 Lombardy ; but this Lombardy being in the hands 
 of Philip II. belonged rather to an ally than a vafTa). 
 Hungary became a dominion of the houfe of Au- 
 ftria, a dominion that incefiantly oppofed the TV. 
 and was as it were the bulwark of Germany. 
 
 H 6
 
 180 MAXIMILIAN II. 
 
 Maximilian in the firft year of his reign is obliged* 
 as his father and grand- father had been before, to 
 carry on a war againft Solyman. 
 
 This Sultan, who had defeated the generals of 
 Charles V. and of Ferdinand, makes war in the 
 latter part of his life by his lieutenants. Tranfilvania 
 furniflied him with a pretext, where he wanted always 
 to name a tributary Vaivode, and John Sigismund 
 fon to that queen of Hungary, who had ceded her 
 jights for fome villages in Siiefia, had put his heredi- 
 tary dominions under the Sultan's protection, chufing 
 jather to be a fovereign and tributary to the Turks 
 than a fimple lord.. The war is carried on in Hun- 
 gary, and in the month of January Maximilian's 
 generals take Tokai. Auguftus elector of Saxony 
 is the only prince who aflifts the emperor in this war. 
 The thoughts of all the princes both catholic and pro- 
 teftant, were bent upon ftrengthening themfelves. 
 Religion at that time ingroiTed the attention of the 
 people more than it had ever divided them. The 
 greateft part of the catholics in Bavaria, Auftria, 
 Hungary,and Bohemia, in acknowledging the council 
 of Trent, ftipulate barely that they {hall be admitted 
 to communion with bread and wine; and the priefts, 
 who before the breaking up of the council of Trent 
 had been permitted to marry, defire that they may 
 keep their wives. Maximilian II. prefers thefe two 
 requefts to the pope. Pope Pius IV. to whom the 
 council had left the decifion of the facrament, allows 
 the German laity to communicate as they pleafe, but 
 refufes leave to the priefts to marry ; befides the 
 Jaity were afterwards deprived of wine in their com- 
 munion. 
 
 A treaty is made with the Turks who frill remain 
 mailers of Buda, and the prince of Tranfilvania con- 
 tinues under their protection. 
 
 Solyman
 
 MAXIMILIAN II. 181 
 
 Solyman fends Bacha Muftapha to befiege Zigeth. 
 Nothing is better known than this fiege, in which 
 the fortune of Solyman expired. 
 
 1566. 
 
 Notwithftanding the weaknefs of the imperial 
 power ever fince the treaty of Paflau, the legislative 
 authority was {till vefted in the emperor, and was 
 pretty effective when the princes with whom it had 
 to deal were not too puiffant. 
 
 Maximilian II. employs this authority againft John 
 Albert duke of Mecklenburg and Ulric his brother, 
 each of whom pretends to equal rights upon the town 
 of Roftock, from which the inhabitants of the town 
 prove themfelves to be exempt, whom the two bro- 
 thers make war againft and unite in plundering. 
 
 The emperor has the credit of terminating this 
 difference by an imperial commiflion. 
 
 Solyman's fleet takes the town of Chio from the 
 Venetians. Maximilian thence takes occafion xo 
 demand in the diet of Augsburg more powerful fuc- 
 cours than had been granted to Charles V. in the 
 time that Solyman was before Vienna. The diet 
 orders foldiers to be raifed for him and grant him 
 the Roman months for three years, a thing that they 
 had never done before. 
 
 Count Serin, who commanded in Zigeth, is killed 
 in defending if, after having with his own hand fet 
 the town on fiie. The grand Vifier fends his head 
 to Maximilian with this meflage, that he ought to 
 have hazarded his own head incoming to the de- 
 fence of that town, fince he had under his command 
 1 20, ooo men. 
 
 The army of Maximilian, the death of Solyman, 
 and the approach of winter, all contributed to flop 
 the progrefs of the Turks. 
 
 The ill fuccefs of the imperial campaign was laid 
 hold of by the fhtes of Auftria and Bohemia to fupport 
 
 their
 
 182 MAXIMILIAN II. 
 
 their demand of the free exeicife of their religion, 
 according to the confeilion of Augsburg. 
 
 About this time begin the troubles of the Low- 
 countries, and Calvinifm had already fet France in a 
 flame; but Maximilian more happy than Philip II. 
 or the king of France, abfolutely refufed his fubje&s 
 liberty of confcience, and his army, which had done 
 him but little fervice againft the Turks, maintains 
 him in tranquillity at home. 
 
 If 67. 
 
 This year was pregnant with misfortunes heaped 
 upon the ancient branch of the electoral houfe of 
 Saxony, which Charles V. had deprived of the elec- 
 torate. 
 
 This electorate given, as we have feen, to s the 
 younger branch, ought to have been an object of the 
 Elder's regret. A gentleman named Groumbach, 
 who was profcribed with many of his accomplices for 
 divers crimes, retired to Gotha the refidence of John 
 Frederic, fon to him from whom the duchy and elec- 
 torate of Saxony had been taken after the battle of 
 Mulberg. 
 
 Groumbach had principally in view the avenging 
 himfelf upon Auguftus ele6tor of Saxony, to whom 
 the care of carrying the profecution againft Groum- 
 bach into execution was committed. He had aflb- 
 ciated himfelf with feveral villains together with 
 whom he fubfifted upon robbery and pillage, in con- 
 cert with whom he fets on foot a defign of affaffinat- 
 ing the elector. One of the confpirators being taken 
 at Drefden confefles the plot. The elector Au- 
 guftus marches his troops under an imperial com-mif- 
 iion to Gotha. Groumbach, whom the duke of 
 Gotha protend, was then in the town, together 
 with feveral foldiers refolutely determined to {hare his 
 fortune be it what it might. The duke of Gotha's 
 troops and the citizens defend their town, but are at 
 
 length
 
 MAXIMILIAN II. 183 
 
 length forced to furrender. The duke John Frederic, 
 as unfortunate as his father, is arrefted, carried to 
 Vienna, and thence transferred to Naples, while his 
 dominions are given to his brother William. Groum- 
 bach and his accomplices are inftantaneoufly exe- 
 cuted. 
 
 If 68. 
 
 The troubles of the Low -countries increafe. 
 William the filent. prince of Orange, now head of 
 a party, who founded the republic of the united pro- 
 vinces, applies himfelf to the emperor as the prin- 
 cipal chief of the Low-countries, which were always 
 looked upon as belonging to the empire : and in 
 effe& the emperor fends his brother Charles of 
 Auftria archduke of Gratz into Spain to foften 
 Philip II. but he can neither prevail upon the king 
 of Spain nor hinder moft of the proteftant princes 
 of Germany from aflifting the prince of Orange. 
 
 The duke of Alba, that bloody governor of the 
 Low-countries, preffes the emperor to deliver up 
 to him the prince of Orange, who was at that time 
 levying troops in Germany. The reply of Maxi- 
 milian was, that the fupreme jurisdiction of the Low- 
 countrics being vefted in the empire, he ought for 
 this purpofe to addrefs himfelf to the imperial diet. 
 Such an anfwer fhewed very fufficiently, that the 
 prince of Orange was a man whom they dared not 
 arreft. 
 
 The emperor, without intermeddling at all in the 
 quarrel, leaves the prince of Orange at the head of 
 one party of German troops to make war upon 
 another party of German troops. It was however 
 natural for him to afiifthis coufin Philip in this affair; 
 the more fo, as he had made peace that very fame 
 year with Selim II. fucceffbr to the great Solyman. 
 But apparently after this peace he was allowed no 
 more Roman months. 
 
 Yet fo far was he from affifting his coufin the king 
 
 of
 
 184 MAXIMILIAN II. 
 
 of Spain in the reduction of hii fubjeds in the Low- 
 countries who demand liberty of conference, that he 
 appears to difapprove the condud of Philip in foon 
 after permitting the Auftrians to adopt the confeflion 
 of Augsburg. He^ afterwards promifts the pope to 
 revoke that permiilion. All thefe things manifeft his 
 authority to be weak, confined, and unftable. It 
 had been faid, that Maximilian feared the enemies 
 of his communion as too powerful a party ; and indeed 
 the houfe of Brandenburg was intirely proteftant. A 
 fon of the eledor John George, chofen archbifhop 
 of Magdeburg, publicly profefled the proteftant reli- 
 gion. A bifhpp of Verdun does the fame. The 
 duke of Brunfwick Julius alfo embraced that reli- 
 gion, his fubjeds already profeffing it. The elector 
 Palatine^ and moft of his country profcfs proteftan- 
 tifm. '-The catholic religion hardly fubfifted any 
 longer ra Germany, but with the ecc.'efiaftical elec- 
 tors, the epifcopal territories and in the abbeys, as 
 well as fome commanderies of the Teutonic order, in 
 the hereditary dominions of the houfes of Auftria and 
 Bavaria; and even there were many proteftants as 
 well as in Bohemia; all thefe things authonfed the 
 liberty Maximilian gave to the proteftant religion in 
 Auftria; but there is another ftronger reafon added; 
 that is, the ftates of Auftria had on this account pro- 
 mifed him confiderable fubfidics. 
 
 If 69. 
 
 In the midft of thefe wars of religion and politics 
 behold a difpute founded en vanity. Cofmo II. 
 duke of Florence and Alphonfo duke of Ferrara 
 contend for precedency. Rank had been fettled in 
 Germany by the diets ; but there being no diets ia 
 Italy, the difputes about rank remained ftill undeter- 
 mined. Thefe two dukes were both related to the 
 emperor. Francis the hereditary prince of Florence 
 and the duke of Ferrara had each of them married" 
 
 Mers
 
 MAXIMILIAN II. 185 
 
 fitters of Maximilian. The two dukes leave their 
 difference to his arbitration. But pope Pius V. who 
 looked upon the duke of Ferrara as his feudatory and 
 the duke of Florence as his ally, haftens to give a 
 new title to Cofmo, conferring upon him with much 
 ceremony fhe dignity of great duke, as if the bare 
 word great made fome vaft edition to power. Maxi- 
 milian is extremely irritated at the pope's arrogating 
 to himfelf a right of giving titles to the feudatories 
 of the empire, and of anticipating his judgment. The 
 duke of Florence pretends that he is no feudatory. 
 The pope maintains, that he has not only the power 
 of making great dukes but kings. The difpute grows 
 worfe. But at length the great duke, who was very 
 rich, was acknowledged by the emperor. 
 
 If 70- . 
 
 This year was held the diet of Spire, in which 
 moft of the dominions of the unhappy duke of Gotha, 
 who remains confined in Naples, are reftored to his 
 children. A peace is alfo there concluded between 
 the emperor and John Sigismund prince of Tranfil- 
 vania, who is acknowledged fovereign of that pro- 
 vince, renouncing his title of king of Hungary. A 
 title vain above all others ! fince one part of the 
 kingdom was pofiefTed by the French, and the reft 
 belonged to the Turks. 
 
 The great differences, which had fo long troubled 
 the peace of the North on account of Livonia, were 
 there terminated. Sweden, Denmark, Poland, and 
 Mufcovy, all difputed about this province j and yet 
 in Germany it was looked upon as a province of the 
 empire. Sigismund king of Sweden cedes all his 
 pofleffions in Livonia to Maximilian. The reft is 
 put under the protection of the king of Denmark ; 
 they unite to prevent it from falling into the hands 
 of the Mufcovites. The town of Lubec is com- 
 prehended in this treaty as a principal party. All its 
 
 commer-
 
 186 MAXIMILIAN II. 
 
 commercial priveleges with Sweden and Denmark 
 are confirmed: This town became ftiii more 
 powerful. 
 
 The Venetians, whom the Turks were every day 
 defpoiling of fome town or other, had made a league 
 with the pope and the king of Spain. The emperor 
 refufes to come in to it fearing to bring the Ottoman 
 forces into Hungary, and Philip IJ. accedes merely 
 thro' form. 
 
 The governor of the Milanefe raifes troops to 
 enable him to feize upon the marquifate of Final 
 belonging to the houfe of Caretto. The Genoefe 
 had alfo an eye upon this fpot of ground, and were 
 troublefome to the proprietor of it. France might 
 have affifted them. The marquis of Caretto was at 
 Vienna, wherein quality of vaflal of the empire he 
 demanded juftice, and in the mean time Philip II. 
 feizes upon his dominions, finding eafily means of 
 prevailing in the imperial council. 
 
 After the death of Sigismund II. king of Poland, 
 the laft of the race of Jagellon, Maximilian, under- 
 hand makes intereft for the throne, which he flat- 
 ters himfelf the republic of Poland will offer him by 
 ambafly. 
 
 The fecret mtrigues of Maximilian prove fruitlefs, 
 for the republic, looking upon their throne to be 
 worth the trouble of alking for, fend no ambafly. 
 
 The duke of Anjou, one of the competitors, is 
 elected on the ift of May, to the great difcontent 
 of the proteftant princes of Germany, who cannot, 
 without horror, behold fo near them a man ftained 
 with blood in the malTacre of St. Bartholomew. 
 
 If 74.
 
 MAXIMILIAN II. 187 
 
 The prince of Orange, who fupported himfelf in the 
 Low-countries by his valour and reputation againft 
 all the power of Philip II. holds an aflembly of the 
 lords and deputies from the principal towns of his 
 party at Dordrecht, whither the emperor fends an 
 imperial commifTary, apparently to fupport the ma- 
 jefty of the empire, and manage an accommodation 
 between Philip and the confederates. 
 
 Maximilian caufes his eldeft fon Rodolphus to be 
 elected king of the Romans in the diet of Ratisbon. 
 Thro' long cuftom, the fear c f the Turks, and the 
 convenience of having a chief able to fupport the im- 
 perial dignity by his own power, the poffeffion of the 
 imperial throne became neceflarily lodged in the houfe 
 of Auftria. 
 
 The princes of the empire were not lefs matters of 
 their own rights. The elector Palatine furnifhed 
 troops to the Calvinifts of France, while thofe of the 
 Low-countries were affifted by other princes. 
 
 The crown of France devolving to the duke of 
 Anjou king of Poland by the death of Charles IX. 
 he quits Roland as if he fled from a prifon, and that 
 throne being confequently declared vacant, Maximi- 
 lian at length has the credit to get himfelf elected king 
 of Poland on the i5th of December. 
 
 But an oppofing faction put a moft atrocious 
 affront upon Maximilian, proclaiming king, Stephen 
 Battori Vaivod of Tranfilvania, the Sultan's vaflal : 
 a man looked upon in the count of Vienna as a rebel 
 and an ufurper.. The Polanders marry to him the 
 fitter of Sigismund Auguftus the laft of the blood of 
 the Jagellons. 
 
 John Czar of Mufcovy offers to take the part of 
 Maximilian, hoping thereby to regain Livonia. The 
 court of Mufcovy, unpolifhed as it was in thofe 
 
 days,
 
 i88 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 days, had neverthelefs the fame views it has fo glo- 
 rioufly manifefted in thefe. 
 
 The Ottoman court threatens to fide with Stephen 
 Battori againft the emperor. Thus politics appear to 
 have been then the fame that they are now. 
 
 Maximilian endeavours to engage the emperor in 
 his quarrel ; but the proteftants inftead of afiifting him 
 to become more powerful, content themfelves with 
 foliating in the diet free liberty for the pioteftant 
 noblefle of the ecclefiaftical countries publicly to pro- 
 fefs the Augsburg confeffion. 
 
 Maximilian uncertain of being able to fupport his 
 election to the crown of Poland, departs this life on 
 the i2th of Auguft, aged 49. 
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 FORTY- FOURTH EMPEROR. 
 
 1577- 
 
 RODOLPHUS, who had been crowned king of 
 the Roman in the life of his father, holds the 
 reins of the empire with a feeble hand. There were 
 no other articles than thofe of Charles V. In the diets 
 all things were conducted as ufual. There were the 
 fame manners, the fame intereft ; and the fame form 
 of government ftill prevailed. Rodolphus barely pro- 
 mifes in the firft diet held at Francfort, to conform 
 himfelf to the regulation of the preceding diets. It is 
 remarkable, that in this diet the German princes pro- 
 pofed the appeafmg the difturbances in the Low- 
 countries by curtailing the authority, as well as the 
 feverity of Philip II. fhewing thereby that the interefts 
 of the princes and lords of Flanders were very dear to 
 them, and that they would endeavour as much as 
 pofiible to prevent the eldeft branch of Auftria from 
 opprefling its vafTals, whereby it fet an example to 
 the younger to tyrannize over theirs. Such
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 189 
 
 Such was the fpirit of the Germanic body ; and it 
 was evident that the emperor Rodolphus was not 
 more abfolute than Maximilian, fince he could not 
 prevent his brother the archduke Matthias from accep- 
 ting the government of the Low-countries on account 
 of the confederates who are armed againft Philip II. 
 ib that on the one hand is feen Don John of Auftria 
 natural fon to Charles V. governing Flanders in the 
 name of Philip II. and the rebels headed on the other 
 by his nephew Matthias. The emperor remains 
 neuter, while Germany furnifhes each fide with mer- 
 cenaries. 
 
 Rodolphus is not more difturbed by the irruptions 
 which the. Mufcovites made at that time in Livonia. 
 
 If 78* 
 
 The Low- countries become a theater of war, con- 
 fufion, and politics. Philip II, in having neglected to 
 endeavour the reftoration of order in proper time, as 
 Charles V. would have done, commits a fault never to 
 be repaired. The arch-dukeMatthias contributing fcarce 
 ly more than his name to the caufe of the confe- 
 derates, had lefs power than the prince of Orange, 
 while the prince of Orange had not fufficient to fend 
 him afliftance. The prince palatine Cafnnir, tutor 
 to the young elector Frederic IV. who had marched 
 into France with a little army to the afliftance of the 
 proteftants, comes with the remainder of this army 
 and fome new troops to aflift theirs and the caufe 
 of the revolters in the Low countries. The brother 
 of Henry III. king of France, who bore the title of 
 duke of Anjou, altho' a catholic, was called in to 
 the affiftance of the confederates. Thus there were 
 four powers endeavouring each to profit by thefe dif- 
 turbances, the arch- duke, prince Cafimir the duke of 
 Anjou, and the prince of Orange, the whole four difu- 
 nited , and Don John of Auftria famous for the 
 battle ofLepanto, lingly oppofcd them all. It is ad- 
 vanced.
 
 190 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 vanced, that this fame Don John afpired to the 
 fovereignty. So many troubles fprung from Philip's 
 having abufed his power, and his not having fuppor- 
 ted that abufe by his prefence. 
 
 Without any proof whatfoever, and purely from a 
 defire of rendring him odious, Philip II. is accufed of 
 having haftencd the death of his brother, Don John of 
 Auftria, who departed this life on the ift of O&ober. 
 
 If 79> 
 
 During the defolation of the Low-countries, and 
 while that great commander Alexander Farnefe, 
 prince of Parma fucceflbr of Don John, fupports the 
 caufe of Philip II. and of the catholic religion by 
 arms, Rodolphus, like his father, takes up the office 
 of mediator. The crown of France and Elifabeth 
 queen of England furnim the confederates with men 
 and money, and the emperor affifts Philip only by 
 good offices, which are ineffectual. Rodolphus was 
 not fufficiently efficacious for his character, nor was 
 he fufficiently powerful from the form which the 
 empire had taken. His mediation is eluded by both 
 parties. The inflexible Philip II. abfolutely refufes 
 liberty of confcience, and the Prince of Orange chu- 
 fes not to accept of a peace which would reduce 
 him to the character of a private man. 
 
 XfgO. 
 
 The Prince of Orange had found the fecret of 
 refifting Farnefe, aud to rid himfelf of the arch-duke 
 Matthias. This arch-duke lays down his equivocal 
 government, and demands a penfion from the ftates, 
 which they affign him upon the epifcopal revenues of 
 Utrecht. 
 
 if8i. 
 
 Matthias withdraws ftorri the Low-countries, 
 having done nothing but ftipulated for his penfion, 
 one half of which they retrench. The States General 
 
 by
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 by a public edi&, dated July 26. in a legal manner 
 ron off the Government of the king of Spain, but 
 do not deny their belonging to the empire. Their 
 fituation in refpecl of Gcrmanyremains undetermined, 
 and the duke of Anjou, who had been ele&ed duke 
 of Brabant, endeavouring to inflave the nation that 
 he came to defend, is difconcerted and obliged to 
 retire in the year i 583, leaving the prince of Orange 
 more powerful than ever. 
 
 Pope Gregory XIII. having fignalized his pontificate 
 by reforming the calendar, the proteftant princes not 
 only of Germany but of all Europe oppofe the re- 
 ception of this neceflary reformation. They had no 
 other reafon for it, but that of its being Rome that 
 adminiftred this fervice. They feared making that 
 court appear too refpe&able mould they receive 
 inl1ruc~lions from it j and that mould the people 
 receive aftronomical laws from it, they perhaps would 
 not refufe its religious ones. The emperor is obliged 
 in the diet of Augsburg to appoint the imperial cham- 
 ber to obferve the Julian ftile, made in the time of 
 Casfar, which, tho' it had been then good, was now 
 bad. 
 
 A very extraordinary event difturbs the empire this 
 year. Gebhard de Truchfes, archbifhop of Cologne, 
 who was no prieft, had embraced the confeffion of 
 Augfburg, and at Bonn was privately married to 
 Agnes de Mansfield a nun of the monaitery of Gue- 
 lichen. It was no extraordinary thing for a bifhop 
 to marry ; but this biftiop was en elector. He wanted 
 to efpoufe his wife publicly, and to keep his electo- 
 rate. An electorate is certainly a fecular dignity. It 
 might have happened very eafily, that the electorate of 
 Cologne had been divided from the arcbbiftioprir, that 
 the prelate had been at the fame time a lutheran biftiop 
 and an elector. At that time the only catholic elec- 
 
 tors
 
 R O D O L P H U S II. 
 
 tors were the king of Bohemia, the archibifhops of 
 Mentz and of Triers. The empire feems well 
 nigh falling into the hands of the proteftants, 
 and that alone might have given a new face to the 
 affairs of Europe. 
 
 Gebhard de Truchfes endeavours, without fuccefs, 
 to introduce lutheranifm in Cologne. The chapter 
 and fenate were much more attached to the catholic 
 religion, fharing inagreat meafure the fovereigntywith 
 the elector, which they were afraid to lofe. In effect 
 the elector, tho' a Ibvereign, was far from being abfo- 
 lute. Cologne is an imperial town, governed by its 
 magiftrates. Soldiers are raifed on every fide, and 
 the archbifhop fights for his miftrefs with fuccefs. 
 
 The proteftant princes take part with the elector 
 of Cologne. The elector Palatine, and the electors 
 of Saxony and Brandenburg write in his favour to 
 the emperor, to the chapter and fenate of Cologne ; 
 but proceeded no farther, and as they had no perfonal 
 intereft that fhould induce them to make war on ac- 
 count of this marriage, at leaft at prefent, they do not. 
 
 Truchfes is- only aflifted by fome petty princes. 
 The archibifhop of Bremen, who had married as well 
 as he, brings fome cavalry to his afiiftance. The 
 count de Solmes and fome lutheran gentlemen of 
 Weftphalia fend him troops in the heat of the difpute. 
 The prince of Parma on the other hand fends in 
 his favour to the chapter. A canon of the ancient 
 houfe of Saxony, which is the fame as that of Brunf- 
 wic, commands the army of the chapter, and pre- 
 tends it to be a holy war. 
 
 The elector of Cologne, having now nothing to 
 care for, celebrates his marriage publicly at Rofen- 
 dale, during this petty war. The emperor Rodo!- 
 phus concerned himfelf no farther in this affair, than 
 in exhorting the archbilhop to quit his church and his 
 
 electorate;
 
 RoDOLPHtfS II. 193 
 
 electorate; but he determines to preferve both his 
 nun and his religion. 
 
 Pope Gregory XIII. excommunicates him as a 
 rotten member, and orders the election of a new 
 archbifhop. This bull of the pope caufes the pro- 
 teftant princes to rebel; but they only make fome 
 motions. Erneft of Bavaria, bifhop of Liege, of 
 Frifmguen, and Hildefheim, is chofen elector of Co- 
 logne, and maintains his election by force of arms. 
 
 The prince Palatine, Cafimir, is the only perfon 
 who at that time aflifts the dethroned elector ; and 
 even that was for a very fliort time. The town of 
 Bonn was very foon the only one which Truchfes could 
 call his own. The troops which had been fent by the 
 duke of Parma, join his rival, and lay fiege to Bonn, 
 which is foon obliged to furrender. 
 
 if 84- 
 
 The old elector ftill wrcftles with his ill fortune. 
 He has fomc few troops left. Thefe are defeated. 
 And at length, being neither fufficiendy able nor 
 happy to arm any confiderable potentates in his favour, 
 he has no other refource but that of retiring to the 
 Hague, where, under the protection of the prince of 
 Orange, he leads a life, even beneath indifferent, 
 The interior parts of the empire are at peace. The 
 catholics in general acknowledge the new calendar. 
 The treaty with the Turks is prolonged; but in truthj 
 at thecoft of a tribute, and Rodolphus imagines him- 
 felf happy enough in being able to purchafe p'eace 
 from Amurath III. 
 
 Led by the example of Gebhard de Truchfes two 
 other bifhops renounce their bifhopricks ; the one is a 
 fon of William, duke of Cleves, who quits the 
 diocefe of Munftcr, that he may be able to marry ; 
 the other is the bifhop of Minden of the houfe of 
 Brunfwic. 
 
 VOL. II. I I5 86.
 
 194 R'OPOLPHUS II. 
 
 Fanaticifm does that for Philip II. which he had 
 vainly endeavoured for, thro' a ten years war ; that is, 
 delivers him from the prince of Orange. 
 
 This illuftrious founder of the liberty of the united 
 provinces is aflafiinated by Balthazar Gerrard a na- 
 tive of Franchr-corate. An attempt of this nature had 
 been before eflayed by a Bifcanneer, named Jaurigni, 
 but he was cured of the wound. Salcede had con- 
 fpired againft his life, and it is obfervable, that Jau- 
 rigni and Gerrard had received the facrament as pre- 
 paratives to this action. 
 
 Maurice IPs fon fucceds him at the age of 18. It 
 was he who was afterwards the grcatefl general in 
 Europe. The proteftant princes of Germany give 
 him no affiftance, tho' it was for the intereft of their 
 religion; but they fend troops into France to the king 
 of Navarre afterwards Henry IV. becaufe the Cal- 
 vinift party in France were able to pay their foldiers, 
 and Maurice was not. 
 
 Prince Maurice ftill continues the war in the Low- 
 countries againft Alexander Farnefe. He levies fome 
 troops among the proteftants of Germany at the ex- 
 pence of the ftates of Holland. This was all the fuc- 
 cotir that he could pofiibly procure. 
 
 A new throne offers itfelf to the houfe of Auftria, 
 which honour contributes to (hew ftill more how very 
 low was he credit of Rodolphus. 
 
 Stephen Batori Vaivodc of Tranfilvania and king 
 of Poland, dying on the I3th of December 1586, 
 Fedor, Czar of Mufcovy, enters the lifts to fucceed 
 him; but is unanimoufly rejected. One faction de- 
 clares for Sigifmund king of Sweden fon to John HI. 
 by a princefs of the blood of the Jagellons ; another 
 faction proclaims the emperos's brother, Maximilian. 
 
 They
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 195 
 
 They both march into Poland at the head of their 
 troops. Maximilian being defeated, retires to Silefia 
 while his competitor is crowned. 
 
 Maximilian is a fecond time defeated by Zamofki 
 the polifh general. He is fhut up in a caflle near 
 Lublin, and his brother Rodolphus can do no more 
 for him, than intreat Philip II. to engage pope Sixtus 
 V. to write in favour of the prifoner. 
 
 If 89- 
 
 Maximilian is at laftfet at liberty, having renounced 
 all title to the kingdom of Poland. He has an in- 
 terview with Sigismund before his departure. It is 
 remarkable that the title of majefty was not given to 
 him ; becaufe in Germany it was taken by none 
 but the emperor. 
 
 If 90. 
 
 The only event which now regards the empire is 
 the war in the Low-countries, which lays wafte the 
 frontiers on the banks of the Rhine and the neighbour- 
 hood of Weftphalia. The Circle of thefe provinces 
 'content themfelves with complaining of each party. 
 The languid fpirit of the head had by this time infefted 
 the members of the empire. 
 
 15-91. 
 
 Henry IV. who had his kingdom of France to con- 
 quer, fends Vifcount Turenne into Germany to bar- 
 gain for troops with fome of the proteftant princes. 
 The emperor vainly oppoles him. Chriftiern, elec- 
 tor of Saxony, influenced by Vifcount Turenne, fup- 
 pJies him both with men and money j but he died while 
 this army was on the road to France, whereby only an 
 inconiiderable part of it reached that kingdom. No- 
 thing material beiides happened at this time in Ger- 
 many. 
 
 I 2 1592.
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 196 
 
 A civil war is occafioned by a nomination to the 
 
 bifhopric of Strafburg, as had very lately happened at 
 
 Cologne upon a very different account. The people 
 
 of Strafburg were proteftant. Their bifhop, who re- 
 
 fided at Saverne and was a catholic, dies. The pro- 
 
 teftants elect John George of Brandenburg a lu- 
 
 theran ; the catholics chufe the cardinal of Lorrain. 
 
 The emperor Rodolphus appoints by commiflion one 
 
 of his brothers the archduke Ferdinand, to appeafe the 
 
 difference and conduct the adminiftration. He is 
 
 acknowledged neither by catholics nor proteftants. 
 
 The cardinal of Lorrain fupports his right at the 
 
 head of 10,000 men. The cantons of Berne, Zu- 
 
 rich, and of Bafil, furnifh troops to the proteftant bi- 
 
 fhop. They are joined by a prince of Anhalt, who 
 
 returned from France where he had ferved unfuccefs- 
 
 fully Henry IV. This prince of Anhalt defeats the 
 
 cardinal of Lorrain. This affair is put into arbitra- 
 
 tion the following year, and in the year 1603, it was 
 
 at laft agreed, that the cardinal of Lorrain fhould 
 
 remain bifhop of Strafburg, paying 130,000 golden 
 
 crowns to John George of Brandenburg. It was 
 
 hardly poffible to purchafe a bifhopric at a much 
 
 dearer rate. 
 
 A much more confiderable affair roufes the indiffe- 
 rence of Rodolphus. Amurath II!. breaks the league 
 and the Turks already lay wafte [upper Hungary. 
 The duke of Bavaria and the archbifhop of Saltzburg 
 are the only perfons who as yet furnifh the emperor 
 with troops, joining theirs to thofe that are fupplied 
 by the emperor's hereditary dominions. 
 
 Ferdinand brother of Rodolphus had by his firft 
 wife, who was daughter to a Senator of -Augfburg, 
 a fon, named Charles of Auftria. This ion was 
 
 never
 
 RODOLPHUSII. 197 
 
 never acknowledged to be a prince ; but no man better 
 deferved to be one. A confiderable body of troops 
 were under his command. A count Montecuculi, 
 led another party. This was a name, the owners of 
 which feemed to be ordained to fight fuccefsfully for 
 the houfe of Auftria. The Serini, the Nadaftis, and 
 the Pain's headed the Hungarian militia. The Turks 
 were worfted in feveral engagements, and the upper 
 Hungary at length fecured, Buda excepted, which 
 ftiil remained in the hands of the Ottomanns. 
 
 if 94- 
 
 The Turks had taken the field about the month 
 
 of June, and Rodolphus held a diet a Augfburg tb 
 confult upon mcafures of oppofition. Is it credible, 
 that a box was put up in all the churches of Germany 
 for charitable contributions ! This is the firft inftance 
 of a war being fupported by alms. However, the 
 Imperial and Hungarians troops, tho' but indifferently 
 paied, ftill fight with great courage. The command 
 of this army is conferred on the archduke Matthias 
 by his own defire. He is joined by the archduke 
 Maximilian, who in the name of the emperor his bro- 
 ther governs Carinthia and Croatia. Thefe cannot 
 hinder the Turks from taking the town of Javerin. 
 
 I&f. 
 
 Happily for the imperialifts Sigifmund Battori, 
 Vaivode of Tranfilvania, (hakes of the Turkifh for 
 the Imperial yoke. We often fee princes change 
 fides, oblig'd by the neceflky of their affairs to attach 
 themfclvcs to the more powerful of two protectors. 
 Battori fwcars fidelity and does homage to the 
 emperor for Tranfilvania and fome pofleffions in Hun- 
 gary. He agrees, that in cafe he fhall die without 
 male ifTue, his dominions (hall devolve to the em- 
 peror as king of Hungary, and in return he his pro- 
 milcd Chrillina daughter to the arch-duke Charles, 
 'together with the title of mojl illujlrious and the order 
 of the golden Fleece. 
 
 I 3 The
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 The compaign w?s very happy j but the chufch- 
 boxes fet up for the payment of the army not 
 being filled, the imperial troops rife and pillage part 
 of that country which they had been deftined to 
 defend. 
 
 I f<>6. 
 
 The arch-duke Maximilian commands this year 
 againft the Turks. The new Sultan 'Mahomet III. 
 enters Hungary in perfon, and lays fiege to Agria, 
 which furrenders upon condition ; but the garrifon is 
 maflacred going out of the town, and Mahomet en- 
 taged againflthe Aga of the Janizaries, for having 
 countenanced the perfidy, orders his head to be 
 ftruck off. 
 
 Mahomet defeats Maximilian in battle on the 26th 
 of October. 
 
 While the emperor Rodolphus remains at Vienna, 
 employed in diftillation,chemiftry, and fearching after 
 the philofopher's ftone, while his brother Maximilian 
 is beaten by the Turks, while Matthias meditates the 
 founding his own greatnefs upon the fluggifhnefs of 
 Rodolphus, one of his brothers called Albert, who 
 had obtained a cardinal's cap, and of whom before 
 this time we have fcarce heard any mention, is made 
 vernor of fuch part of the Low-countries as remains 
 in the hands of Philip II. He had in this government 
 fucceeded the arch -duke Erneft another of his bro- 
 thers, who died after having pofTeffed it upwards of 
 'two years without having done any one thing remark- 
 able. Very different was the conduct of cardinal 
 Albert of Auftria, who made war upon Henry IV. 
 with whom Philip II. had been at perpetual variance 
 ever fmce the death of Henry III. He takes Calais 
 and Ardres. 
 
 Henry IV. after much difficulty conqueror of the 
 league, feeks the afliftance of the proteftant princef, 
 which not obtaining he is forced to defend him (elf. 
 
 !f7-
 
 R O D O L P H U S II. 199 
 
 The Turks are ftill in Hungary. There is a rifing 
 of the pea/ants of Auftria, harrafled by the imperial 
 troops, and thereby they give a helping hand to the 
 defolation of the country. There is a neceffity for 
 fending fome difciplined troops againft them. This 
 was a favourable opportunity for the Turks. But 
 by fome ftrange fatality the upper Hungary was 
 always the boundary of their progrefs. The imperial 
 army this year owes its fafety to a revolt of the Ja- 
 nizaries. 
 
 If 98- 
 
 The county of Simeren by the death of the lafl in- 
 cumbent, falls to the elector Palatine. 
 
 Philip II. king of Spain dies, aged 72, after a reign 
 of 42 years. He had long difturbed part of Europe, 
 or had feis uncle Ferdinand, his coufin Maximilian, 
 nor his nephew Rodolphus ever forwarded his defigns, 
 neither had he in the leafl contributed to their gran- 
 deur. Some time before his death, he had given the 
 Low-countries to the infanta Ifabella his daughter, as 
 a portion in marrying the cardinal arch- duke Albert. 
 This was depriving his fon Philip III. and the crowa 
 of Spain of a moft beautiful province. But the troubles 
 which had wafted it for fome time, had rendered it 
 a burdenfom pofTeflion ; however it was fiipulated, 
 that it mould revert to the Spanifh crown in cafe of 
 the failure of male iflue in the arch-duke Albert, 
 which happened to be the cafe. 
 
 The driving the Turks out of upper Hungary be- 
 gins to be matter of deliberation. The diet grants 
 towards the.fupport of this war 20 Roman months. 
 
 The fame Sigismund Battori, who had renounced 
 the Turkifh protection, and done homage to the 
 emperor for Ti anfilvania, repents of his proceedings. 
 The fame territories which had belonged to the queen, 
 mother of Stephen John Sigismund j that is to fay, 
 I 4 Opelen,
 
 200 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 Oppelen, and Ratibor in Silefia, were given him in 
 exchange for his fovereignty and for Walachia. He 
 was as little fatisfied with his bargain as that queen 
 had been. He abandons Silefia and re-enters his 
 former dominions ; but always inconftant and weak, 
 he cedes them to a cardinal who was his coufin. 
 This cardinal by name Andrew Battori, immediately 
 puts himfelf under the protection of the Turks, and 
 receives a veft from the Sultan as a mark of that fa- 
 vour he follicited. Martinufius like, he puts himfelf 
 at the head of an army, but is killed in an engage- 
 ment againft the impcrialifts, 
 
 By the death of cardinal Battori, end the flight 
 of Sigismund, Tranfilvania is left in the hauds of 
 the emperor, while Hungary continues to be wafted 
 by the Turks. Thofe who are aftonifhed to fee at 
 this day, fuch a fertile country fo thinly peopled will 
 find it eafily accounted for, when they confider the 
 numbers of inhabitants of both fexes which the Turks 
 carried into flavery. 
 
 This year the emperor refolves at laft to affran- 
 chife Wirtemberg from the infeofment of Auftria. 
 Wirtemberg is held only of the empire, but in cafe 
 the heirs fhould fail, it was always to return to the 
 houfe of Auftria. 
 
 1600. 
 
 The Turks advance as far as Canefa upon the 
 Drave on the fide of Stiria. The duke de Mercceur, 
 a famous prince of the houfe of Lorrain, could not 
 prevent this ftrong place from being taken. The 
 people of Tranfilvania and Valachia refufe to 
 acknowledge the emperor. 
 
 1601. 
 
 The fortune of Sigismund Battori is as inconftant 
 as himfelf. He once more enters Tranfilvania, but
 
 R O D..O I, P H U S II. 201 
 
 is defeated by the imperial party. Thefe provinces 
 are the feats of continual revolutions. Happily the 
 very fame duke de Mercosur, who could neither 
 preferve nor recover Cam'fa from the Turks, takes 
 AJba Regalis. 
 
 At length the archduke Matthias, more active than 
 his brother, and affifted by the duke de Mercceur, 
 makes an incurfion as far as Buda, which he befieges 
 to no purpofe ; all which caufes a ruinous war at the 
 charge of the emperor and the empire. 
 
 Sigismund Battori is ftill more unfortunate ; and 
 fpurned by the Turks, who refufe him affiftance, 
 furrenders at difcretion to the imperial troops, and 
 this prince who was to have married an archduchefs, 
 is at length even too happy in being a baron in Bohe- 
 mia, with but an indifferent penfion. 
 
 1603. 
 
 Some unaccountable fatality always puts a flop to 
 the Turkifh conquefts. Mahomet III. who threa- 
 tened to command a formidable army againft them 
 in perfon, dies in the flower of his age. Achmet his 
 fon, a youth only 13 years old, is raifed to the Ot- 
 toman throne. Factions difturb the Seraglio, and 
 the war in Hungary dies away. 
 
 The diet of Ratisbon promifes this time 80 Roman 
 months. The empire had never before granted fo 
 potent a fuccour ; but alas it was furniftied in fcarcely 
 any thing but words. 
 
 This year Lubec, Dantzic, Cologne, Hamburg 
 and Bremen, the old Hans towns of Germany, ob- 
 tain in France thofe liberties they pretend to have been 
 formerly theirs, but which time had taken from. 
 them. The merchants of thefc towns are exempted. 
 from all right of Efcheatage, and ftjll enjoy it. Events 
 
 I 5 ef
 
 202 Ro>6LPHUS II. 
 
 of this nature are not the moft remarkable, but they 
 contribute to the public good. 
 
 1604. 
 
 The emperor is near lofing that part of Upper 
 Hungary which remains to him. This was occa- 
 fioned by the exactions of a governor of Cafobia, 
 who having extorted money from an Hungarian lord 
 named Botfkai, the latter revolted, and his example 
 influences part of the army. He declares himfelf 
 lord of Upper Hungary without daring to take the 
 title of king. 
 
 The Turks and the rebel Botfkai had taken all 
 Hungary from the emperor, Prefburg only excepted. 
 The archduke Matthias was with an army inPresburg. 
 The grand vifier was in the town of Peft. Botfkai 
 caufes himfelf to be proclaimed prince of Tranftl- 
 vaniaj and receives the crown of Hungary, from the 
 hands of the grand Signior, with great folemnity at 
 Peft. The archduke Matthias is obliged to make an 
 accommodation with the Hungarian fords, in order, 
 if pofftble, to preferve the remainder of that coun- 
 try. It wasflipulated, that for the future the {rates 
 or Hungary, who had always elected their king, 
 fhould themfelves ele& their governor in the name of 
 their king. The nomination to bifhopricks Was a 
 right vefted in the crown ; but theftates now article, 
 that none but Hungarians fhall be made bifhops, and 
 that fuch biftiops as are named by the emperor, fhall 
 have no fhare in the government of the kingdom. 
 Notwithftanding thefe and fome other conceffions, 
 the archduke Matthias obtains the cefllon of Tranfil- 
 vania from Botfkai, who alfo keeps no more of Hun- 
 gary than the crown of gold which he had received 
 from the grand vifier. The Hungarians exprefsly ar- 
 
 ticle,
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 203 
 
 tide, that Lutheranifm and Calvinifm {hall be freely 
 tolerated amongft them. 
 
 Under the weak government of Rodolphus Ger- 
 many was neverthelefs pretty quiet. The inteftine 
 wars that happened in it during that reign were very 
 trivial j fuch as the duke of Brunfwic endeavouring 
 to fubdue the town of Brunfwic, and the duke of 
 Bavaria {hiving to reduce Donawert. The duke of 
 Bavaria being rich and powerful obtains his end of 
 Donawert, but the duke of Brunfwic could not 
 prevail againft Brunfwic, which remained a long 
 time a free and imperial town, being fupported by the 
 Teutonic hanfe. The great trading towns could at 
 that time eaftly defend themfelves againft the princes. 
 It is well known that they levied troops only in cafe of 
 war. Thefe occafional militias of princes and towns 
 were equally bad. But things have worn a very diffe- 
 rent face fmce princes have found the way of keeping 
 regular troops always on foot. 
 
 Germany was in other refpe&s peaceable, in fpite 
 of the three contending religions, in fpite of the 
 troubles in Hungary and Tranfilvania, and the wars 
 in the Low-countries which inceflantly harraiTed the 
 frontiers. The weaknefs of Rodolphus in Germany 
 was of a very different nature from that of Henry III. 
 in France. All the lords under Henry III. would if 
 poflible have been independent and powerful j they 
 were troublefome in all things; but the German 
 lords were that in reality, at which the French lords 
 afpired. 
 
 1606. 
 
 The archduke Matthias treats ineffectually with 
 the Turks. So many treaties with the Turks, Hun- 
 garians, and Tranfiivanians were only the feeds of 
 new troubles. The Tranfiivanians after the death 
 of Botfkai, notwithstanding their treaties with the 
 I 6 emperor,
 
 2C4 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 emperor, chufe Sigismund Ragotfki as Vaivode, and 
 he emperor permits it. 
 
 1607, 1608. 
 
 Rodolphus, who had purchafed peace fo dearly at 
 home, endeavours to reftore it to the Low-countries 
 by treaty, which could be only done, as formerly 
 had been in Hungary, at the expence of the Spanifh 
 branch of Auftria. 
 
 The famous union of Utrecht, dated 1579, was 
 too powerful to be infringed. The States General 
 of the feven united Provinces were to be acknow- 
 ledged free and independent. The feven united Pro- 
 vinces required this authentic acknowledgment chiefly 
 from Spain. Rodolphus writes to them thus : You 
 arejiates holding of the Empire ; your conjtitution can- 
 nut alter without the confent of the emperor who is your 
 head. The States General fent no- manner of reply 
 to this letter. They continue to treat with Spain, 
 who at length acknowledges their independence in 
 the year 1609. 
 
 In the mean time the peaceful and philofophical 
 indifference of Rodolphus, which would have fat 
 much better on a private man than an emperor, en- 
 couraged the ambition of the arch-duke Matthias his 
 brother, who devifed making himfelf fovereign of 
 Hungary, Auftria, and Bohemia, the government of 
 which was neglected by Rodolphu?, to whom he in- 
 tended leaving barely the title of emperor. Hun- 
 gary was almoft intirely over-run by the Turks, and 
 torn to pieces by factions, Auftria expofed and Bohe- 
 mia difcontented. The inconilant Battori was by a 
 new turn of fortune, re-efrablifhed in Tranfilvania, 
 rcftored by the votes of the people, and the protec- 
 tion of the Sultan. Matthias treats with BattorL, 
 with the Turks, and with the malecontents of Hun- 
 gary. The ilates of Auitria had furnifhed him with 
 a great deal of money. He was at the head of an 
 
 army
 
 RODOLPHUS II. 205 
 
 army of which he took all imaginable care > the 
 fruits of which he intended to reap. 
 
 The emperor learns the defigns of his brother at 
 Prague, whither he had retired, and has forr.e fears 
 concerning his own fafety, and raifes a few troops in 
 hafte. Matthias his brother throws off the mafk 
 and marches towards Prague. The Proteftants of 
 Bohemia lay hold of this critical time to infift upon 
 new privileges from Rodolphus whom they otherwife 
 threaten to quit. They obtain that the catholic 
 clergy fhall have no concern with civil affairs, nor 
 any acquifition of lands without the confent of the 
 ftar.es ; that all places of truft (hall be difpofed of in 
 favour of Proteftants. This condefcenfion of the 
 emperor irritates the catholics, and he finds himfelf 
 obliged to receive laws from his brother. 
 
 On the nth of May he cedes Hungary, Auftria, 
 and Moravia to Matthias, referving to himfelf in this 
 melancholy bargain, barely the profits without the 
 property of Bohemia and the fovereignty of Silefia. 
 Thus does he ftrip himfelf of all that he had fo 
 weakly governed, and which he could no longer keep. 
 His brother only acquires in the end new embarraf- 
 ments. He was fain to agree with the Proteftants of 
 Auftria, who fword in hand demanded from their new 
 mafter a free exercife of their religion ,to which he was 
 obliged, to confent at leaftout of the towns. He was alfo 
 compelled to make it up with theHungarians, who in- 
 fifted upon no Germans bearing a public truft among 
 them. Matthias wasobl'ged to deprive the Germans in 
 Hungary of their employments. Thus did he ftrive to 
 confirm his own power, that he might in time be able 
 to relift that of the Turks. 
 
 The more the proteftant religion gained ground in 
 Auftria, the more powerful it became in Germany. 
 The fucceilidn of Cleves and Juliers roufed to arms 
 
 th.e
 
 206 RODOLFHtfS II. 
 
 the two parties who had as it were /lumbered fince 
 the peace of PafTau. From hence fprung a proteftant 
 league more dangerous than that of Smalcald, which 
 gave rife to a catholic one. Thefe two parties were 
 j-eady to ruin the empire. 
 
 The houfes of Brandenburg, of Neuburg, bfDeux- 
 ponts, of Saxony and at laft Charles of Auftria mar- 
 quis of Burgau difpute about the inheritance of John 
 William the laft duke of Cleves, Bergh, and Juliers, 
 who died without children. 
 
 The emperor imagined to reconcile the different 
 pretenders by fcqueftring the lands about which they 
 difputed. He fends the arch-duke Leopold his'coufin 
 to take pofleffion of the duchy of Cleves, but at length 
 two of the competitors John Sigifmund ele6tor of 
 Brandenburg and the duke of Neuburg unite to op- 
 pofe him. The affair at length produces a quarrel 
 between the proteftant princes and the houfe of Auf- 
 tria. The princes of Brandenburg and of Neuburg, 
 already in poffefiion, and united by the danger that 
 might enfue, from the divifion of their intereft, being 
 backed by Frederic IV.elector Palatine, folicit the aid 
 of Henry IV. of France. 
 
 At this time was formed the two oppofmg leagues. 
 The proteftants fupporting the houfes of Brandenburg 
 and Neuburg, the catholics that of Auftria. Frederic 
 IV. elector Palatine, altho' a calvinift, headed the 
 confederates of the Augfburg confeffion, which con- 
 fifted of the duke of Wirtemberg, the landgrave of 
 Hefle-Cafiel, the margrave of Anfpach, the margrave 
 of Baden- dourlach, the prince of Anhalt, and feveral 
 imperial towns. This party aflumed the name of the 
 evangelical union. 
 
 The chiefs of the catholic league which oppofed 
 this, were Maximilian duke of Bavaria, the catholic 
 eleciors, and all the princes of that communion. The 
 eleftor of Saxony alfo joined this party, altho' he 
 was a Lutheran, in hopes of obtaining the inveftiture 
 
 of
 
 R o r> o L P M u s II. 207 
 
 of the duchies of Cleves and Juliers. The landgrave 
 of Hefle-darmftadt, altho* a proteftant, joined the 
 catholic league. He had no manner of reafon to 
 make this quarrel a quarrel of religion ; but religion 
 was a name that each party made ufe of to animate 
 the people. The catholic league makes pope Paul 
 V. and Philip III. king of Spain join it, and Henry 
 IV. attaches himfelf to the evangelical union : With 
 this difference, that the pope and king of Spain lend 
 only their names, while Henry IV. marches into Ger- 
 many at the head of a victorious well-difciplined army, 
 which had deftroyed one catholic league already. 
 
 1610. 
 
 Thefe words of rallery, catholic, evangelical, and 
 the name pope, ufed in a profane quarrel, were the 
 true and only caufe of the aflaflination of Henry IV, 
 who it is well known fell on the I4th of May in the 
 middle of Paris, the victim of a weak, furious fanatic. 
 It appears undoubtedly from the examination of Ra- 
 vellac, who had been before a frier, that he afTa/finat- 
 ed Henry IV. becaufe it was every-where faid, that be 
 was going to make war againft the pope. 
 
 All Henry IV's great defigns perimed with him. 
 However there ftill remained feme mafter-fprings of 
 that great machine which he had fet in motion. The 
 proteftant league was not deftroyed. Some French 
 troops under the command of marfhal de la Chdtre 
 lupport the parties of Brandenburg and Neuburg. la 
 vain does the emperor adjudge Cleves and Tuliers by 
 provifion to the elector of Saxony in cafe^he proves 
 his light The marfhal de la Chdtre nevertheless 
 takes Juliers, and (hives out the forces of the arch- 
 duke Leopold. Juliers remains for fome time in 
 common to Brandenburg and Neuburg. 
 
 161 1. 
 
 The extreme confufion which at this time reigned 
 in Germany plainly {hews what Henry IV. might 
 
 have
 
 208 RODOLPHUS II. 
 
 have done had he furvived. Rodolphus the philo- 
 fopher remains Ml at Prague. The arch-duke Leo- 
 pold, with his ill-paid army, driven out of Juliers, 
 retires into Bohemia, where he fubfifts it upon plun- 
 der. He there ufurps all the authority of the emperor, 
 who fees himfelf plundered on every fide by the princes 
 of his own family. Matthias, who had already forced 
 his brother to part with fo many dominions, won't 
 however let any one elfe plunder the chief of his fa- 
 mily. He comes to Prague with his troops, and forces 
 his brother to intrcat the flates to crown him thro* 
 excefs of fraternal affettion. 
 
 Matthias is crowned king of Bohemia on the 2ift 
 of May, of which place there remains to Rodolphus 
 only the title of king, as unprofitable for him as that 
 of emperor. 
 
 l6l2. 
 
 Rodolphus dies on the 2Oth of January according 
 to the Gregorian Calendar. He had never been in- 
 clined to marry. His houfe, the power of which had 
 been fo vaftly feared, was fcarcely held in any eftima- 
 tion in Europe from the beginning of the i7th cen- 
 tury, and this was occafioned by his carelefnefs and 
 the weaknefs of Philip III. in Spain. Rodolphus had 
 loft his pofleffions, but he had faved his money. It 
 is faid there were 14, ooo, ooo of crowns found in 
 his exchequer. This difcovered a meannefs of foul. 
 With thefe 14 millions and courage he might have 
 re-taken Buda from the Turks, and made the empire 
 refpeftable. But his character adapted him to the 
 living like a private man upon a throne, and he was 
 happier than thofe who plundered and defpifcd him. 
 
 M A T-
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 MATTHIAS 
 
 FORTY-FIFTH EMPEROR. 
 
 MATTHIAS the brother of Rodolphus is unani- 
 moufly elected, and this unanimity aftoniflies 
 Europe. But he had been enriched by the treafurcs 
 of his brother, and the near neighbourhood of the 
 Turks made it neceflary to cleft a prince of thehoufe 
 of Auftria king of Hungary. 
 
 Even to that time the capitulation of Charles V. 
 had never been augmented, therein there were fome 
 articles in favour of Matthias, whofe ambition Was 
 fufficiently manifeft. 
 
 Hungary and Tranfilvania continued ftill in the 
 fame condition. The emperor had fome fmall pof- 
 felfion in the neighbourhood of Presburg, and Ga- 
 briel Battori, the new prince of Tranfilvania, was 
 the Sultan's vaflal. 
 
 The two great leagues catholic and evangelical, 
 which had once threatened the empire with a civil 
 war appear to be diflblved with the death of Henry 
 IV. The proteftants 6are!y content themfelves with 
 refufing money in the diets to the emperor. The 
 quarrel about the fucceffion of Juliers, which it was 
 once thought would have inflamed all Europe, finks 
 into one of thofe particular trivial wars, which have 
 always, at one time or other, perplexed certain can- 
 tons of the empire without difordering the Germanic 
 body. 
 
 The duke of Neuburg and the elector of Bran- 
 denburg, being put into pofleflion of Cleves and Ju- 
 liers, were neceflarily embroiled about the divifion of 
 
 them }
 
 210 MATTHIAS. 
 
 them ; nor did a box on the 'ear given by the eleclor 
 f Bra ndenburg to the d "ke of Neuburg pacify the 
 difference. Thefe two princes go to war. The duke 
 of Neuburg becomes a catholic, in hopes of thereby 
 obtaining the protetfion of the emperor and the king 
 of Spain. The elector of Brandenburg introduces 
 Calvimfm into his territories, hoping thereby to roufe 
 the proteflant league to his afliftance. 
 
 Mean-while the other princes remain inactive ; nor 
 does the eleflor of Saxony himfelf ftir altho' there had 
 been an imperial decree in his favour. The Spanifli 
 arid Dutch Low- countries take part in the quarrel. 
 Two great generals, the marquis de Spinola aflifts 
 Neuburg on the part of Spain, count Maurice arms 
 for Brandenburg on the part of the States General. It 
 is one of the confequences of the German conftitution 
 that foreign powers are rather interefted in their in- 
 teftine quarrels than Germany itfelf. The Germanic 
 body was never fhaken. Its interior peace had been 
 often difturbed by difputes between town and town, 
 princes and towns, towns and princes ; but the Ger- 
 manic body fubfifted by thefe divifions which in fome 
 meafure founded an almoft equal balance between its 
 members. 
 
 1614. 
 
 The cafe was very different in Hungary and Tran- 
 filvania. The emperor Matthias prepares to go againft 
 the Turks. Gabriel Battori Vaivode of Tranfifvania 
 endeavours to keep fair as well with the Turkifh as 
 the Chriftian emperor. The Turks fall upon Battori. 
 He is abandoned by his fubjecls nor can the emperor 
 afllft him. Battori caufes himfelf to be killed by one 
 of his own foldiers. The only inftance we have of 
 fuch a nature among modern princes. Bethleem- 
 gabor is inverted by a Pacha. This province feemed 
 forever loft to the houfe of Auftria. The new Sultan 
 Achmet, matter of fo great a part of Hungary, and 
 at the fame time young and ambitious, begun to 
 
 make
 
 MATTHIAS,- 211 
 
 make it feared, that neither Presburg nor Vienna 
 would limit the two empires. Thefe alarms had 
 been frequent in the latter end of the reign of Ro- 
 dolphus ; but that prodigious extenfion of the Otto- 
 man empire, which had fo long given the Chriftians 
 uneafmefs, was the caufe of their fafety. The Turks 
 were often at war with the Perfians. Their frontiers 
 upon the black fea fuffered much from the revolting 
 of the Georgians and Mingrelians. The Arabs were 
 with difficulty kept within bounds, and it often hap- 
 pened, that the Turks, at the very time that it was 
 feared they would over- run Hungary and Italy, were 
 obliged to patch up a difadvantageous peace for the 
 defence of their own dominions. 
 
 1615-. 
 
 The emperor Matthias has the happinefs of con- 
 cluding a treaty with Sultan Achmet, much more fa- 
 vourable than a war could poflibly have been to him. 
 He ftipulates without drawing the fword,for the refti- 
 tution of Agria, Canifa, Alba-regalis, Pert, and even 
 Buda. Thus is he in pofleflion of almoft all Hungary, 
 leaving Tranfilvania and Bethleem-gabor under the 
 Turkish protection. This treaty increafes Matthias's 
 power. The affair of the fuccefTion of Julicrs is 
 almoft the only thing that difturbs the interior part of 
 the empire ; but Matthias keeps fair with the pro- 
 teftant princes by leaving this country ftill divided 
 between the Palatinates of Neuburg and of Bran- 
 denburg. Prudence of this fort was extremely ne- 
 ceflary to continue the empire inthehoufe of Auftria. 
 
 1616. 
 
 Negotiations and intrigues ingrofs this and the 
 following years. Matthias was childlefs, and had 
 alfo loft his health and his activity. In order to pre* 
 ferve the empire in his family it was necefiary to fe- 
 cure Bohemia and Hungary. Thefe conjunctures 
 
 were
 
 212 MATTHIAS. 
 
 were delicate ; the ftates of thefe two kingdoms were 
 jealous of the rights of elcdion : the fpirit of party 
 was predominant among them, but much more the 
 fpirit of independence : the difference of religions 
 nourifhed difcord, but the proteftants and catholics 
 were equally fond of their privileges. The princes 
 of Germany were little difpofed to choofe an Auftrian 
 emperor, and the evangelical union, which ftill fub- 
 fifted, left this houfe but fmall hopes, 
 
 The firft ftep to be taken was to fecure the fuccef- 
 fion of Bohemia and Hungary. Matthias had forced 
 thefe two kingdoms from his'brother, and was not at 
 all inclined that his inheritance fhould pafs to his 
 remaining brothers Maximilian and Albert. There 
 is not the leaft gleam of their both having cordially 
 renounced their rights. Albert, to whom the king o'f 
 Spain had left the Low-countries, would have certainly 
 been more able than another to fupport the imperial 
 dignity had he reigned over Hungary and Bohemia. 
 ^Matthias intended that thefe crowns mould defcend to 
 his coufin Ferdinand de Grats duke of Stiria. Con- 
 fanguinary right was but little confulted. 
 
 1617. 
 
 Ferdinand is acknowledged and elected by the ftates 
 of Bohemia as fucceflbr to Matthias, according to 
 which rank he is crowned king on the 2Qth of June. 
 The evangelical league begins to be frightened at 
 feeing this rirft approach of Ferdinand de Grats, 
 towards the empire. Matthias and Ferdinand make 
 the elector of Saxony, who does not belong to the 
 evangelical league, more ufeful than ever. He hoping 
 to have Cleves, Berg and Juliers, fides in every- 
 thing with the houfe of Auftria ; the Palatine, having 
 very different interefts, continues ftill at the head of 
 the proteftants. This is the origin of that unhappy 
 war between Ferdinand and the Palatine which en- 
 fued. This was that war of 30 years continuance 
 
 which
 
 MATTHIAS. 213 
 
 which defolated fo many provinces, brought the 
 Swedes into Germany, and at length produced the 
 treaty of Wefrphalia, whereby the empire aflumed a 
 very new face. 
 
 1618- 
 
 Matthias engages the Spanifh branch of Auftria to 
 renounce all the pretenfions which it could pofiibly 
 have upon Hungary and Bohemia. Philip III. king 
 of Spain, gives up his rights to thefe kingdoms in 
 favour of Ferdinand, conditionally, that in cafe of 
 Ferdinand's dying without male ifTue, Hungary and 
 Bohemia mail defcend to his fons or daughters, or to 
 the children of his daughters in the order of birth- 
 right. By this bargain thefe dominions might eafily 
 have fallen to France ; for had a daughter of Philip 
 III. inherited thefe kingdoms, and married a king of 
 France, the eldeft fon of this king would have been 
 intitled to Hungary and Bohemia. 
 
 This family- contract was evidently contrary to the 
 will of the emperor Ferdinand I. The difpofitions 
 that men make for eftablifhing the peace of futurity 
 are too often preparatives of difcord. In fine, this 
 new treaty caufes the revolt of the Hungarians and 
 Bohemians, who fee themfelves difpofed of without 
 being confulted. The proteftants of Bohemia begin 
 to aflbciate after the example of the evangelical 
 union. The catholics were loon induced to join this 
 j)arty, fince their civil rights had been infringed inde- 
 pendent of religion. Silefia, that great fief of Bohe- 
 mia, joins it. A civil war is inkindled. The con- 
 federates are headed by count de Turin, otherwifc c'e 
 la Tour, a man of genius, who makes war regularly 
 and advantageoufly, and they make progrefs even to 
 the gates of Vienna. 
 
 1619. 
 
 In the midft of this revolution, about the month 
 of March, the emperor Matthias dies, without being 
 at all able to forefee the dcftiny of his noufe. 
 
 His
 
 214 MATTHIAS. 
 
 His coufm> Ferdinand de Grats was at length happy 
 enough not to find any great oppofition in Hungary, 
 whence he had driven out the Turks by a treaty that 
 made him very agreeable to that kingdom ; but he, 
 beholds Bohemia, Silefia, Moravia and Lufatia lea- 
 gued againft him, the Proteftants of Auftria ready to 
 revolt, and thofe of Germany not at all difpofed to 
 raife him to the empire. The houfe of Auftria had 
 never feen a moment more critical. Four electors on 
 the one hand offer the imperial crown to Maximilian 
 duke of Bavaria; the fovereignty of Bohemia on the 
 other is offered to the duke of Savoy, who being at 
 too great a diftance to obtain it, it is unfortunately 
 accepted by the elector Palatine, Frederic V. In 
 the mean time, there is a meeting at Francfort for 
 the election of a king of the Romans, a king of 
 Germany and an emperor. Almoft all the courts of 
 Europe are attentive to this material point ; the ftates 
 of Bohemia order their deputies at Francfort to ex- 
 clude Ferdinand from the right of voting. They re- 
 fufe to acknowledge him for king, and confequently 
 intend to deprive him of his vote. He was not only 
 threatened to be excluded from the imperial but even 
 from the electoral dignity. He obtained both theone 
 and the other. He not only gave his vote for the em- 
 pire but both Proteftants and Catholics joined to give 
 him theirs. Each elector was influenced in fuch a 
 manner, that he imagined the elevation of Ferdi- 
 nand de Grats his particular intereft ; even the elec- 
 tor Palatine to whom the ftates of Bohemia had given 
 their crown, was obliged to vote for him ; which had 
 Tie refufed, it would have been to no purpofe. This 
 election was made on the igth of Auguft 1619. He is 
 crowned at Aix-la-cfiapelle on thr igth of September j 
 before which he fignsamoreexteiifive capitulation than 
 any of his predeceflbrs'had done. 
 
 PER-
 
 * * 
 
 FERDINAND II. 
 
 1619. 
 
 AT the fame time that Ferdinand II. is vefted 
 with the imperial dignity, the ftates of Bohe- 
 mia name the elector Palatine for king. This honour 
 was now much more dangerous, than it had formerly- 
 been, on account of Ferdinands, being chofen empe- 
 ror. This was a very critical time for the Protef- 
 tants. Had Frederic been affifted by his father-in- 
 law, James I. king of England, he had been fure 
 of fuccefs. James I. helped him only with advice, 
 and this advice was to refufe the crown. He pays no 
 refpecl: to it but gives way to his fortune. 
 
 Frederic is folemnly ciowned at Prague on the 4th 
 of November, with the princefs of England his 
 wife ; but the ceremony is performed by the mini- 
 fter of the Huflites, and not by the archbifhop of 
 Prague. 
 
 This gives rife to a war as well religious as politi- 
 cal. All the Proteftant princes, the elector of Saxo- 
 ny excepted, declare for Frederic. He had a few 
 Englifh troops in his army, fent him by foine of the 
 English nobility, either thro* perfonal friendfhip for 
 him and hatred of the catholic religion, or from the 
 glory of doing more than his father-in-law the king. 
 He was feconded by the Vaivode of Tranfilvania, 
 Bethleem Gabor, who attacked the fame enemy in 
 Hungary. Gabor penetrates even to the gates of 
 Vienna, and thence goes back the fame road to take 
 Prelburg. Silt fia revolts agnin ft the emperor. The 
 elector Palatine's party in Bohemia are fupporttd by 
 the count of Mansfield ; even the Proteftants. of Au- 
 
 flria
 
 2^6 FERDINAND II. 
 
 ftria are troublefome to the emperor. Jf the houfe 
 of Bavaria, like that of Auftria, had been always 
 united, the new king of Bohemia would have had 
 much the ftronger party ; but tho* the duke of Ba- 
 varia was both rich and powerful he was far from con- 
 tributing to the grandeur of the elder branch of his 
 houfe. Jealoufy, ambition^ and religion attached 
 him to the emperor, fo that what had been the fate 
 of the houfe of Saxony under Charles V. was the 
 fame of that of Bavaria under Ferdinand de Grats. 
 
 The Proteftant and Catholic leagues were a little 
 after, almoft equally powerful in Germany ; but Spain 
 and Italy favour Ferdinand - y furniming him with 
 troops, as well as with money levied upon the clergy. 
 Fiance had forgot her old interefts, and was no lon- 
 ger governed by a cardinal de Richlieu. The court 
 of Lewis XIII. weak and confufed, feemed to have 
 views (if we would fuppofc it to have had any) 
 very different from the defigns of Henry the great. 
 
 1620. 
 
 Lewis XIII. inftead of marching with an army, 
 fends the duke d'Angouleme, at the head of a fo- 
 lemn embaffy to offer his mediation. The princes 
 aflcmbled at Ulm liften to him, but conclude upon 
 nothing. The war in Bohemia continuing, Bethlcem 
 Gabor caufes hitnfelf to be acknowledged king in 
 Hungary, as Frederic V. had been in Bohemia. 
 This revolution of the dates of Hungary was coun- 
 tenanced by a Turkifh and a Venetian ambaffador in 
 the town of Neuhaufel. It is unufual to fee the Turks 
 and Venetians thus united ; but Venice was fo intirely 
 at variance with the Spanifh branch of Auftria, that 
 file openly declared herfelf againft all of that houfe. 
 
 All Europe took part in this quarrel ; but much 
 rather by words than by actions. The emperor is 
 much better feconded in Germany than the elector 
 Palatine. 
 
 On
 
 FERDINAND II. 217 
 
 On the one hand, the elector of Saxony, who had 
 declared for the emperor, enters Lufatia; on the other, 
 the duke of Bavaria marches into Bohemia with a 
 powerful army, whilft the Emperor's forces make a 
 fhift to hold out in Hungary againft Bethleem- 
 Gabor. 
 
 The Palatine is at one and the fame time attacked 
 both in his new kingdom of Bohemia and in his elec- 
 torate, where Henry Frederic of Naflau, the bro- 
 ther of, and afterwards fucceflbr to Maurice, the 
 ftadtholder of the United Provinces, fights for him, 
 where he has alfo fome Englifh ; but againft him are 
 thechoiceft troops of the Spanifh Low-countries un- 
 der the command of the famous Spinola. The pala- 
 tinate is ravaged. A battle in Bohemia decides the 
 fate of Auftria and the elector palatine. On the 
 igth of November Frederic is entirely defeated near 
 Prague by his relation Maximilian of Bavaria. He 
 at length takes refuge in Silefia with his wife and two 
 of his children, and lofes in one day all his domi- 
 nions both hereditary and acquired. 
 
 1621, 
 
 James king of England mediates in favour of 
 his unfortunate kinfman, with as little fuccefs as he 
 had aled with conduct. 
 
 By a decree of the aulic council, dated January 
 the 20th the emperor puts the elector Palatine, under 
 the ban of the empire. Hebanifhes the duke dejagen- 
 dorf into Silefia, the prince of Anhalt, the counts 
 de Hoenlo, de Mansfelt, de la Tour, and all thofc 
 who had taken arms in favour of Frederic. 
 
 This vanquifhed prince finds fome interceflcrs, 
 but not one avenger. The king of Denmark en- 
 deavours to perfuade the emperor to clemency, not- 
 withftanding which Ferdinand caufes many of the 
 Bohemian gentry to fall by the hands of the common 
 executioner. 
 
 VOL. II. K Count
 
 2 1 S FERDINAND II. 
 
 Count de Buquoy, one of his generals, completes 
 the reduction of the rebels that remained in Bohemia, 
 after which he haftens to fecure Upper Hungary 
 againft Bethleem-Gabor. Buquoy is killed in this 
 campaign, and Ferdinand foon enters into an accom- 
 modation with the Tranfilvanian, to whom he yields 
 up a large territory, that he may be able the better to 
 fecure the reft. In the mean time the elector pala- 
 tine flies from Silefia to Denmark ai.d from Denmark 
 to Holland. The duke of Bavaria feizes upon the 
 Upper Palatinate, and a body of Spaniih troops, fur- 
 nifhed by the arch-duke governor of the Low- 
 countries, pours into the Palatinate under the com- 
 mand of the marquis de Spinola. 
 
 All the affiftance which the elector Palatine could 
 obtain from either his father-in-law king James, or 
 from the king of Denmark, was good offices and 
 ufclefs Embaflies to Vienna. From France, whofe 
 intereft it was to take his part, he had no affiftance. 
 At length his only refource lay in two men who 
 ought naturrlly to have abandoned him. Thefe were 
 the duke de Jagerhdorf in Silefia and the count de 
 Mansfelt in the Palatinate j both of them banifhed 
 by the emperor, whofe favour they might have ob- 
 tained by quitting the party of Frederic. Incredible 
 are their efforts in his behalf. Mansfelt particularly, 
 ftill headed a little army, which he kept together in 
 fpite of the Auftrian power, and which had no other 
 pay than the art of Mansfelt fupplied them with, 
 who made war like a very partizan ; the art of doing 
 which was pretty well known in thofe times, wherein 
 there was fcarcely found very large armies fubfifting 
 for along time, and wherein a refolute leader might 
 maintain himfelf for fome time under the favour of 
 troubles. Mansfelt roufes and encourages the neigh- 
 bouring Proteftant princes. 
 
 Particularly a prince of Brunfwic, named Chrif- 
 crn, the adminiftrator, but in truth the ufurper of 
 
 the
 
 FERDINAND II. 219 
 
 the houfe of Halberftadt joins Mansfelt. This 
 Chriftiern intitled himfelf the friend of God and the 
 enemy of the priejls ; nor was he lefs an enemy to the 
 people, whole eftates he ravaged. Mansfelt and he 
 did a great deal of mifchief to the country, without 
 being of the leaft fervice to the Palatine. 
 
 Tne prince of Orange and the united provinces, 
 who were at war with the Spaniards in the Low- 
 countries, being obliged to turn all their force againft 
 them, were not able to afford the Palatine any effi- 
 cacious afiiftance. His party was crulhed, notwith- 
 ftanding which it was from time to time able to make 
 fome confiderable oppofition, and upon the flighted 
 occafion fome proteftant prince was found ready to 
 arm in its favour. The landgrave of Hefle-Caflel 
 had a difpute about fome land with the landgrave of 
 Darmftadt, and being piqued againft the emperor, 
 who favoured his competitor, he fupported as much 
 as poffible the elector Palatine. The margrave of 
 Baden-Dourlach joined Mansfelt, and all the Protef- 
 tant princes in general fearing that they fliould foon 
 be forced to make reftitution of the ecclefiaftical 
 pofTeflions, appear difpofed to take arms, whence he 
 has hopes of being feconded by fome powers. 
 
 1622. 
 
 It is the duke of Bavaria's lot again to contribute 
 to the happinefs of Ferdinand. His generals and 
 his troops complete the ruin of the Palatine his cou- 
 fiu's party. Tilli the Bavarian general, afterwards 
 one of the emperor's beft generals, totally defeats, 
 near AfchafFenburg, the prince of Brunfwic, fur- 
 named very properly the enemy of the prleJJs^ who 
 was returning from plundering the Abbey of Fulda, 
 and all the ecclefiaftical ftates of that part of Ger- 
 many. 
 
 Mansfelt was the only perfon left who could de- 
 fend the palatinate, and he was capable of doing it, 
 
 K 2 being
 
 220 FERDINAND II. 
 
 being at the head of a fmall army which joined with 
 the remainder of Brunfwic's forces, amounted to 
 about 10,000 men. Mansfelt was a very extraor- 
 dinary man, he was baftard to a count of that name j 
 he had no fortune but his courage and abilities, but 
 was privately affifted by the prince of Orange and the 
 Proteftants, and found himfelf general of an army, 
 which was intirely his own. 
 
 The unhappy Palatine was weak enough, being 
 very ill advifed to renounce his fuccour, in hopes that 
 he might obtain from the emperor favourable condi- 
 tions, which it was impoflible to do without force. 
 He himfelf obliged Mansfelt and Brunfwic to aban- 
 don him. Thefe two wandring chiefs pafs into Lor- 
 rain and Alface, and fearch out new countries to ra- 
 vage. All the accommodation that Ferdinand II. 
 
 O 
 
 now makes with the elector palatine is to fend the 
 victorious Tilli to take Heidelburg, Manheim snd 
 the reft of the count) y ; in fhort all that belongs (o 
 the elector is looked upon as the forfeiture of an 
 exile. He had the moft numerous and beft chofen 
 library in Germany, particularly of manufcriptsj 
 thefe were fent to the duke of Bavaria, who tranf- 
 ported them by water to Rome ; but moft of the 
 cargo was loft by a fhipwreck, and the remainder is 
 Hill preferved in the Vatican. Religion and the love of 
 liberty always occafion fome troubles in Bohemia ; 
 but they are fuch feditions as to be ended by pu- 
 nifhment. The emperor banifhes the Lutheran mi- 
 nifters from Prague and fhuts up their churches. He 
 gives the adminiftration of the univerfity of Prague 
 to the Jefuits. There is nothing could now inter- 
 rupt the profperhy of the emperor but Hungary. 
 He fully confirms the peace with Bethleem-Gabor, 
 acknowledging him fovereign of Tranfilvania, and 
 ceding to him feven countries, containing 50 
 leagues, bordering upon the frontiers of his territc- 
 ries. The reft of Hungary, which had long been an 
 
 unin-
 
 FERDINAND II. 221 
 
 uninterrupted fcene of deftru&ive war, was at prefent 
 of not the leaft fervice to the houfc of Auftria, except 
 that it ftil! continued to be the bulwark of the Auftrian 
 rtates. 
 
 1623. 
 
 The emperor,beingeftablifhed in Gerrnany,afTembles 
 a diet at Ratisbon, in which he declares, " that the 
 " elector Palatine being guilty of high treafon, had 
 ** forfeited his ellates, dignities and pofleffions to the 
 *' imperial crown : but that not inclining to leflen 
 " the number of electors, he wills, commands, 
 " and appoints, that Maximilian duke of Bavaria be 
 " in this diet inverted with the Palatinate ". This 
 was to fpeak like a mafter. The catholic princes in. 
 every-thing give way to the emperor's will. The 
 proteftants make fome public remonflrances. The 
 elector of Brandenburg, the dukes of Brunfwic, 
 Holftein and Mecklenburg, together with the towns 
 of Bremen, Hamburg, Lubec and others, renew the 
 evangelical league. They are joined by the king of 
 Denmark, but this league being only defenfive, left 
 the emperor at full liberty to act as he pleafed. 
 
 On the 25th of February, Ferdinand upon his 
 throne inverts the duke of Bavaria with the Palati- 
 nate. The vice-chancellor faying in thefe words 
 exprefsly, that the emperor cut of the fulnefi of his 
 power confers on him this dignity. 
 
 The territories of the eleclor Palatine were not by 
 this inveftiture given to the duke of Bavaria. This 
 was an important article which gave rife to many 
 great difficulties. 
 
 John George de Hohenzollern, the eldeftofthe 
 houfe of Brandenburg, is in this diet made a prince of 
 the empire. Brunfwic the enemy oftbeprieflsznd the 
 famous general Mansfelt, fecretly fupported by the 
 proteftant princes, make their appearance again in 
 Germany. Brunfwic eftablifhcs himfelf in lower 
 K 3 Saxony,
 
 222 F E R D I N A N D II. 
 
 Saxony, and afterwards in Weftphalia. The count 
 de Tilli vanquifhes and difperfes his army. Mansfelt 
 ftill remains immoveable and invincible. This was 
 the only fupport which now remained to the Pala- 
 tine ; a fupport that could not reftore him to his do- 
 minions. 
 
 1624. 
 
 The proteftant league ftill concealed a flame, which 
 was ready to break out againft the emperor. James 
 I. king of England, not being able to obtain any- 
 thing by negotiation in favour of his fon-in-law, joins 
 the league in Lower-Saxony, of which Chriftiern IV. 
 king of Denmark was declared chief ; but this was 
 not the chief who was yet to make head againft the 
 forttHie of Ferdinand II. 
 
 The king of England furnifhes money, Chriftiern 
 IV. king of Denmark finds troops. The famous Mans- 
 felt increafes his little army, and they prepare for war. 
 
 l62f. 
 
 At length the king of England having refolved eiK- 
 cacioufly to fupport his kinfman, and to declare againft 
 the hpufe of Auftria, deprives his confederates of the 
 powerful afliftance he might have given them by 
 dying in the month of March. 
 
 It was but part of the evangelical union that had 
 railed the ftandard. Lower-Saxony was the feat of 
 war. 
 
 1626. 
 
 The emperor's two great generals , Tilli and 
 Walftein, ftop the progrefs of the king of Denmark 
 and his confederates. Tilli defeats the king of 
 Denmark in a pitched battle near Northeim in the 
 Brunfwic territories. This victory feems to deprive 
 the Palatine of every refource. Mansfelt, who never 
 loft his courage, tranfplants the war, and goes by 
 Brandenburg, Silefia, and Moravia to attack the em- 
 peror
 
 FERDINAND II. 223: 
 
 peror in Hungary. Bcthleem-Gabor, with whom the 
 emperor had not kept all his engagements, takes up 
 arms and joins Mansfelt with 10, OOO men. He 
 armed the Turks, who were itill mailers of Bud a ; 
 but this great and bold project is diffipated without 
 cofting Ferdinand much trouble. Mansfelt's army- 
 is deftroyed by diftempers : he dies himfelf of the 
 contagion in the flower of his age ; exhorting the 
 remainder of his foldiers even in the hour of death 
 to facrifice their lives for the Germanic liberty. 
 
 A prince of Bmnfwie, the other fupport of ther 
 ele&or Palatine, died fome ftiort time before. That 
 fortune which deprived the Palatine of every hope, 
 befriended Ferdinand in all things. He procures his 
 fon, Ferdinand Erneft, to be elected king of Hungary. 
 In vain would Bethleem-Gabor maintain his rights tt> 
 that kingdom ; the Turks could give him no affittance, 
 as it was under the minority of Amurath IV. Irt 
 truth he ravaged Styria ; but Walftein rq-mlfed him 
 as he had repulfed the Danes. At length the emperor, 
 as happy in his rhinifters as in his generals, controls 
 Bethleem-Gabor, by a treaty, in which Trartfilvania' 
 and the feven adjacent counties remain to him during 
 life, after which the whole was to fall to the houfe 
 of Auftria. 
 
 1627. 
 
 Every-thing fucceeds with Ferdinand without his 
 taking any other fteps than wifhing- or commanding. 
 Count Tilli purfues the king of Denmark and his con- 
 federates. That king retires to his own dominions. 
 The dukes of Holftein and of Brunfwic are difarmed 
 almoft as foon as armed. The elector of Branden- 
 burg, who was the only perfon that allowed his fub- 
 jedts to enlift in the fervice of Denmark, recals them, 
 and breaks the treaty. The count de Tilli and 
 Walftein now become duke of Friedland, permit 
 their victorious troops to live every-whcre at dif- 
 cretion. 
 
 K 4 Ferdi-
 
 224 r E RD I N A N D II. 
 
 Ferdinand uniting the interefts of religion arid po- 
 litics, intends taking the bifhoprick of Halberftadt 
 from the houfe of Brunfwic, and the archbifhopricks 
 of Magdeburg and Bremen out of the hands of Sa- 
 xony, in order to confer them together with feveral 
 abbies, on one of his fons. He had caufed his fon 
 Ferdinand Erneft to be eleded king of Hungary, and 
 had him crowned king of Bohemia without any elec- 
 tion j for the Hungarians, neighbours of the Turks 
 and of Bethleem-Gabor, were to be foothed ; but 
 Bohemia was looked upon as conquered. 
 
 1628- 
 
 Ferdinand at length enjoys abfolute authority. The 
 proteftant princes and Chriftiern|IV.king of Denmark, 
 addrefs themfelves fecretly to the French miniflry be- 
 caufe cardinal de Richlieu began to be extremely ref- 
 peftable all over Europe. They with reafon flatter 
 themfelves that the cardinal, who wanted to crufh 
 the proteftants in France, would fupport them in Ger- 
 many. Cardinal Richlieu caufes money to be fent 
 to the king of Denmark, and encourages the pro- 
 teftant princes. The Danes march towards the Elbe; 
 but the proteftant league, affrighted, dares not openly 
 declare itfelf againft the emperor; nor is his happinefs 
 as yet interrupted. He profcribes the duke of Meck- 
 lenburg, whom the danes had objjged to declare for 
 them, whofe duchy he gives to Walftcin. 
 
 The king of Denmark, always unfortunate, is 
 obliged to make peace in the month of June. Never 
 had Ferdinand more power, nor did he make a better 
 ufe of it. 
 
 Chriftiern IV. who had a difpure with the duke 
 of Holftein, ravages the duchy of Slefwick with his 
 troops , which no longer ferve againft Ferdinand. 
 The court of Vienna fends him monitorial letters, 
 
 as
 
 FERDINAND II. 225 
 
 as to a member of the empire, requiring him to eva- 
 cuate Slefwic. The king of Denmark anfwers, that 
 this duchy never was an imperial fief like that of 
 Hoiftein. The court of Vienna replies , -that the 
 kingdom of Denmark itfelf was a fief of the empire. 
 The king is at length obliged to conform to the em- 
 peror's will. It was fcarcely poffible for the pre- 
 tenfions of the empire upon the North to be fup- 
 ported with more dignity. 
 
 The empire ever fince the time of Charles V. had 
 till now appeared intirely detached from Italy. The 
 death of the duke of Mantua, marquis of Mont- 
 ferrat, revived the rights which they had formerly 
 exerted. This duke of Mantua called Vincent II. 
 died without ifTue. His kinsman, Charles de Gon- 
 zaga duke de Nevers, ciames the fucceflion in vir- 
 tue of fome matrimonial contracts. His relation? 
 Caefar Gonzaga duke de Guaftalia had received the 
 eventual inveftiture of it from the emperor. 
 
 The duke of Savoy, a third pretender, would 
 have excluded the two others, and the king of Spain 
 would have excluded all three. The duke de Ne- 
 vers was already in poiTeilion, and had caufed hitn- 
 felf to be acknowledged duke of Mantua ; but the 
 king of Spain and the duke of Savoy unite to feize 
 on all they could conveniently in Montferrat. 
 
 The emperor, for the firft time, exerts his autho- 
 rity in Italy. He fends count Nafiau, in quality of 
 imperial commiflary, to put in fequeflration Mantua 
 and Montferrat , whilft the procefs is adjudged at 
 Vienna. 
 
 Proceedings of this fort had not been heard of in 
 Italy thefe 60 years. It was very vifible, that the 
 emperor intended at one and the fame time to fu,>- 
 port the ancient rights of the empire, and to enrich 
 the Spanifh branch of Auftria with thefe ipoils. The 
 miniltry of France, who watched every opportunity of 
 bounding the Auftrian power, afiifts the duke of 
 K 5 Mantua..
 
 226 FERDINAND II. 
 
 Mantua. It had already intermedled with the affairs 
 of the Valteline, and hindered the Spanifli branch of 
 Auftria from feizing upon that country, whereby a 
 communication might have been opened between 
 Tirol and the Milanefe, and the two branches of 
 Auftria rejoined by the Alps, as they were already 
 on the Rhine by the Low-countries. With thefe 
 views cardinal de Richlieu fided with the duke of 
 Mantua. 
 
 The Venetians, who were a people the nearefl 
 and moft expofed, fend into the Mantuan, an army 
 of 15000 men. The emperor declares all fuch vaf- 
 lals of the empire in Italy as take part with the duke, 
 to be rebels. Pope Urban VIII. is obliged to favour 
 thefe decrees. The popedom was at that time de- 
 pendent on the houfe of Auftria, and Ferdinand, who 
 law himfelf by the imperial dignity at the head of 
 that houfe, was looked upon to be the moft power- 
 ful prince in Europe. 
 
 The German troops aflifted by fome Spanifh regi- 
 ments , take Mantua by aflault , and the town w 
 delivered up to be pillaged. 
 
 Ferdinand evcry-where fuccefsful , imagines at 
 Jength the time was come to make the imperial 
 dignity defpotic , and the catholic religion uni- 
 verfal. He orders by edict of his council, that the 
 Proteftants fhould reftore all the ecclefiaftical bene- 
 fices of which they had ftood poflefled, fince the time- 
 of the treaty of PafTau figned by Charles V. This 
 was giving the greateft blow to the Proteftant party. 
 For the aichbifhoprics of Magdeburg and Bremen, 
 t'le bifhoprics of Brandenburg, Lcbus, Camin, Ha- 
 velberg, Lubeck, Mifnia, Naumburg , Merfeburg, 
 Schwerin, Minden,Verden, Halberftadt, and a crowd 
 of benefices muft have been given up. There was 
 not one prince, either Lutheran or Calvinift, who 
 did not (land poflefled of fome ecclefiaflical fub- 
 
 ftance. 
 
 The
 
 FERDINAND" If. 227 
 
 The Proteftants have now no longer any mcafures 
 to keep. The elector of Saxony, whom the hopes 
 of one day pofTeffing Cleves and juliers had fo long 
 retrained, at length breaks out. Thefc hopes had 
 been weakened inafmuch as the elector of Branderr-^ 
 burg and the duke of Neuburg were agreed among 
 themfelves. Cleves being peaceably enjoyed by the 
 firft,and Juliers by the feconct,without any difturbance 
 from the emperor. Thus the duke of Saxony fees 
 thefe provinces loft to him, and Magdeburg with 
 the revenue of feveral biftioprics going to be taken 
 from him. 
 
 The emperor had at this time near 150000 men 
 in arms : The catholic league had about 30000. 
 The two houfes of Auftria were clofely united. The 
 pope and all the catholic ftates encourage the emperor 
 in his project. France dared not as yet openly crofs 
 him ; nor was there any power in Europe that feemed 
 in a condition to oppofe him. The duke of Wal- 
 ftein, at the head of a powerful army, began to put 
 in execution the emperor's edict in Suabia and the 
 duchy of Wirtemberg ; but the catholic churches 
 gained very little by thefe reftitutions. Much was 
 taken from the Proteftants ; the officers of Walftein 
 were inriched, and the troops lived at the expence of 
 both parties, who equally complained. 
 
 1630. 
 
 Ferdinand fees himfelf exactly in the fame circum- 
 ftances that Charles V. had been at the league of 
 Smalcald. All the princes of the empire were either 
 to fubmit, or he was? to be overcome. The elector 
 of Saxony now repents that he had aflifted in op- 
 preffing the Palatine, and it was he who, conjunct- 
 ly with other Proteftant princes , fccretly engaged 
 Guftavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, to come into 
 Germany, in lieu of the king of Denmark, whole 
 afliftance had been fo very ufelefs. 
 
 K 6 The
 
 228 FERDINAND II. 
 
 The elector of Bavaria was never more attached 
 to the emperor than now. He had always a mind 
 to command the imperial armies, thereby to keep 
 the emperor as it were dependent upon him. In fine 
 he afpires at being chofen king of the Romans, and 
 treats fecretly with France while the Proteftants call 
 in the king of Sweden. 
 
 Ferdinand afTembles a diet at Ratifbon. His de- 
 fign was to have his fon Ferdinand Erneft elected 
 king of the Romans ; he alfo defigned to engage the 
 empire to fecond him againft Guftavus Adclphus, in 
 cafe that king fhould enter Germany ; and againft 
 France, fhould it continue to protect the duke of 
 Mantua in oppofition to him ; but in fpite of all 
 his power, he finds the electors fo little inclined to 
 ferve him, that he dares not even propofe the elec- 
 tion of his fon. 
 
 The electors of Saxony and of Brandenburg were 
 not perfonally prefent at this aflembly ; but their 
 grievances were made known by t icir deputies. The 
 elector of Bavaria was the firft to fay, that it was 
 impojjible to deliberate freely in a diet fo long as the 
 emperor has an army of 150,000 men on foot. The 
 ecclefiaftical electors and bifliops, who were pre- 
 fent, prefled the reftitution of the ecclefiaftical ef- 
 fects. This project could not be put in execution 
 without the fupport of an army, and the army could 
 not be fupported but at the expence of the empire, 
 which grumbled at it. The elector of Bavaria, who 
 wanted to command it, infifts upon Ferdinand's dif- 
 mifllng the duke Walftein. Ferdinand might have 
 aflumed the command himfelf, and by fo doing de- 
 prived the elector cf Bavaria of all pretext. But he 
 does not take fo glorious a ftep. He deprives Wal- 
 ftein of the command and gives it to Tilli ; by thefe 
 "means intirely lofing the Bavarian. In fhort he has 
 (o'diers, but no friends. 
 
 the
 
 FERDINAND II. 229 
 
 The power of Ferdinand, which made the ftates 
 of Germany fear their approaching lofs, gives un- 
 eafmefs to France, Venice, and even to the pope. 
 Cardinal Richlieu now treats with the emperor about 
 Mantua ; hut he breaks the treaty when informed, 
 that Guftavus Adolphus prepares to enter Germany. 
 He then negotiates with that monarch : England 
 and the United Provinces do the fame. The elector 
 Palatine, who a little before had been forfaken by 
 all the world, finds himfelf fuddenly on the point of 
 being aflifted by all thefe powers. The king of 
 Denmark , weakened by the preceding lofles, and 
 jealous of the king of Sweden, remains inactive. 
 
 Guftavus at length quits Sweden on the I3th of 
 June , embarking with 30000 men. He lands in 
 Pomerania. He already clames this province either 
 in the whole or in part, to reward his expedition. 
 The duke of Pomerania, who now reigned, had no 
 children. His dominions by the law of confangui- 
 nity fhould have devolved upon the elector of Bran- 
 denburg. Guftavus ftipulates, that on the death of 
 this duke, he is to hold the province in fequeftra- 
 tion, until he fhall be reimburfed the expences of 
 the war. 
 
 Cardinal de Richelieu does not conclude the al- 
 liance between France and Guftavus until that king's 
 arrival in Pomerania , which only cofts France 
 300000 livres, paid down, and 12000 livres a year. 
 This was one of the moft ingenious treaties which 
 had ever been made. A neutrality for the elector of 
 Bavaria who might have been the greateft fupport of 
 the emperor was therein ftipulated, as alfo that of 
 the princes of the catholic league, who were not to 
 aflift the emperor againft the Swedes ; and care was 
 taken at the fame time to make Guftavus promife to 
 preferve all the rights of the Roman church in every 
 place where he fliould find that religion fubfifting. By 
 
 thete
 
 230 FERDINAND II. 
 
 thefe means the making this a war of religion, was 
 avoided, and theCatholics ofGermanythemfelves were 
 furniflied with a fpecious pretext for not affifting the 
 emperor. This league was figned at Brandenburg 
 on the 23d of January. 
 
 The proteftant ftates gained new courage. They 
 aflemble at Leipfick where they refolve to prefent 
 their moft humble remonftrances to Ferdinand,and to 
 fupport their petition with 40000 men for the efta- 
 blifhment of peace in the empire. Guftavus ftill 
 augments his army as he advances. He comes to 
 Francfort upon the Oder, yet can't prevent general 
 Tilli from taking Magdeburg by aflault on the 2Oth 
 of May. The town is reduced to afhes : the inha- 
 bitants are deftroyed by fire and fword j an horrible 
 event ! but now almoft fwallowed up in the crowd 
 of calamities .which perplexed thefe times. Tilli 
 being mafter of the Elbe imagines he mail be able 
 to prevent the king of Sweden from advancing any 
 farther. 
 
 The emperor at length having accommodated 
 all differences with France on account of the duke of 
 Mantua, recalls his troops from Italy : the fuperiority 
 was ftill intirely on his fide. The elector of Saxony 
 who had been the firft to call in Guftavus Adolphus 
 is at this time extremely embarafled, and the elector 
 of Brandenburg finding himfelf equally in the power 
 of the Imperial and Swedifh armies, continues very 
 irrefolute. 
 
 Guftavus obliges the elector of Brandenburg lo 
 join him, fword in hand : the elector George Wil- 
 liam delivers to him the fortrefs of Spandau, during 
 the whole time of the war ; fecures all the pafles for 
 him , and allows him to recruit in Brandenburg, 
 pleading to the emperor, with whom he keeps fair, 
 conftraint as an excufe for his conduct. 
 
 The elector of Saxony gives the command of his 
 own troops to Guitavus, The king of Sweden ad- 
 vances.
 
 FERDINAND II. 231 
 
 ranees towards Leipfick. Tilli arrives before him 
 and the elector of Saxony within a league of the town. 
 Each of their armies confifted of about 30,000 fight- 
 ing men. The Saxon troops, having been newly 
 Jevied, make no manner of refinance, and the elector 
 of Saxony is forced to mare their flight. This mif- 
 fortune is repaired by the Swedim difcipline. Guf- 
 tavus begins to make war in a new manner. He had 
 accuftomed his army to order and to a fort of exercife 
 that never had been known before, in confequence of 
 which Tilli, tho' looked upon to be one of the beft 
 generals in Europe, was completely overthrown in a 
 pitched battle fought on the I7th of September. 
 
 The conqueror purfues the Imperialifts into Fran- 
 conia : all places fubmit to him from the Elbe to the 
 Rhine, while the elector of Saxony retires into Bo- 
 hemia and Silefia. Guftavus fuddenly re-eftablifties 
 the duke of Mecklenburg in his dominions to the fur- 
 prife of Germany, and after taking Mentz haftens 
 into the palatinate. 
 
 The depofed elector Palatine fearches out his pro- 
 tector in order to fight in his army. TheSwedes pene- 
 trate as far as Alface.The elector of Saxony yon his fide, 
 makes himfelf mafter of the capital of Bohemia, and 
 conquers Lufatia. All the proteftant party is in arms in 
 Germany, and reaps the advantages of Guftavus's 
 victories. Tilli with the remains of his army con- 
 tinues in Weftphalia , where he is re-inforced by 
 fomc troops from the duke of Lorrain ; but he takes 
 no fteps towards oppofmg fuch rapid progrefs. 
 
 The emperor fallen in lefs than a year from that 
 height of grandeur in which he had appeared fo for- 
 midable, is obliged at laft to reftore the command 
 of his troops to that duke Walftein whom he had 
 deprived of it, with more abfolute power than ever 
 had been given to any general. Walftein accepts the 
 charge, and there are only a few troops left to Tilli 
 to enable feim at leaft to act on the defenfive. The 
 
 protection
 
 FERDINAND II. 
 
 protection which the king of Sweden gave to the 
 elector Palatine in truth made the elector of Bavaria 
 join the emperor, and he approaches Ferdinand in 
 thefe critical times rather like a prince with whom he 
 would chufe to keep fair, than a friend whom he 
 came to aflift. 
 
 The emperor had no longer wherewith to main- 
 tain thofe numerous armies that had rendered him fo 
 formidable; they had before the battle of Leipfick fub- 
 fifted at the expence of the catholic and proteftant 
 ftates, fmce which time they were deprived of thefe 
 refources. To form, to recruit, and to keep the 
 army on foot as well as poflible, all lay upon Wal- 
 ftein. 
 
 Ferdinand is at this time reduced to afk both men 
 and money from pope Urban VIII. and they are both 
 refufed him. He endeavoured to engage the court of 
 Rome to publilh a ciufade againft Guftavus, and hi& 
 holinefs promifes a jubilee inflead of a crufade. 
 
 1632. 
 
 Mean while the king of Sweden repaffes the Rhine 
 towards Franconia. Nuremberg opens her gates to 
 him. He marches to Donawert upon the Danube; 
 reflores that ancient town to its liberty, and with- 
 draws it from the Bavarian yoke. All the lands in 
 Suabia belonging to the houfes of Auftria and Bava- 
 ria, he lays under contribution. He forces the paflage 
 of the Leek in fpite of Tilli, who is mortally wound- 
 ed in the retreat. He enters Augfburg as a conque- 
 ror, and reftores the proteftan-t religion. It is fcarcely 
 poflible to pufh the rights of victory to greater length. 
 The magiftrates of Augfburg take an oath of fidelity 
 to him. The duke of Bavaria, who now remained 
 neuter, and not in arms either for the emperor or 
 himfelf, is obliged to quit Munich, which furrenders 
 to the conqueror on the yth of May, paying to him. 
 300,000 rixdollars to fave it from being plunder'd. 
 
 The
 
 FERDINAND II. 233 
 
 7'he Palatine has at leaft the comfort to enter with 
 Guftavus the palace of him who had difpoflefled 
 him. 
 
 The affairs of the emperor and of Germany feem 
 defperate. Tilli an excellent general, who had 
 never been unfortunate but againft Guftavus, was 
 dead ; the duke of Bavaria, difcontented with the em- 
 peror, was his victim, and faw himfelf driven out of 
 his capital. Walftein, duke of Frieland, ftill more 
 difgufted with the duke of Bavaria his declared enemy, 
 had refufed to march to his affiiftance j and the em- 
 peror Ferdinand, whofe inclinations never led him to 
 the field, waited his fate from that Walftein whom 
 he did not love, and whom he had held at defiance. 
 Walftein now imploys himfelf in retaking Bohemia 
 from the elector of Saxony, and has as much advan- 
 tage over the Saxons as Guftavus had over the Im- 
 perialifts. 
 
 With great difficulty Maximilian, elector of Bava- 
 ria, at length obtains being joined by Walftein.. 
 The Bavarian army partly levied at the elector's ex- 
 pence, and partly at the cxpence of the catholic 
 league, confifts of about 25,000 men. That of 
 Walftein amounted to 30,000 old foldiers. The king 
 of Sweden had not now above 20,000, but re-inforce- 
 ments were coming in to him on every fide. He is 
 joined by the landgrave of Hefle-Caflel, William and 
 Bernard of Saxe- Weimar, and the prince Palatine of 
 Birckenfield. His general Banier always brings him 
 new troops. He marches to the neighbourhood of 
 Nuremberg with above 50,000 men, approaching 
 the dukes of Bavaria and Wahftein in their intrenched 
 camp. They gives him battle, but it is not at all de- 
 cifive. Guftavus carries the war into Bavaria. Wal- 
 ftein carrries it into Saxony ; Provinces, the deftruc- 
 tion of which is completed by thefe different move- 
 ments. 
 
 Guftavus
 
 434 FERDINAND II. 
 
 Guftavus leaving 12,000 men in Bavaria, h'aftens 
 to Saxony. He foon arrives by forced marches at 
 Leipfick, at a time when Walftein did not in the 
 leaft expect him, and immediately prepares to give 
 battle. 
 
 They fight in the great plain of Lutzen on the I5th 
 of November. The victory is a long time doubtful ; 
 but the Swedes at length obtain it with the lofs of 
 their king, who is found among the dead, pierced 
 by two balls and two ftrokes of a fword. Duke 
 Bernard de Saxe - Weimar completes the victory. 
 What has not been invented about the death of this 
 great man ? A prince of the empire, who ferved in 
 his army, is accufed of having aflaffinated him ; nay 
 his death is imputed to cardinal de Richlieu who had 
 bufinefs for his life. Is it not natural then for a 
 king who expofed himfelf like a foldier to die like 
 one ? 
 
 This lofs was fatal to the elector Palatine, who 
 hoped to have been re-eftablifhed by Guftavus. He 
 was then fkk at Mentz, and the news of Guftavus's 
 death heightened his diforder in fuch a manner, that 
 he died on the i9th of November. 
 
 Walftein retires into Bohemia after the battle of 
 Lutzen. All Europe expected that the Swedes would" 
 quit Germany now that Guftavus was no longer at 
 their head ; but general Banier marches with them 
 into Bohemia. He caufes the body of the king to be 
 publicly fliewn in the army, in order to excite the 
 fpirit of revenge. 
 
 Guftavus left the throne of Sweden to a daughter 
 fix years old, and confequently a government di- 
 vided, as was the proteftant league by the death of 
 him who had been its chief and fupport. The fruits 
 of fo many victories were now near being loft, yet 
 nevertheless they were not. The true reafon perhaps 
 
 of
 
 FERDINAND II. 235 
 
 f fo extraordinary an event is, that the emperor acted 
 only in his clofet, when he ought to have exerted 
 himfelf at the head of his army. The fenate of 
 Sweden appoint their chancellor Oxenftiern to follow 
 exactly the defigns of Guftavus the great in Germany. 
 They alfo give him abfolute power. Oxenftiern at 
 this time certainly enjoyed a more elevated rank than 
 ever fubject in Europe had before. He was at the 
 head of all the proteftant princes of Germany. 
 
 Thefe princes meet at Heilbron, and among them 
 are the ambafladors of France, England, and the 
 States general. Oxenftiern opens the conference in his 
 own houfe, and immediately fignalizes himfelf by 
 reftoring the upper and lower-Palatinate to Charles 
 Lewis fon of the difpoflefled elector. This prince 
 Charles Lewis had appeared in one of thofe aflemblies 
 as an elector ; but this ceremony had not reftored him 
 his dominions. 
 
 Oxenftiern renews with cardinal RichKeu the treaty 
 that had been made with Guftavus Adolphus. He 
 is only allowed a million a year fubfidy, inftead of 
 1200000 livres which had been allowed his mafter. 
 
 Ferdinand negotiates with each of the proteftant 
 princes, having a view of dividing them j but he does 
 not fuceeed. The war is ftill continued in plundered 
 Germany with undecifive fuccefs. Auftria is the 
 only part which was free from it as well before as 
 after the time of Guftavus. The Spanifh branch of 
 Auftria had hitherto but feebly fupported the imperial 
 branch ; however it at laft makes an effort, fending 
 the duke of Feria from Italy into Germany with 
 about 20, ooo men, the greateft part of which army 
 he loft in his marches and operations. The elector of 
 Triers, bifhop of Spire, had built and fortified Phi- 
 lip(burg, on which the imperial troops had feized in 
 fpite of him. Oxenftiern by the force of the Swedifli 
 arms obliges them to reftore it to the elector, notwith- 
 ftanding the duke of P'eria vainly ftrove to force him 
 
 to
 
 2 3 6 
 
 FERDINAND II. 
 
 to raife the fiege. This wife politician Teemed inclined 
 to convince Europe by his conduct, that he did not 
 want to fubdue the catholic religion, but that Sweden, 
 as victorious after as before the death of her king, was 
 equally inclined to protect the proteftants and catho- 
 lics. A conduit that encouraged the pope to refufe 
 the men money and crufade which the emperor had 
 demanded. 
 
 1634- 
 
 France as yet had only taken part privately in this 
 difpute. It had hitherto coft her but a very trifling 
 fubfidy to procure the throne, of Ferdinand to be 
 fhaken by the Swedifli arms ; but cardinal Richlieu 
 began now to deliberate upon making fome ufe of 
 their fuccefs. He vainly endeavoured the fequeftra- 
 tion of Philipfburg, for France had taken every fair 
 opportunity of making herfdf miftrefs of fome towns 
 in Alface, as Haguenan and Saverne, which file had 
 obliged the count de Solmes, governor of Strafburg 
 to part with by treaty. Lewis XIII. who had not 
 declared war againft Auftria, yet declares it againft 
 Charles duke of Lorrain, becaufe he was a partizan 
 of that houfe. The miniftry of France dared not 
 as yet openly attack the emperor or. Spain, becaufe 
 they were able to defend themfelves, but turned their 
 arms upon the feeble Lorraine. Charles II. the de- 
 pofed duke is commonly called Charles IV. a prince 
 well known for his extravagancies, his marriages, 
 and his misfortunes. 
 
 The French have an army in Lorrain and troops 
 in Alface ready to a& openly againft the emperor 
 the .firft fair opportunity that may afford the leaft 
 juftirka'tion for fuch a proceeding. The duke de 
 Feria, purfued by the Swedes into Bavaria, dies there 
 after the almoft intire difperfion of his army. 
 
 In the midft of thefe troubles and misfortunes, the 
 duke of Walftein is ingrofied with a defign of making 
 the army, which be commanded in Bohemia, contri- 
 bute
 
 FERDINAND II. 
 
 bute to his own grandeur, and thereby render himfelf 
 independent of an emperor who feemed dilatory in 
 affifting even himfelf, and w~s always diftruftful of 
 his generals. It is pretended that Walftein treated 
 with the proteftant princes and even with Sweden 
 and France. But thofe intrigues of which he is ac- 
 cufed were never clearly proved. The confpiracy of 
 Walftein is received as an hiftorical fadt, and yet we 
 are abfolutely ignorant of what kind it was. They 
 guefied at his projects. His real crime was that of 
 making the army his own, and endeavouring to become 
 abfolute mafter of it. Time and opportunity had 
 done the reft. He adminiftred an oath to fuch of the 
 principal officers of this army as were moft in his 
 intereft ; the purport of which was, their binding 
 themfelves to defend bis perfon and Jhare his fortune. 
 Altho' he might juftify himfelf in this ftep by the very 
 ample power which the emperor had lodged in his 
 hands, yet the council of Vienna are alarmed. The 
 Spanifli and Bavarian parties at that court wereWal- 
 itein's profefled enemies. Ferdinand comes to a refo- 
 lution of taking off Walftein and his principal friends 
 by aflaffination. One Butler, an Irifhman, to whom 
 Walftein had given a command of dragoons, and two 
 Scotchmen, named Lacy and Gordon, the former one 
 of the captains of his guard, are charged with this 
 aflaffination . Thefe three ftrangers having received 
 their commiffion in Egra, where Walftein at that 
 time refided, caufed four officers, who were the prin- 
 cipal friends of the duke, to be forthwith ftrangled 
 at fupper ; after which they afluffinate himfelf in 
 the caftle on the I5th of February. If Ferdinand 
 was obliged to come to an extremity fo very hateful, 
 it ought to be reckoned amongft his misfortunes. 
 
 All the effects of this aflaffination were to exafpc- 
 rate the inhabitants of Bohemia and Silefia. If the 
 Bohemians ftirred not upon this occafion, it was be- 
 caufe they were awed by an army ; but the Silefuns 
 
 openly
 
 238 FERDINAND II. 
 
 openly revolt and join the Swedes. The Swedifli 
 arms ftill keep all Germany in awe, even as when 
 their king was alive. General Barrier commands the 
 whole courfe of the Oderj marfhal Horn governs upon 
 the Rhine, Bernard duke of Weimar upon the Da- 
 nube, and the eledtor of Saxony in Bohemia and Lu- 
 fatia. The emperor ftill continues at Vienna. It 
 was happy for him, that the Turks did not attack 
 him at this melancholy juncture. Bethleem-Gabor 
 was dead, and Amurath IV. employed againft the 
 Perfians. 
 
 Ferdinand fecure on that fide, drew fome affiftance 
 from Auftria, Carinthia, Carniola, and Tirol. The 
 king of Spain fupplied him with fome money, the 
 catholic league with troops, and the elector of Ba- 
 varia, whom the Swedes had deprived of the Palati- 
 nate, found himfelf under a neceffity of taking part 
 v/ith the emperor. The Auftrians and Bavarians 
 united, fupport the fortune of Germany upon the 
 Danube. Ferdinand Erneft, king of Hungary fon to 
 the emperor, encourages the Auftrians by putting 
 himfelf at their head. He takes Ratisbon in fight of 
 the duke of Saxe-weimar. This prince and marfhal 
 Horn who were joined make aftand upon the borders 
 ofSuabia, and on the 5th of September they give the 
 imperialifts battle. This was the memorable battle 
 of Norlinguen. The king of Hungary commanded 
 the army : the elector of Bavaria headed his own 
 troops ; the cardinal infant, governor of the Low- 
 countries, led fome Spanifh regiments. Charles IV. 
 duke of Lorrain, who had been flripped of his domi- 
 nions by Fiance, there commanded his little army of 
 ten or twelve thoufand men, which he had fometimes 
 led to the ft-rvice of the emperor, fometimes to that 
 of the Spaniards, and fubfifted at the coft of friends 
 and enemies. There were in this combined army 
 fcveral great generals, fuch Picolomini, and John 
 de Vert. It was one of the moft bloody battles 
 
 that
 
 FERDINAND II. 239 
 
 that ever was fought, lading above a day and a half; 
 the army of Weimar was almoft totally deftroyed, and 
 Suabia and Franconia fubmitted to the imperialifls 
 where they quartered at difcretion. 
 
 This misfortune, which was lhared by the Swedes, 
 by France, and the Proteftants of Germany, contri- 
 buted to the moft chriftian king's fuperiority and at 
 length fecured him the pofTeffion of Alface. It was not 
 the chancellor Oxenftiern's intention before this event, 
 that France fhould have much power in that coun- 
 try, but that the Swedes who had all the labour of 
 the wax fhould reap the advantage of it. Befides, 
 Lewis XIII. had never openly declared againft the 
 emperor. But after the battle of Norlinguen the 
 Swedes were obliged to intreat the miniftry of France 
 to take pofleflion of Alface, under the name of pro- 
 tector, upon condition that neither the Proteftant 
 princes nor ftates fhould make peace or treat with the 
 emperor without the confent of France and Sweden. 
 This treaty is figned at Paris November the firft. 
 
 In confequence of this, the "king of France fends 
 an army into Alface, and puts garrifcns into all the 
 towns, Strafburg excepted, which appears as a con- 
 fiderable ally. The elector of Triers, being under 
 the protection of France, is arrefted by the emperor. 
 This elector is confined at Bruflels under the care of 
 the cardinal infant, and fu mimes alfo a reafon for 
 going to war with the Spanifh branch of Auftria. 
 
 France had not joined her arms to thofe of Sweden 
 until the latter became unfortunate, and the battle of 
 Norlinguen had recovered the fpirits of the imperia- 
 lifts. Cardinal Richelieu already fhared in imagina- 
 tion the conqueft of the Spanifh Low-countries with 
 the Dutch. He reckoned he fhould foon have the 
 chief command himfelf, and Frederic Henry a prince 
 of Orange be fubfervient to his orders. In Germany 
 
 he
 
 240 FERDINAND II. 
 
 he had in his pay Bernard de Weimar upon the Rhine. 
 The army of Weimar, which was diftinguifhed by 
 the name of the Weimarian troops, was now be- 
 come like that of Charles IV. of Lorrain or of Mans- 
 felt, an independent detached army, belonging only 
 to its leader. They called this the army, of the cir- 
 cles of Suabia and Franconia, and the Higher and 
 Lower Rhine, altho' it was paid by France, and not 
 in the leaft fubfifted by thefe circles. 
 
 This was the height oi the thirty years war, in 
 which, on the one fide we fee the houfes of Auftria, 
 Bavaria, and the catholic league engaged, and on the 
 other, France, Sweden, Holland, and the protef- 
 tant league. 
 
 The emperor could not pofiibly negleft dividing 
 the proteftant league after the vidtory of Norlinguen. 
 There is great likelihood that France had been too 
 late in her declaration of war, which had fhe made 
 in the ti.ne that Guftavus himfelf was in Germany, 
 the French troops had entered without refinance a 
 difcontented country, bar rafted by the government of 
 Ferdinand ; but they came at a "time when Germany 
 was wearit-d with the Swedifh devaftations, after the 
 death of Guftavus and the battle of Norlinguen, 
 when the fuperiority again appeared in favour of the 
 imperialifts. 
 
 At the fame time that France declared herfelf, the 
 emperor did not neglecT: to make a very neceffary 
 agreement with mofl of the Proteftant princes. The 
 fame elector of Saxony, who had been the firft that 
 called in the Swedes, was the ruff, to abandon them 
 by the treaty, which is diftinguiQied by the name of 
 Prague. Few treaties more plainly fhew how reli- 
 gion ferves as a pretext for politics, how it is laughed 
 at, nay faciificed to neceflity. 
 
 The emperor had fet all Germany in a flame by 
 the reftitution of benefices ; in the treaty of Prague 
 he firft gave up the archbifhopric of Magdeburg and all 
 
 eccle-
 
 FERDINAND II. 241 
 
 ccclefiaftical pofleflion to the elector of Saxony, who" 
 was a Lutheran, excepting a penfion which was to 
 be paid to the elector of Brandenburg a Calvinift. 
 Tho intereft of; the houfe of the tlcdor Palatine, 
 which had given firft rife to this long war, feemed 
 to be the leaft thing regarded in this treaty. The 
 elector of Bavaria was only obliged to fublift the wi- 
 dow of him who had been king of Bohemia, and the 
 Palatine his fon, when he fhould fubmit to the impe- 
 rial authority. 
 
 The emperor befides this engages to reftore to fuch 
 of the confederates of the Proteftant league as acce- 
 ded to this treaty, all that he had taken from them ;. 
 and it was likewife ftipulated, that they fhould reftore 
 all they had taken from the houfe of Auftria ; the 
 latter indeed was very trifling, fince the emperor'k 
 dominions, Upper Auihia excepted, had not been in 
 the leaft expofed in this war. 
 
 One branch of the houfe of Brunfwic, the duke 
 of Mecklenburg, the houfe of Anhalt, that branch 
 of Saxony which is eftablifhed at Gotha, duke Ber- 
 nard, de Saxe Weimar's brother, befides fevcral im- 
 perial towns, figned this treaty. The others continue 
 to negotiate expecting great advantages. 
 
 The whole weight of the war, which had, refled 
 intirely upon Gufravus Adolphus, began in 1635 to 
 full upon the French, and this war which had been 
 waged from the borders of ti.e Baltic fea to the bot- 
 tom of Suabia, was now brought into Alface, Lor- 
 rain, Franche-Comte and the borders of France. 
 Lewis X1IJ. who had, only paid 1200,000 F r anks 
 by way of fubfidy to Guftavus Adolphus, allowed 
 4; OOO, boo to Bernard de Weimar for the ule of 
 his troops ; befides which the French miniflry gave 
 up to this duke all their pretenfioris upon Alface, of 
 which province they promifed to declare him land- 
 grave upon a peace. 
 
 VOL. II. L It
 
 242- FERDINAND II. 
 
 It muft be, owjied, that had not cardinal Richlieu 
 been *he man who made this treaty it would appear 
 very ftrange.- How could they give a young: Ger- 
 man prince who might have children a province of 
 fuch vaft advantage to France, wherein fhe already 
 poilefled feveral towns? It is very probable, that 
 cardinal Richlieu had no notion of keeping Alface ; 
 nor had he any hope of annexing Loi rain to France, 
 over which (he had no manner of light, and which 
 muft have been furrendered upon a peace. The con- 
 queftj of Franche-Comte appeared much more na- 
 tural,' and yet on that fide they make but very feeble 
 efforts. The hope of dividing the Low-countries 
 with the Dutch, was the cardinal's principal object, 
 and he had this fo much at heart, that bad his health 
 and affairs permitted, it, he was refolved to have cotn- 
 manded -there in per/on ; yet in this project he was 
 principally difappointed, and Alface which he. had fo 
 freely beftowed upon Bernard de Weimar, was after 
 the cardinal's -death allotted to France. Thus do 
 events often deceive the forefight of the ableft politi- 
 cians, unlefs they had faid it was the intention of the 
 French miniflry to keep Alface -under the, name of 
 the duke of Weimar, as it had already an army un- 
 der the command of this great captain. 
 
 1636. 
 
 Italy at length takes part in this great quajrdy but 
 not as the imperial houfes of Saxony and Suabia had 
 done to defend its liberty againft the German arma. 
 It was intended to difpute the.fuperiority of the Spa- 
 nifh branch of Auftria governing >n Italy on the other 
 fi^eof the Alps, as it had been formerly oppofed on the 
 banks of the Rhine. The miniftry of France had 
 Savoy at that time for itfelf, and had juft driven* the; , 
 Spaniards out of the Valteline. Thefe two greajt Auf- 
 trian bodies were thus attacked on. all. fides. 
 
 France
 
 F B R'D I N AN D II.' 24.3' 
 
 France -atone fends five armies at once into the 
 field, it attacks' or defends itfc.'f on the fide of 
 Piedmont ; the Rhine; the frontiers of Flanders ; 
 thofe of Franche-comte, as well as thofe of Spain, 
 Francis I. had formerly made the like efforts ; and 
 France had never manifefted before fo many re- 
 fourc'es. 
 
 In the midft of fo many ftorms fuch confufion of 
 powers which prefled it-on every fide, while the elec- 
 tor of Saxony, after having brought the Swedes into 
 Germany, heads the imperial troops, and is defeated 
 by general Banier in Weftphalia, who ravages Hefie, , 
 Saxony and Weflphalia. Ferdinand ftill intirely in- 
 gfofled by politics, at Lift caufes his- fon Ferdinand" 
 Erneft -to be declared king of the Romans, in the 
 diet of'Ra-tisbon on the i2th of December; this 
 prince is crowned on the 2Oth. All the enemies of 
 Auftria exclaim againft this eleflion' as null and void. 
 The eleftor of Triers, fay they who advance this, 
 was- a prifoner ; Charles Lewis fon to Frederic the 
 palatine king of Bohemia is not reftored as yet to 
 the rights of his palatinate : the electors of Mentzi ' 
 ii:id Cologn are the emperors penfioners, all which, 
 fay they, is againft the golden bull, it is very cer- 
 tain that none of thefe-claufes we're inferted in thd " 
 golden bull : And that the election of Ferdinand III. 
 by a majority of voices, was as lawful as any other 
 tleftion of a king of the Romans made during 'the 
 life of an. emperor; the 1 manner of which is not 
 fpacifitd'in'the golden bull.- 
 
 1637. 
 
 Ferdinand II. dies on the I5th of Febrtliry, aged 
 59, after a reign of 18 yearsi which -had been'pef 
 plexeti.WklAfti'ang^^nd intrftine wars, a^air.ft Avhich ' 
 he never fought but in his cabiiier. He-was unfortu- 
 nate, becaufe in his fuccefiVs he had ima-mrd it ne- 
 y to be-bloody, and^lic had afterwaiJs fdr -rent 
 L 2 changes
 
 244 FERDINAND III. 
 
 changes of fortune. Germany was ftill more unfor- 
 tunate than her mafter ; ravaged by her natives, by 
 the Swedes and by the French, pining under poverty 
 and famine and plunged in barbarity, the certain 
 confequences of a war fo long and fo unhappy. 
 
 FERDINAND III. 
 
 Fo R T Y - S E V E N T H EM PER OR. 
 
 FERDINAND III. mounted the ihrone of 
 Germany at a time when the harrafled people 
 began to hope for fome repofe ; but they flattered 
 themfelves in vain. A congrefs had been appointed 
 at Cologne and alfo at Hamburg, to give at leaft to 
 the public the appearances of the approaching accom- 
 modation. But peace was not the object of either car- 
 dinal Richlieu or the Auftrian council's intention ; 
 each party ftiil hoped for advantages which might en- 
 able them to prefcribe laws. 
 
 This long and dreadful war, founded upon fomany 
 different interefts, is then protracted becaufe it was 
 already begun. Saxony was wafted by the Swedifh ge- 
 neral Banier, and the country about the Rhine by 
 duke Bernard de Weimar : the Spaniards having 
 taken the ifland of St. Margaret had entered Lan- 
 guedoc, and in the Low-countries penetrated even 
 into the Pontoife. Vifcount Turenne had already 
 diftinguiftied himfelf in the Low countries againft 
 the cardinal infant. The object of fo many devafta- 
 tioris was no longer the fame as when thefe troublee 
 began. They had been kindled by the proteftant 
 and catholic league, and on the elector Palatine's ac- 
 count ; but their purpofe now was that fuperiority of 
 which France endeavoured to deprive the houfe of 
 AJuiliia, and the defiga of the Swedes was to pre- 
 
 ferve
 
 FERDINAND III. 245 
 
 ferve part of their conquefts in Germany. With 
 thefe different views they treated, and were in 
 arms. 
 
 1638- 
 
 Duke Bernard de Weimar began to be as dangerous 
 an enemy to Ferdinand III. as Guftavus Adolphus 
 had been to his father. He gave him battle twice in 
 15 days near Rhensfield, one of the four foreft 
 towns of which he made himfelf mafter, and at the 
 fecond battle he intirely deftroyed the army of John 
 de Werth a celebrated imperial general, whom he 
 took prifoner with many of his general officers. 
 John de Werth is fent to Paris. Weimar befieges 
 Brifac ; he gains a third battle, aflifted by marihat 
 de Guebriant and vifcount Turenne, againft general 
 Goeuts. He gains a fourth againft Charles IV. duke 
 of Lorrain, who like Weimar had no eftate but his 
 army. After having won four victories in lefs than 
 four months, he takes the fort of Brifac on the i8th 
 of December, which had hitherto been looked upon 
 as the key of Alface. 
 
 Charles Lewis, count Palatine, who had re-af- 
 fembled fome troops, and who burned with impatience 
 to re-eftablifti himfelf by his fword, is not fo happy in 
 Weftphalia, where the imperialifts dcftroyhis feeble ar- 
 my. But the Swedes under general Banier make new 
 conquefts in Pomerania. The firft year of this reign is 
 hardly remarkable for any thing but misfortunes. 
 
 The good fortune of the houfe of Auftria delivers 
 it from Bernard de Weimar as it had already done 
 from Guftavus Adolphus. He is cut oft" by ficknefs 
 in the flower of his age, being only 35 years old, on 
 the 1 8th of July. 
 
 The inheritance he left behind him was his army 
 and liis conquefts. This army, in truth, was fecrctly 
 
 L 3 paid
 
 24.6 FERDINAND 111. 
 
 paid by France ; but it belonged to Weinjar. It 
 had fworn fidelity to no other. .There was a ne- 
 ceffity to negotiate with it to preferveit in the French 
 fervice, and keep it from the Swedifh. 
 
 Marfhal Guebriant purchafes the fidelity of thefe 
 Droops, ?ijd Lewis. XIII. is thus matter of. Weimar's 
 army, of Alface, Brisgaw, and the neighbouring 
 .country. 
 
 Money and negotiations do every- thing for him. 
 
 .He difpofes intiitiy of:Hefie, .a province that fur- 
 
 Jiifiaes good foldiers : the celebrated Amelia Dowager 
 
 .of the Jandgrave of Hana.u, the heroine of her time, 
 
 , keeps on foot with the help of fo rue French fubfidies an 
 
 v army of-io, ooo men in that ruinated country which 
 
 ?fhe had reftored; enjoying at the fame time that 
 
 Stipulation which all the virtues, of the fex beftow, 
 
 together with the glory of being chief of a very 
 
 ^powerful party. 
 
 Holland indeed, in this quarrel <tf the emperor, had 
 ,remained neuter, but -then file caufed a confiderable 
 diverfion by employing Spain and the Low-countries. 
 Banier was in all his battles fuccefsful. After mak- 
 ing fure of Pomerania he had fecured Thuringia-and 
 iJaxony. 
 
 But the principal object offo many troubles, which 
 had been the re-eftab!ifhment of the houfe of the Pala- 
 tine fcemed to be moil neglected, and by a fingular fata- 
 Jity this prince was thrown into prifon by the^French 
 theinfelves, .who had fo long fcemed willing to place 
 him in the electoral chair. 
 
 The count Palatine arthe death of the duke deWei- 
 mar, had conceived a-noble and indeed a very reafo-r 
 nable defign, that of re-entering upon his eftates with 
 Weimar's army, which he would have purchased with 
 the money of England. He goes in reality to London, 
 where he gets money, and returns by France ; but 
 the cardinal Richlieu, who was very willing to pro- 
 tect him, yet did not care to fee him independent, 
 
 caufes
 
 FERDINAND III. 247 
 
 caufes him to be arrefted ; nor is he fet at liberty until 
 Brifac and Weimar's troops are fecured to Fiance, 
 which then gives him a maintenance the prince is 
 forced to accept. 
 
 I (340. 
 
 The progrefs of the French and Swedes continue. 
 The duke de Longueville and rnarfhal Guebriant jofn 
 general Banier. This army is itiil increafed by die 
 troops of Hcffe and Lunenburg. 
 
 They march to\vard Vienna without general Pico- 
 loinfni j but in a wary, fkilful and deliberate manner. 
 It had been other/wife very difficult for fo numerous 
 an army to advance in fight of the enemy in a coun- 
 try that had been fo long ruinated, and where the 
 foldiers as well as the people were in want of every- 
 thing. 
 
 The end of the year 1640 is yet very fatal to the 
 houfe of Auftria. Catalonia revolts and gives itfelf up 
 to France. Portugal, which ever fmce the time 6f 
 Philip; II. had been a province of impoverished Spain, 
 ihakes off the Auftrian yoke and foon erects herfdf 
 into a Separate and flourishing kingdom. 
 
 Ferdinand then begins ferioufly to treat of peace*; 
 yet at the fame time demands of the -diet of Ratisbon 
 an army of 90, ooo men to carry on the war. 
 
 1641. 
 
 While the emperor is at the diet of Ratisbon,: ge- 
 neral Banier is very near feizing upon him and all 
 his deputies. He marches his army over the Danube 
 which was frozen, and had he not been furprifed by 
 a thaw, he had taken Ferdinand in Ratisbon. 
 
 The fame fortune which had taken off Guftavus 
 and Weimar in the midft of their conquefis, at length 
 delivers the imperialifrs from the famous general 
 Banier. He fickens and dies on the 20th of'May at 
 Halberftadt, being '40 years old, and at that time 
 
 L 4 more
 
 248 FERD INAND III. 
 
 more formidable than ever. None of the Swedifli 
 .'is had any long career. 
 
 They negotiate, {till. Cardinal Richlicu could have 
 made peace, but he did riot chufe it. He know very 
 well what advantages France was to reap, and it was 
 his intention to make himfelf neccflary, during the 
 life and after the death of Lewis XJ1I. whofe end he 
 forcfaw approaching : but his forecait could not teach 
 him that he was to die full. He concluded a new 
 treaty of an offenfive alliance with Chriftlna queen or" 
 Sweden, for preliminaries of that peace with which 
 they foothed an oppreiTtd people. He augments the 
 Swcdifh iubfidy with and addition of 200, ooo livres. 
 
 Count de Torftcnfon fucceeds general iJanier in 
 the Swedifli army, which was in reality an army of 
 Germans. Almoft a'l the Swedes who had fought 
 undtr Guftavus and Banier wtre dead; and under 
 the name of Swedes the Germans fight againil their 
 country, Torftenfon, bred under Guftavus, {hews 
 himftlf worthy of fo great a rnafter. Marfhul Gue- 
 briant and he again defeat the impcrialilts near Wol- 
 fenbuttle. 
 
 Auftria, notwithfhnding fo many victories, is not 
 yet fubdued. The emperor ftill holds out. Ger- 
 many from the main even to the Baltic lea is laid 
 wafte. The war is not carried into Auftria. They 
 had not fufficicnt forces. Thefc victories, fo much 
 boafted of, were nor intirely decifive. They could 
 not at once go thro' fo many different enterprifes, 
 and powerfully attack one fide without weakening 
 aiu'.her. 
 
 1642. 
 
 Frederic William, the new elcor of Brandenburg, 
 treats with France and Sweden, in hope, it is faid, of 
 obtaining the duchy of Jjgendorff in Silefia ; a duchy 
 formerly given by Ferdinand I. to a prince of the 
 houfc of Brandenburg, who had been his governor, 
 
 fince
 
 FERDINAND III. 249 
 
 fince confifcated by Ferdinand II. after the vidtoiy of 
 Prague and the misfortunes of the Palatine. The 
 ele&or of Brandenburg hopes to re-enter that territory 
 of which his great uncle had been deprived. 
 
 The duke of Lorrain alfo implores the afliftance of 
 France to reftore him to his dominions ; which fhe 
 does, keeping only fome warlike towns. This is ano- 
 ther fupport which taken from the emperor. 
 
 Ferdinand III. ftill holds out notwithftancling all 
 thcfe lolles ; nor is he abandoned by either Saxony or 
 Bavaria. The hereditary provinces furnifh him with 
 foldiers. Torftenfon again defeats the imperial troops 
 in Silefia, commanded by the arch-duke Leopold, by ' 
 the duke of Saxe-Lawemburg and Picolomini. But 
 this victory is attended with no confequences. He 
 re-pafles the Elbe, enters Saxony, and lays fiege to 
 Leipfic. He gains another fignal victory in that 
 country where the Swedes had always conquered. 
 Leopold is beaten on the plains of Breitenfelt the 2tl 
 of November. Torftenfon enters Leipfic on the i5th 
 of December. All this indeed is melancholy for 
 Saxony and the provinces of Germany; but they had 
 never penetrated to its center, or to the emperor, 
 who fupports himfclf after more than 20 defeats. 
 
 Cardinal Richlieu dies on the 4th of December, 
 a death that gives fome hopes to the houfe of Auftria. 
 
 1643. 
 
 The Swedes in the courfe of this war had often 
 entered Bohemia, Silefia, and Moravia, and quitted 
 them to throw themfelves into the eaftern provinces. 
 Torftenfon would have entered Bohemia, but not- 
 withftanding his vi&ories could never gain his point. 
 
 They continued to negotiate flill (lowly at Ham- 
 burg while the war was purfued very biilkly. Lewis 
 XIII. dies on the i+th of May. The emperor is 
 farther than ever from a general peace. He flattered 
 himfclf he ftioulj be able to withdraw the Swedes 
 
 L 5 from
 
 250 FERDINAND 111. 
 
 from the French afliftance during the troubles of a 
 minority ; but it happens during the minority of 
 Lewis XIV. tho' very perplexed, as it had under that 
 of Chriftina, that the war is continued at the expence 
 o.f Germany. 
 
 The emperor's party is at length ftrengthened by 
 the duke of Lorraine who joins him after the death 
 of Lewis XIII. 
 
 The death of marfhal Guebriant, who is killed 
 at the fiege of Rothuel, is yet another advantage for 
 'Ferdinand. This is the fourth great general who 
 perifhed in the progrefs of his victories agajnft the 
 Jmperialifts. It was the emperor's good fortune alfo 
 that general Mercy -fhould defeat marlha'l Rantzau, 
 {juebriant's fucceftbr, atDutlingen in Su-abia. 
 
 Thefe viciflitudes of war retard the conferences 
 about a peace, at Munfter and at Ofnabrug, where 
 the congrefs at laft is fettled. A war between Den- 
 mark and Sweden, on account of fomeDanifh fhips, 
 taken by the latter , gives Ferdinand III. time 
 *o breathe. This accident might have given the fu- 
 periority to the emperor, who mews what were his 
 refources by marching a fmall part of his army with 
 Galas at its head to the afliftance of Denmark. But 
 <his diverfion ferves only to ruin Holftein, the ftage 
 of this tranfitory war, and one of the moft defolated 
 provinces of Germany, purope was the more fur- 
 prized at hoftilities between Sweden and Denmark, 
 jbecaufe Denmark had offered itfelf as mediator 
 of the general peace, but -was now excluded ; and 
 .Rome and Venice have at length the fole mediation 
 of this peace, which is yet very diflant. 
 
 The firft flep taken bv count D'avaux, one of 
 the plenipotentiaries of this peace at Munfter, threw 
 the go-cateft ebftacle in the way of it. He writes 
 to the princes end #ate of the empire aGcmliled at 
 Ratifbon, to engage them to fupport their preroga- 
 tives, and to ftiare with the emperor and the ekftors 
 
 the
 
 A N'D 'III. 
 
 the right of peace and war ; a right that had been 
 s coritefted between the electors and other im- 
 
 perial dates. At the diet thefe dates infifted upon 
 their right of being admitted to the conferences as 
 contracting parties. In this they had got tile ftart of 
 the French minifters, who'ih their letters ufed forne 
 difielbectful'terms 'towards 'Ferdinand. This;occa- 
 fions the emperor and the electors at once to fall off, 
 and gives them room to complaih and to throw the 
 reproach of continuing 'the troubles of Europe upon 
 France. 
 
 Happily for the plenipotentiaries of France they 
 receive news about that time of a moft memorable 
 vidtory, gained over the Spanifh-Auftri'an army, at 
 Rocroi, by the duke 'D'Anguicn, afterwards the 
 great Conde, who in this battle -deftroys the cele- 
 brated Caftilian and XValloon infantry, whofe re- 
 putation had been fo very great. Plenipotentiaries, 
 backed by fuch victories, might write in any terms. 
 
 1644. 
 
 The emperor might ftill flatter himfelf tb;\t Den- 
 mark would declare in his favour ; but of this re- 
 fource he is deprived. Cardinal Mazarine, Richh'cu's 
 iucceflbr, is afliduous in reconciling Denmark to 
 Sweden j nor is this all, Denmark alfo engages it- 
 felf not to afTift any of the enemies of France. 
 
 Both the negotiations 'and the war are equally un- 
 happy for the Auftrians. T-he duke D'anguien, who 
 had beaten the Spaniards the preceding year, gives 
 battle three times in four days, between the 5th and 
 9th of Auguft, in the neighbourhood of Friburg to 
 general Mercy, and beats him each time, wlnreby 
 lie makes himfelf mafter of the whole country, from 
 Mcntz to Landau, of which Mercy had been 'before 
 pol'IcfTcd. 
 
 Cardinal Mazarine and the Chancellor Oxen- 
 
 ftiern, in order the better to command the negotia- 
 
 L 6 tions,,
 
 252 FERDINAND III. 
 
 tions, raife up a new enemy to Ferdinand in the 
 perfon of Ragotfky, who had been fovereign of 
 Tranfilvania ever fmce 1626. They procure for 
 him the protection of the pope. Ragotfky wants 
 neither pretexts nor reafons for his conduit. The 
 Proteftants of Hungary, perfecuted, the privileges 
 of the people defpifed, and the violation of ancient 
 treaties, form Ragotfky's manifefto, while the mo- 
 ney of France fupplies him with arms. 
 
 In the mean time the Imperialifts are pufhed hard 
 by Torftenfon in Franconia. General Galas flies 
 every-wherc before him, and before count Konings- 
 mark, who trod already in the fteps of the greateft 
 Swedifli captains. 
 
 1645% 
 
 Ferdinand, and the arch-duke Leopold his rela- 
 tion, were at Prague when the victorious Torftenfon 
 enters Bohemia and obliges them to fly to Vienna. 
 
 Torftenfon comes up with the imperial army at 
 Tabor, which was commanded by general Gceurs 
 and John de Wcrth, who was redeemed out of pri- 
 fon. Gceuts was killed, and John de Werth flies : 
 in fhort the rout is compleat. 
 
 The conqueror marches to, and befieges Brinn ; 
 nay even threatens Vienna. 
 
 In this long train of Difafters fomething always 
 fell out to preferve the emperor. The fiege of Brinn 
 had been protracted , and inftead of the French 
 marching towards the Danube to join the Swedes as 
 they were to have done in cafe they had conquered, 
 vifcount Turennc is beaten on the beginning of his 
 journey by general Mercy at Mariendal, and retires 
 to Hefie. 
 
 The great Conde marches againft Mercy, and has 
 the glory of repairing Turenne's defeat, by a moft 
 fignal victory on the very fame plains of Norlinguen, 
 where the Swedes had been before beaten after the 
 
 death
 
 FERDINAND III. 253 
 
 death of Guftavus. Turenne contributes even more 
 than Conde to the fuccefs of this bloody battle, which 
 is the lefs decifive the more it is deftructive. The 
 emperor fuddenly withdraws his troops from Hun- 
 gary, and treats with Ragotfky to prevent the French 
 from marching thro' Bavaria to Vienna, while the 
 Swedes threaten to approach it thro' Moravia. 
 
 In all probability while the French and Swedifh. 
 arms are attended with fuch mighty profperity, fome 
 rooted vice {till prevented their reaping the advan- 
 tages of fuch fuccefs. The mutual fear which each 
 of thefe allies had of the other's obtaining the fupe- 
 riority, the failure of money, and the want of re- 
 cruits, all fet a boundary to their progrefs. 
 
 After the famous battle of Norlinguen it was 
 fcarcely to be expected, that the Auftrians and Ba- 
 varians fhould fuddenly recover the territories loft by 
 that battle, and that they mould purfue even the victo- 
 rious army of Conde to the Necker, where he himfelf 
 was not, but where Turenne remained. Such vicif- 
 fitudes are frequent in this war. 
 
 In the mean time the emperor, tired with fuch 
 continual fhocks, began to think ferioufly'of peace. 
 He at length gives the elector of Triers his liberty, 
 whofe imprifonment had given France a pretext for 
 declaring war. But the French arms re-eftablifh 
 this elector in his capital. Turenne drives out the 
 imperial garrifon, and the elector of Triers allies 
 himfelf to France as his benefactor. The elector 
 Palatine might have had the fame obligations j but 
 France as yet had done nothing decifive for him. 
 
 That which principally contributed to the empe- 
 ror's fafety was, that Saxony and Bavaria had almoft 
 always born the burden o( the war ; but the elector 
 of Sa:<ony, being at length much weakend, enters in- 
 to treaty with the Swedes. Ferdinand had not done 
 more for him than for Bavaria. The Turks threaten 
 Hungary. All had thereby been loft. The fear of 
 
 the
 
 254 F IE ;R *> * 
 
 the Ottoman arms makes him impatient to fatrsfy 
 Ragot&y. -He acknowleges "that prince fovereign of 
 Tranfiivania, a prince of the empire, and'reftores to 
 hrm all that -he had given to his predeceflbr Bethleem- 
 Gabor: thus by every treaty is the emperor a lofer, 
 -and he haftens the cconciufion of the treaty of Weft- 
 phalia, 'wfordby heis-to-lofe (till more. 
 
 1 646. 
 
 Pope Innocent X. was the firft mediator of this 
 peace, whereby the Catholics were to be confldera- 
 ble lofers ; the republic of Venice was the fecond. 
 Cardinal ^Chigi, afterwards pope by the name of 
 Alexander VH. was the pope's minifter at Munfter, 
 and Coiltarrni a6led there for Venice. Each in- 
 terefted power made propofuions according to its 
 hopes or fears ; but victories form treaties. 
 
 During thefe firft negotiations marfhal Turenne 
 by an unexpe5ted and bold march joins the Swedish 
 army upon 4he Neckar in fjght of the arch- duke 
 Leopold. He advances as far as Munich, and irr- 
 creafesthe fears of Auftria. Another Swedrfh body 
 marthesto ravage Silefia ; "but ^11 thefe expeditions are 
 no m-ore than incurfions. If the war had been crarrred 
 on ftep by irep, under the conduct of one fingle 
 leader, who had always obftinately perfifted in 'trre 
 fame plan, the emperor had not been in a condition 
 at this time toaccomplJfh the crowning his eldeft foM 
 Ferdinand in the month of Auguft at Prague and 
 afterwards at Pre(burg ; tho' this young king did 
 not live to enjoy his dignity : befides the thrones 
 which his father at that time bellowed, were very 
 unfteady. 
 
 1647. 
 
 The emperor in 'endeavouring to fecure thefe king- 
 doms to his fon, is nearer lofing them than ever. 
 The lcc^or of Saxony is obliged by the misfortune's 
 
 of
 
 FERDINAND 511. 255 
 
 of the war to abandon him, as is the elector Maximi- 
 Jian his brother-in-law, whofe example the elector 
 of Cologne follows. They fign a treaty of neutrality 
 with France. Marfhal Turenne obliges the elector 
 of Mentz to the fame conduit ; and fear has the 
 fame influence ^on the landgrave of HefTe Darmftadt. 
 The emperor remains alone without any one prince 
 daring to take part in his quarrel ; nor have we tilt 
 this time a fmgle inftance of fuch a nature in the wars. 
 of the -empire. 
 
 About this time Wrangel, 'a new Swedifh, general 
 who fucceeded Torftenfon, takes Egra, and Bohemia 
 is once again pillaged. The danger -appears fo very 
 great, -that -the elector of Bavaria, notwithftairding 
 his great age, and the peril thereby threatning his 
 dominions, cannot fee the head of the empire left 
 withoutfuccour,butbreaks thro' the treaty withFrance.. 
 War is made at the fame time in different places ac- 
 cording as -the armies can fubfift. When 'the empe- 
 ror has the leaft advantage, his minifrers at the con- 
 grefs demand favourable conditions ; but on the leaft 
 check are obliged to fubmit to fevere terms. 
 
 1648. 
 
 The duke of Bavaria's revolt to the houfe of Awf"- 
 tria is not profperous. Turenne and Wrangel beat 
 his troops and the Auftrians, at Summarhauibn and 
 Lawingen near the Danube, in fpite of the brave 
 j'eltftance of a prince of Wirtemberg and that 
 Montecuculi who began already to prove himfelf wor- 
 thy to oppofe a Turenne. The conqueror pofleife 
 him (elf oi Bavaria, and the ^leclor takes refuge at 
 Saltfburg. 
 
 Jn the mean time count Koningfmark at the head 
 of the Swedes, furprizes Prague in Bol'jcmia. This 
 was a decifi\e blow. It wastioieat length to make 
 peace. Conditions were to be received or the em- 
 pire hazarded. The French and Swedes had no lon- 
 ger
 
 FERDINAND III. 
 
 j 
 
 .ger any enemy in Germany but the emperor ; all the 
 jeft "were either allied or fubdued, and waited only 
 that the empire- mould receive laws from the con- 
 grefs .at Munfter and Ofnabrug. 
 
 The peace of Weftphaka. 
 
 This peace cf Wcftphalia at laft figned on the 
 I4th of October 1648, at Munfter and Ofnabrug, 
 was made, given, and received, as a fundamental 
 and perpetual Law ; fuch are the exact words of the 
 treaty. It was to ferve as the bafis of imperial ca- 
 .pitulations. It is even at this day a Law as facred 
 and as fully received as the Golden Bull j nay very 
 much fuperior to this Bull, by the detail of the many 
 interefts comprehended in the treaty of all the rights 
 which it confirms, and the changes made as well in 
 religion as civil affairs. 
 
 This work had been laboured at inceflantly for 
 .more than fix years at Munfter and Ofnabrug; there 
 had been however much time loft in difputing about 
 ceremonials j the emperor refufing to give the title 
 of majefty to the kings who had triumphed over him. 
 His minifter Lutzan, in the firft aft of 1641, where- 
 in the paflports and conferences were fettled, fpoke 
 ,of, preliminaries between his mojl facred Cesfarian 
 majejiy and the mojl ferene and mojl cbrijlian king. 
 The king of France for his part refufes to acknowlege 
 Ferdinand as emperor. It was not without difficul- 
 ty the court of France had given the title of majefty 
 to the great Guftavus, who believed all kings to be 
 equal, and admitted no fuperiority but that of victory. 
 The Swedifh minifters at the congrefs of Weftphalia, 
 affected to be put upon a footing \vith thofe of 
 Fiance. The plenipotentiaries of Spain in vain in- 
 fifted upon their king being named immediately after 
 the emperor. The new flates of the United Provin- 
 ces demanded in this treaty an equal rank with kings. 
 
 The
 
 FERDINAND III. 257 
 
 The term excellency began now firft to be ufed. The 
 minifters affumed it to themfelves, and there were 
 tedious debates to know to whom it belonged. 
 
 In the famous treaty of Munfter were named his 
 facred imperial majefty, his facred moft chriftian 
 majefty, and the facred royal majefty of Sweden. 
 
 None of the electors plenipotentiaries had the title 
 of excellency given him in thefe conferences ; nor do 
 the ambafladors of France give place even to the 
 electors themfelves among the princes, and the count 
 D'avaux wrote thus to the elector of Brandenburg : 
 S/'r, / have done all I could to ferve you. When the 
 king of France addrefTed them, the States- general of 
 the united-provinces were to be called the lords of the 
 Jlates ; purfuant to which, when count D'avaux went 
 from Munfter to Holland in 1644, he never addrefled 
 them by any title but that of mcjfieurs. Nor could 
 they procure for their plenipotentiaries the diftindtion 
 of excellency. The count D'avaux alfo refufed it to 
 an ambaflador from Venice, and only gave it to 
 Contarini becaufe he was a mediator. Affairs were 
 very much retarded by thefe pretenfions and refufals 
 which the Romans calls gloriole^ and which all the 
 world condemns when they are without character, 
 but infift on when they have eftablifhed one. Thefe 
 cuftoms, titles, ceremonies, fuperfcriptions, and fub- 
 fcriptions of letters with their different forms have 
 varied from time to time. Often the negligence of 
 a fecretary was fufficient to found a title. The lan- 
 guages in which they wrote eftablifhed forms which 
 pafling afterwards into other languages appeared odd. 
 The emperors before Rodolphus I. fent all their 
 mandates in Latin, thouing every prince, as the gram- 
 mar of that language admits. This thouing of the 
 counts of the empire was continued in the German 
 language which difallows fuch expreffions. We find 
 every where fuch examples, but they have not even to 
 this day fettled a particular precedent. 
 
 The
 
 ^2^8 F E R D I N A-N D '-III. 
 
 The mediating mintfters-were rather-witnefles than 
 .arbitrators; above all the Nuncio Chigi, who was 
 
 only there to. fee the church iacrificed. He iees the 
 
 diocefe of Bremen and Vcrden given up to the Svfrede 
 rwho was a Lutheran. Thofe of; Magdeburg, "Al- 
 
 berftadt, Minden, and Camin , to the eleclror of 
 dBrandenburg. 
 
 The bifhoprics of Ratfburg and-Schwerin were 
 -only fiefs of Mecklenburg. 
 
 The bHhoprics of ^Olnabrug and of Lubec were 
 .not indeed intirely 'Secularized but alternately appoint- 
 ;ed to a! Lutheran and -a Catholic bifliop. This wfcs 
 
 a delicate regulation, whicli could never h?.ve* taken 
 :place during- the firft troubles of religion , but-wh^h 
 
 is not contradicted by a nation naturally quiet, in 
 .which the fury of Fanaticifm was.extir.cl. 
 
 Liberty of confcience was eflablifned all overGer- 
 sinany. The emperor's Lutheran fubje6ts in SHefra 
 (had a, right to build new churches, and the emperor 
 <was obliged to admit proteftants into the i Aulic 
 xotmcil. 
 
 The commandries of Malta, the abbeys. and bc- 
 mefices in,proteftant countries were.given to the princes 
 .and fovereigns who were at tfee .txpence 6f the war. 
 How .very different were thefe conceffions from the 
 
 edi6l of Ferdinand II. who in the time of hisprofpert- 
 ty had ordered: the- reftitation of all ecelefiaftical pof- 
 
 feffions. Neceffity -and the repofe of -the empire 
 ocdained this law. The Nuncio protefted anil 
 ianathemati&d. That a mediator fhouJdcondemn the 
 .treaty over which he prefixed was before this un- 
 'Icnown ; but he knew not what other ftep to take. 
 
 The pope by his bull deprives him bf his 'full ftvotr, 
 annulling -ail the articles ^of -the peace -of Jftjlphalta 
 W 'far >-as --they related to religion. -But had he been 
 
 in the place of Ferdinand he had ratified fhe treaty. 
 
 This pacific 'revolution in religious, caufes -another in 
 
 civil affairs. Svreden' becomes a member- 1 of the em- 
 [' pi re,
 
 F E-R-D IN AN D III. 
 
 npire v being in pofleffion of all the hither Pomerania, 
 the moft beautiful and profitable part of the other, 
 the principality of Rugeu, the town of Wifmar, many 
 neighbouring villages, and the dutchies of Bremen 
 and Verden. The duke of Holftein alib hereby 
 gained fome territories. 
 
 The ele&or of Brandenburg indeed lofes great 
 
 .part of the hither Pomerania, but gains the fertile 
 
 country of Magdeburg, which was infinitely better 
 
 than his marquifate. He had alfo Camin, Halber- 
 
 Ihdt, and the principality of Minden. 
 
 The duke of Mecklenburg lofes Wifmaj, but. he 
 gains the territory of Ratfburg and of Schwerin. 
 Five millions 6f German crowns are at length, paid 
 to Sweden which the feven circles were to have dif- 
 charged, and 6o?,ooo crowns were paid to the prin- 
 ccfs landgrave of Heile to be raited upon the arch- 
 bifhoprics" of Mentz, of Cologne, of Paderborn, of 
 Munfter.and the abbey of Fuld. Germany as. im- 
 poverifh-ed by this peace as it .had been by .the war, 
 could fcarcely'have paid its protectors dearer. 
 
 Thefe afflictions were however healed >by the ufeful 
 regulations made both in commerce and juftice, by 
 the care which was taken to regulate the complaint? 
 of every town as weil as of every gentleman who laid 
 their rights before the congrefs as before a fupreme 
 court that was to determine the fate of the world, 
 The particulars were prodigious. 
 
 France confirmed to itfelf for ever the pofleflioji' of 
 three bifhoprics, atid the acquisition of Aliace, Straf-* 
 burg excepted ; but inftead of being paid like Swe- 
 den (he is obliged to pay. 
 
 The archdukes of the branch of Tirol had. three 
 millions of livres for parting with their rights upon 
 Alface and Sundgaw. France paid both for war and 
 peace, but fhe did not purdvafe fo .fine a province 
 dearly. BrUac and its dependencies were alfo hers as 
 well as the. right to garrifon Philipfburg. Thefe two 
 
 advan-
 
 260 FERDINAND III. 
 
 advantages {he has fmce loft, but kept Alface which 
 is at length incorporated with that kingdom by Straf- 
 burg's having given herfelf up. 
 
 There are few civilians who do not condemn the 
 wording of the ceffion of Alface in this famous treaty 
 of Munfrer. In it are found- many equivocal terms. 
 In effeft, to give up all forts of jurifdittion and fove- 
 reignty, and to give up the prefeSiure oj ten free impe- 
 nd towns, are two very different things. It is very 
 probable, that the plenipotentiaries faw this difficulty, 
 but did not chufe to fathom ir, well knowing, that 
 there are many things, the veil of which time will 
 remove and power overthrow. 
 
 The houfe of the Palatine was reftored to all its 
 rights, except the higher Palatinate, which was left 
 to the Bavarian branch. An eighth eledorate wan 
 erered in favour of the Palatine. Such was their 
 attention to all rights and every complaint, that they 
 went fo far as to ftipulate the payment of 20000 
 .crowns, which the emperor was to give to the 
 mother of the count Palatine, Charles Lewis, 
 and 10000 to each of his fifters. Even he was well 
 received who only came to demand the restitution of 
 a few acres of Land. All things were difcufied and 
 regulated. There were 140000" restitutions appoint- 
 ed. The reftitution of Lorrain and the affair of Ju- 
 liers fubmitted to an arbitration. Germany has at 
 laft peace after a war of 30 years j but France has 
 not. 
 
 The troubles of Paris in 1647. emboldens Spain 
 to make her own advantage of it, who declines en- 
 gaging in the general negotiation. The States-ge- 
 neral, who were to. have treated at Munfter as well 
 as Spain make a feparate peace with Spain in fpite of 
 all the obligations they had to France, the treaties 
 which tied them' down, and the interefts which 
 feemed to bind them to their ancient protectors. 
 The Spanifh minifter made ufe of a very fmgular 
 
 artifice
 
 FERDINAND III. 261 
 
 artifice to engage the ftates to this breach of faith ; 
 he perfuaded them that he was ready to give the In- 
 fanta in marriage to Lewis XIV. with the Low- 
 countries by way of dower. This foon frightened 
 the itates into his meafurcs. It was no more than a 
 lye. And indeed, property fpeaking, what difference 
 is there between the art of politics and the art of lying ? 
 In this important treaty of Weftphalia the Roman 
 empire had hardly any /hare. Sweden had no bu- 
 finefs to quarrel with the fovereign of Italy, but 
 with the king of Germany. France had fome 
 points to regulate which Ferdinand could not 
 agree to but as emperor j thefe concerned Pignerol, 
 the fucccffion of Mantua and of Montferrat which 
 were fiefs of the empire. It was fettled that the king 
 of France fhould pay about 600000 Ijvres to Monjieur 
 the duke of Mantua upon the receipt of Monjieur 
 the duke of Savoy > provided that he-fhould keep Pi- 
 gnerol and Cafal in full and independent fovereignty 
 of the empire. France has fmce loft thefe pofTtflions; 
 as Bremen, Verden, and pc.rt of Pomerania have been 
 taken from Sweden j buc the treaty of We/tphalia as 
 far as it concerns the regulating of Germany has 
 always remained rcfpecled, and is ftill inviolable. 
 
 A DESCRIPTION OF GERMANY 
 
 From the peace of Wejtphatia to the death of 
 Ferdinand 777. 
 
 Thus the chaos of. German government was not 
 well fettled in lefs than 1700 years, reckoning from 
 the reign of Henry the Fowler before whofe time 
 it had not been a government. The prerogatives 
 of the kings of Germany had not:been leftrained to 
 proper limits ; moft of the rights of the electors, 
 of the princes, of the immediate nobleiTe, and of the 
 towns, were not inconteftibly fixed till after the treaty 
 of Weftphalia. Germany was a grand ariftocracy, 
 
 at
 
 E T EiR D I M A N D III. 
 
 afcthe head of which was a king not unlike thofe of 
 England, Sweden, and Poland, or fuch a form of 
 government as had been antientty received by the 
 States founded by the people who came from the 
 North and the Eair.. The diet was in the place of a 
 parliament, where the imperial towns had a right to 
 vote, to determine peace or war. 
 
 Thefe imperial towns enjoy regal rights equally 
 with the princes of Germany : they are States be- 
 longing to the empire and not to the emperor : they 
 neither pay the fmalleft impofts,-nor do they contri- 
 buteto-the neceflities- of the empire but in the moft 
 urgent cafts. Their tax is regulated by the general 
 regifter. If they have the right of finally determin- 
 ing or judging, de non appellendo^ without appeal, 
 they are abfolutely fovereign States. Neverthelefs 
 with all thefe rights they have very little power, 
 betaufe they are furronnded with princes who have a 
 great deal. The inconveniences annexed to a go- 
 vernment fo complicated and mixed info extended a 
 country, ftiH fubfifted ; as did the ihte itfelf. The 
 multiplicity of fovereignties ferved to balance each 
 other until in the heart of Germany a power forms 
 itfelf fufficiently great to fv/allowup the reft. 
 
 This vaft country repairs infenfibly its lofles after 
 the "peaxre x>f Weftphalia. Its lands -are cultivated, 
 and its towns rebuilt. In the following years thefe 
 were the moft remarkable things .that happened to a 
 body every-where wafted and torn ; who availed hcr- 
 fetf -now of 'the grievances' fhe had fuftained from her 
 own members during .30 years. 
 
 When it is faidthat.Germany was in- thofe times a 
 froe country, this Js to be underftood ofth6:prins : 
 andj imperial towns > for all the intermediate towns* 
 are fubje<a to greater vafFals to whomrthey bekaigiand 
 the. condition of the inhabitants of the'coonrry is 
 middling, between a flave nd a fubje<5t-| particularly' 
 in,uahia.aud Bohemia. 
 
 Hungary
 
 F E r R D:I N-A N D III. 263 
 
 Hungary like Germany breathes a little after fo many 
 inteir.ine wars andfuchfrequent uwafions of the Tiuks, , 
 flje ftanding, in need of being recruited, repeopied, 
 and poliflied; but always jealous of her right of electing 
 a fovereign, and preferring under him her privileges. 
 When Ferdinand III. caufes his fon Leopold, then 
 17 years old* to be.eleded king. of Hungary in 1664*,., 
 they make his ferene higbnefr fjgn a capitulation as 
 binding, as, that of the emperor. It is to be obferv- 
 cd that the Hungarians ufe ferene bighaefs inflead of 
 majejty ; a title they never give to any but the em- 
 peror, or the king of the Romans. But the Hung*-, < 
 rian lords, were not fo powerful as the German 
 princes. They had neither Swedes nor French to 
 guarantee their privileges j they were rather opprefled 
 than aflifted by the Turks; and for this reafon Hun- 
 gary has been at}, length intirely fubdued in. our time 
 after new iriteftine wars. 
 
 The emperor, after the treaty of Weftphalia* . 
 found himfelf peaceable pofieffor of Bohemia, de- 
 volved to him as a patrimony j of Hungary, which 
 he looked upon as an inheritance, while the Hunga- 
 rians, thought themfelves an elective kingdom, and 
 of all the provinces to the extremity of Tirol. He 
 had no territory in Italy. 
 
 The name of the holy Roman empire always fub- 
 iifts. It is difficult to define what it is befides Ger- 
 many, and what Germany is befides the empire. 
 Charles V. had juftly forefeen, that if his fon, Phi- 
 lip- II. had, not, together with the imperial thronr, 
 enjoyed the,crowns of Spain, of Germany, of Naples^*, 
 and of Milan, fcarcely more , had remained to him , 
 than the name of empire. In efre<ft when the grxpatn 
 fief of Milan was > as well ,as Naples, in the 4i>nds ? 
 of the Spaniih branch, this, branch, found itfelf at thiBo 
 fame time, that it was a titulary vaffal of the empire 
 awj, the pope, protecting one, and.giying Jawsto thei: 
 other, Tufcauy and the principal towns-. in.Juty 
 
 fecure
 
 264 STATE OF THE EMPIRE 
 
 fecure'themfelvesin their ancient independence of the 
 emperors. A Caefar who had no dominions in Italy, 
 and who in Germany was only the chief of a republic 
 of princes and ftates, could not pretend to com- 
 mand like a Charlemagne or an Otho. 
 
 We fee in all the couife of this hiftory two great 
 defigris, carried on for near 800 years ; that of the 
 popes hindering the emperors to reign in Rome ;.and 
 that of the German lords preferving and increafing 
 their privileges. 
 
 It was in this condition that Ferdinand III. at his 
 death in 16^7, left the empire, while the Spanifli 
 branch of Auftria ftill carried on that long war with 
 France, which was finifhed by the Pyrencan treaty, 
 and the marriage of the infanta Maria Therefa with 
 Lewis XIV. 
 
 Thefe events are fo recent and fo very well 
 known as well as obferved by all hiftorians, that it 
 would be needlefs to repeat here v/hat no-body is igno- 
 rant of. From this fituation of affairs a general idea 
 may be formed of the empire, down from thofe days 
 to ours. 
 
 THE STATE OF THE EMPIRE 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 
 
 FORTY EIGHTH EMPEROR. 
 
 . 
 
 IT is to be remarked, that at firft, after the death 
 of Ferdinand III. the empire was near pafiing out 
 of the houfe of Auftria ; but in 1658 the electors 
 imagined themfelves obliged to chufe Leopold Igna- 
 tius the fon of Ferdinand, who was then 18 years 
 old. But the good of the ftate, the neighbourhood 
 of the Turks, and private jealoufies, contributed to 
 the election of a prince, whofe houfe was fufficiently 
 powerful to fupport but not to inflave the German 
 
 empire.
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 265 
 
 empire. They had formerly ele&ed Rodolphus de 
 Habsburg, becaufe he had fcarccly any territories. The 
 empire was continued to his pofterity becaufe they had 
 a great deal. 
 
 The Turks ftill mafters of Buda, the French pof- 
 feflbrs of Alface, the Swedes of Pomerania and Bre- 
 men, made this election neceflary ; fo natural is the 
 idea of aequilibrium amongft all" men. 
 
 Befidesitwas in Leopold's favour,that there had been 
 ten emperors fuccdlively of the fame houfe ; fo many 
 pleas are generally attended to when the public liberty 
 is not thought to be in danger. It is thus, that the 
 elective throne of Poland has continued always here- 
 ditary in the Jagellon family. 
 
 Italy could not be. an object for the miniflry of 
 Leopold ; there was no longer any need of feeking 
 a crown at Rome ; and ftill lefs of exerting the 
 Auftnan ciames as loid Paramount, over Naples and 
 Milan. But France, Sweden, and Turky, employed 
 the Germans all this reign. Thefe three powers, 
 one^after another, being either limited, repulfed, or 
 vanquifaed without Leopold's drawing his fword* 
 This prince, the leaft warlike of his time, always 
 attacked Lewis XIV. when France was in the moft 
 flourishing condition ; at firft, after the invafion of 
 Holland, when he furnifhsd the united provinces 
 with an afliftance which he had not extended to his 
 own houfe at the invafion of Flanders ; and fonie 
 years after, at the peace of Nimeguen, when he 
 made that famous league of Augfbaig a^ainft Lewis 
 XIV. and at lafr, at the time, when, "in the moft 
 .afroniftiing manner, the king of France's grandfon 
 was raided to the Spanifh throae. 
 
 Leopold in all thefe wars knew how to intereft the 
 Get manic body, and to make them declare them 
 wars of the empire. The firft was unfortunate 
 enough, and the emperor received law from the 
 treaty of Nimeguen. The interior parts of (Germany 
 w-cre not ravaged by thefe wars, as they had been by 
 
 VOL. II. M the
 
 266 STATE or THE EMPIRE 
 
 the war which lafted 30 years ; but the frontiers on 
 the fide of the Rhine were damaged. Lewis XIV . 
 had always the fuperiority ; nor could it well happen 
 etherwife j able minifters, experienced generals, a 
 kingdom every where united, places well fortified, 
 armies well disciplined, and a formidable artillery, as 
 well as excellent engineers, muft neceflarily have the 
 better of a country where thefe advantages are want- 
 ing. It is aftonifliing, that France did not fucceed 
 better againft armies levied in hafte ; often illpaid, 
 and fubfifted ftill worfe, the leaders of which were 
 princes who feldom agreed, and who had different 
 interefts to purfue ; France in this war, which was 
 ended by the treaty of Nimeguen, owed its fuperio- 
 rity to the excellence of its government beyond that 
 of Germany, Spain, and the United Provinces which 
 were but badly united. 
 
 Fortune was lefs unequal in the fecond war pro- 
 duced by the league of Augfburg. Lewis XIV. had 
 then againft him, England, joined to Germany and 
 Spain,, The duke of Savoy was in the league ; and 
 Sweden, that had been fo long the ally of Frantt 
 abandoned her ; furnifhing troops againft her in qua- 
 lity of a member of the empire. Nbtwithftanding 
 there were fo many allies, they could fcarcly do more 
 than defend the empire j nor could they at the peace 
 of Refwick with all their power force Strafburg from 
 Lewis XIV. 
 
 The third war was indeed more profperous to 
 Leopold and Germany ; yet at this time, the king 
 of France was more powerful than ever. He go- 
 verned Spain in the name of his grandfon, and had 
 under him the Spanifh Low- countries and Bavaria ; 
 befides which, his armies were in the midft of Italy 
 and Germany. The memorable battle of Hochftedt 
 gave things an intire new face. Leopold died in the 
 following year 1705, convinced that France would 
 be foofi crufhed and Alface re-united to Germany. 
 The grandeur oi Lewis XIV. was of the greateft 
 
 fervice
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 267 
 
 fervicc to Leopold during his whole reign. This 
 grandeur made him fo vain,oftentatious, and haughty, 
 that he irritated rather than intimidated all his neigh- 
 bours, more efpecially the Englifli. 
 
 They impute to him, his having had a notion of 
 univerfal monarchy. But had Leopold inherited the 
 Spanifh fuccefllon, which he feemed for fome time 
 very likely to do, this emperor being then abfolute 
 matter of Hungary, whofe boundaries were very ex- 
 tenfive, being veiy powerful in Germany, poffeffing 
 Spain and the abfolute dominion of one half of Italy, 
 as well as fovereign of the beft part of the new world j 
 thus enabled to fwpport the rights and pretenfions of 
 the empire, he had efftdually appeared to have made 
 the neareft approach to univerfal monarchy. They 
 affe&ed to fear this in Lewis XIV. becaufe after the 
 peace of Nimeguen, he feemed inclined to make the 
 three bifhoprics depend on him for certain lands 
 which they hold of the empire ; and yet they did not 
 fear it in Leopold or his iilue, who were near reign- 
 ing over Germany, Spain and Italy. 
 
 Lewis XIV. in irritating his neighbours did infini- 
 tely more fervice to the houfe of Auftria than he 
 could pofEbly have done hurt to it by his power. 
 
 OF HUNGARY AND THE TURKS, 
 During the time of Leopold. 
 
 Leopold never rifqued any thing in the wars which- 
 be waged from his clofet againft Lewis XIV. Ger- 
 many and his allies bore all the burthen, and defended 
 his hereditary dominions ; while on the fide of Hun- 
 gary and the Turks there was nothing to be expecled 
 but troubje and danger. The Hungarians were only 
 the remains of a once numerous nation that furvived 
 the deftrudions of civil war, or the fabre of the Otto 
 fword in hand tilled the foil which was 
 M 2
 
 a6S STATE of THE EMPIRE 
 
 ftill wet with the blood of their aneeftors. The" lords 
 of thefe unhappy cantons endeavoured, at one and 
 the fame time, to defend their privileges againft the 
 authority of their king and their liberty againft the 
 Turk, who, whilft he protected, deftroycd the coun- 
 try. The Turks a&ed in Hungary exactly as the 
 French and Swedes had done in Germany ; but the 
 Turks were more dangerous, and the Hungarians 
 more unfortunate than the Germans. 
 
 One hundred thoufandTurks march in 1663, towards 
 Neuhaufel. It is true that they were vanquiihed the 
 year after near St. Godarth, upon the Raab, by the 
 famous Montecuculi. This vi&ory is much boafted 
 of, but was certainly far from being decifwe. Whafi 
 was the confluence of this victory ? But a fhameful 
 treaty j by which Tranfilvania, and all the territory 
 of Neuhaufel is yielded to the Turks; who rafe to 
 the ground the fortifications of the neighbouring ci- 
 tadels. The Turks give Tranfilvania to Abi-fli, or 
 rather fettle him in it, and ftill deftroy Hungary, 
 notwithftanding the treaty. 
 
 Leopold at that time had no child but the arch- 
 tluchefs, who was afterwards ele&refs of Bavaria ; and 
 the Hungarian lords have fome thoughts of chufmg a 
 king of their own nation, fhould Leopold die. 
 
 Their projects, their fteadinefs in fupporting their 
 rights and their confpiracies coft Serini, Frangipani, 
 Nadafli, and Tattenbatk, their heads. 
 
 The imperialifts feize on the caftles of all who had 
 befriended thefe unfortunate men. The great digni- 
 ties of Palatine of Hungary, judge of that kingdom 
 and of the ban of Croatia are fupprefled, and the form 
 of juftice gives countenance to rapine. This excefs of 
 fevcrity drives them at firft into confternation , 
 afterwards into defpair. Emerick Tekeli puts himfelf 
 at the head of the malecontents, and all Upper Au- 
 iftria is in a flAme. 
 
 Tekdi treats with the Porte. At which time the 
 
 court
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 269 
 
 court of Vienna fooths the malecontents of Hungary. 
 She re-eftablifhes the office of Palatine ; confirms the 
 privileges for which they had fought, and promifes 
 to reftore the eftates that had been confifcated. Bi*t 
 this condefcenfioh, after fo much feventy wears the 
 appearance of a fnarc. Tekeli believes there is more 
 to be got by adhering to theTurkifh than the Impe- 
 rial court. He is made prince of Hungary by the 
 Turks, on condition of paying a tribute of 4.0000 
 fequins. In the year 1682, Tektli, affifted by Come 
 troops, under the command of the baftia of Buda, 
 ravages Silefia; and this ba(ha takes Tokai,. and 
 Eperles, whilft the Sultan Mahomet IV. prepares the 
 moft formidable armament that the Ottoman empire 
 had ever made againft the Chiiftians. 
 
 We don't fee how the emperor could have oppofed 
 the Turks had they taken this ftep before the treaty 
 of Nimtguen ; feeing after that, his refiftance was nqt 
 very great. 
 
 The grand Vificr Kara Muftapha traverfes Hun- 
 gary with above 250000 foot, 30000 fpahis, with 
 baggage and artillery in proportion to fo great a mul- 
 titude. He drives Charles V. duke of Lorrain, .every- 
 where before him, and lays fiege to Vienna, unro 
 Afted. 
 
 THE SIEGE OF VIENNA, 
 In 1683. 
 
 Together with its conferences. 
 
 This fiege of Vienna ought to demand the atten- 
 tion of pofterity. This town had been in fomc mea- 
 fure the capital of the Roman empire, and the refi- 
 dence of ten emperors of the houfe of Auftria fiicccf- 
 fiyely ; yet it was neither ftrong nor large. Had this 
 capital been taken, no place between it and the Rhine 
 
 M 3 could
 
 270 STATE OF THE EMPIRE 
 
 could have held out. Vienna and its fuburbs con- 
 tained about looooo citizens, two thirds of which at 
 ieaft inhabited the fuburbs, whrch were intirely de- 
 fencelefs. Kara Muftapha advanced upon the right 
 of the Danube, followed by 330000 men, including 
 all that attended this formidable expedition. It is 
 pretended, that it was the grand vifier's defign to take 
 Vienna for bimfelf and make it the capital of a new 
 kingdom independant of his mafter's. Tekeli with 
 the Hungarian maleccntents marched on the other 
 fide of the Hirer Danube. The whole kingdom of 
 Hungary was loft and Vienna threatened on every 
 lide. Duke Charles of Lorrain had not above 24000* 
 fighting men to oppofe the Turks, who haften their 
 march. A flight combat enfues at Petronella, not 
 'far from Vknna, which fcrves only to dirninifh th 
 prince's alrcat'y weak army. 
 
 On the ^th of July, the emperor Leopold, the 
 emprefs his mother-in-law, the emprefs his wife ; the 
 archdukes, th archduchefles and all their houfehold, 
 quit Vienna, and retire to Lints. Two thirds of the 
 inhabitants follow the -court in defpavr. There K 
 nothing to be feen but fugitives, equipages, and car- 
 riages laden with raoveables j which laft fall into the 
 hands of the Tartars. The retreat of the emperor 
 to Lints brings with it only terror and confufion. 
 The court does not think ilfelf there fafe. It flys 
 from Lints to Pafiau. The gonfternation at Vienna 
 increafes. The fuburbs are burnt with all the houfes 
 of pleafure, the body of the town is haftily fortified, 
 and fupplicd with ammunition and warlike (lores. 
 They were not at all prepared when the Turks 
 opened the trenches 5 which they did on the I7th of 
 July in the fuburb of fc. Ulric, 50 paces from the 
 eounterfcarp. 
 
 The count de Staremberg, governor of the town, 
 had 17000 men, in garrifon, of whom there were 
 not above 8000 effcllive. Such of the citizens as 
 
 remained
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD, 
 
 remained in Vienna, and even the ftudents of the 
 univerfity, were armed. The profeflbrs and fcholars 
 mounted guard, and their major was a phyfician. 
 
 To complete the misfortune they are in want of 
 money, and find theraifing of 100000 rixdbllars very 
 difficult. 
 
 The duke of Lorrain had vainly endeavoured to 
 preferve a correfpondence between the town and his 
 little army ; but all he was able to do was to cover 
 the emperor's retreat. He was obliged to repafs the 
 Danube on bridges thrown over it for that purpofe r 
 and was far North of the town while the Turks 
 furrounding it pufhed their trenches in open day. 
 He makes head againfl Tekeli's Hungarians and 
 protects Moravia; but Moravia as well as Vienna 
 feems near falling into the hands of the Turks. 
 
 The emperor prefies the afiiftance of Bavaria, Sa- 
 xony, and the circles, but above all of John Sobiefki, 
 king of Poland, who had been long the terror of the 
 Turks while general of the crown, and who owed hi 
 throne to his victories. Yet thefe affiftances could 
 not poffibly arrive in a little time. 
 
 By the month of September they had made a breach 
 in the body of the place fix fathoms wide, and it fecmed 
 to be abfolutely left without any hopes of refource. 
 It might have fallen into the power of the Turks more 
 ealily than Conftantinople had done, but the fiege 
 was not conducted by a Mahomet II. The fluggifhnefs 
 and inactivity of the grand vifier, but above all hit 
 jcontempt for the Chriftians, prevented the fiege being 
 carried on with fpirit. The fpace of ground taken 
 up by his tents was equal to that of the befieged 
 town. He had baths, gardens, and fountains, and 
 in the midft of the progrefs of ruin, wantonned in 
 excefs of Luxury. 
 
 John de Sobiefki at length pafles the Danube, fome 
 leagues above Vienna, and the troops of Saxony, Ba- 
 varia, and the circles being alfo ai rived, they make 
 M 4 a fig*
 
 272 STATE OF THE EMPIRE 
 
 a fignal to the befieged from the top of the mountain 
 of Calenibetg, at a time that every thing began to 
 fail them but their courage. 
 
 The imperial and Polifh armies dcfcend from mount 
 Calembeig, of which the grand vifier had forgot to 
 poiTtfs himfelf, extending themfelves in the form of 
 an amphitheatre. The king of Poland led the right 
 'wing, at the head of 12000 horfe and 4000 foot, or 
 thereabouts. Prince Alexander his fon was very near 
 him. The infantry of the emperor and of the elector 
 of Saxony were in the left wing. Duke Charles 'of 
 Lorrain commanded the imperialifts. The troops of 
 Bavaria amounted to 10000 men, and thofe of Saxony 
 to near the fame number. 
 
 Never were there feen in any battle greater 
 princes than in this. The elector of Saxony, John 
 George III. was at the head of his Saxons ; but the 
 Bavarians were not headed by the elector Maximilian 
 Emanuel. This young prince chcfe rather to ferve 
 near the duke of Lorrain as a volunteer. He had 
 received from the emperor a fword enriched wixo 
 - ilia.iionds, and when Leopold returned, after its dcli- 
 vcrmce, to Vienna, the young prince faluting him 
 with this very fword, (hewed him what a noble ufe 
 he made of his prefent. It was the fame elector who 
 was afterwards put under the ban of the empire. 
 
 Ths imperial cavalry was led by the prince of Saxe- 
 Lancnburg, fprnng from the ancient but unhappy 
 houfe of Aicanra. The infantry was commanded by 
 prince Harman of Baden, and the troops of Franconia, 
 to the amount of 7000, were under the conduct of 
 prince Waldeck. 
 
 Among the volunteers of this army were three 
 princes of the houfe of Anhalt, two of Hanover, 
 three of Saxony, two of Neuburg, two of Hohlcin, 
 a prince of Hcfle-Caflel, one of Hohenzollern, and 
 two of the houfe of Wirtemberg j while a third 
 
 diftia-
 
 \ 
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 275 
 
 diftinguifhed himfelf within the town. The emperor 
 only was abfent. 
 
 This army amounted to 64000 men : that of the 
 grand-vizir to double the number. So that this 
 battle may be reckoned among thofe which fhew 
 that the fmaller number has generally the better 
 of the greater, becaufe perhaps there is too much 
 ' confufion in large armies, and more order in the 
 finaller. 
 
 On the 1 2th of September Vienna was delivered, 
 and this battle, if it can be called one, was fought. 
 The grand-vizir left 20000 men in the trenches, 
 and ordered the place to be aflaulted , while he 
 marched againft the Chriftian army. This laft af- 
 faulfc might have fucceeded-, as the befie^ed bejran to 
 
 o * o o 
 
 want powder, and moft of their cannon was dif- 
 mounted" j but the fight of afliftance gave them new 
 ftrength . 
 
 In the mean time the king of Poland having ha- 
 rangued his troops from rank to rank, marched at 
 the head of one wing againft the Ottoman army ; 
 the duke of Lorrain at the head of the other. Never 
 was battle lefs bloody or more decifive. Two ports 
 taken from the Turks determined the vi&ory. The 
 Chriftians did not lofe above 200 men ; the Otto- 
 mans fcarcely loft a thoufand. This was at the clofe* 
 of day, and fear fpread itfelf with the night into, 
 the vizir's camp, who retired precipitately with his 
 whole army. So prodigious was the terror and ftu- 
 pidity arifing from their long fecurity , that they 
 abandoned their tents and baggage ; leaving even be- 
 hind them Mahomet's great ftandard. Nothing can 
 equal the vizir's errors in this battle, except that cf 
 leaving him unpurfued. 
 
 The king of Poland fent Mahomet's ftandard to 
 
 the popa. The Germans and Polanders wcrocon- 
 
 liderably enriched by the Turkifli fpoiU The kiiri- 
 
 of Poland wrote to his wife, who was a FrcnUi \vo- 
 
 M 5 nji.;),,
 
 274 STATE OF THE EMPIRE 
 
 man, daughter to the marquis d'Arquien, that the 
 grand-vizir had made him his heir, and that he had 
 found in his tent to the value of feveral millions of 
 ducats. 
 
 That letter is well known, in which he fays : You 
 cannot addrefs me as the wives of the Tartars do their 
 kujbarids, -when they fee them come home empty-handed, 
 you are not a man, finct you havt returned without 
 booty. 
 
 The day following, being the I3th of September, 
 king John Sobiefky caufes Te Deum to be fung in the 
 cathedral-church of Vienna, and officiates in it himfelf. 
 This ceremony was followed by a fermon, the 
 preacher of which took for his text thefe words : 
 There was a man fent by GW, and his name was John, 
 The whole town thronged to return thanks to this 
 .king and to fcifs the hands of their deliverer j as he 
 relates him/elf. The emperor arrives there on the 
 J4th amidft acclamations which were not for him. 
 He vifits the kiog of Poland without the waifs, 
 and there is great difficulty to conduct ceremonials 
 at a time when acknowledgement ought to have got 
 the better of formality. 
 
 The glory and the happinefs of John Sobiefky had 
 like to have been eclipfed by a difafter which was 
 fcarce to be expected, after fo eafy a victory. Being, 
 about to fubdue Hungary, he intended to have march- 
 ed thro' Gran, now Strigonia, in which progrefs he 
 was to pafs by Barcam, where was lodged a confi- 
 dj?rable body of troops, under the command of a 
 bafha. The king of Poland, without ftaying for 
 the duke of Lorrain who followed him, advanced 
 near this place with his Gens d'armes. Here the 
 Turks fell upon the Poliih troops, charged them in 
 flank, flaying 2000 of them. The vanquifher of 
 the Ottomans is obliged to fly : he is purfued ; and 
 with difficulty efcapes, leaving his cloke in the hands 
 cf a Turk, who had overtaken him. Duke Charles
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 275 
 
 of Lorrain at length comes to his afiiftancc ; and to 
 the glory of having fecomicd John Sobiefky, king of 
 Poland, at the deliverance of Vienna^ he joins that 
 of delivering Sobidky himfelf. 
 
 Hungary, on each fide the Danube, as far as Stri- 
 gonia, foon falls again in the tiands of the emperor. 
 Salg-onia is taken. It had belonged to the Tarks 
 
 /+ 'f 
 
 near 550 years. They twice attempt the fiege or 
 Butlii, and carry the place by aflault in |6$6. TJhi* 
 was but the confequence of a train of victories. 
 
 The duke of Lorrain and the elector of Bavaria, 
 defeat the Ottomans in thofe very plains of Mohats, 
 where Lewis II. king of Hungary had perifhed in 
 1526, while SoiLman If. conqueror of the Chriitians, 
 covered the plains with 25000 dead. 
 
 Divifions and feditions at Conftantinople, with the 
 revolts of the Tiwkifh armies, fought alfo in behalf of 
 the quiet and happy Leopold. The rifing of the Ja- 
 nizaries, the depofing the weak Mahomet IV, Scr- 
 iiman HI. advanced to the throne from 3 prifon in 
 which he had been forty years confined, and the Ot- 
 toman troops ill paid, difheartejied and flying before 
 a fmall number of Germans, were all occurrence* 
 favouring Leopold. A warlike emperor, feconded 
 by die vi&orious troops of Poland, might now have 
 advanced to die fiega-of Conftantinople, after having 
 been upon the point of lofing Vienna. 
 
 Leopold judged it better to revenge the fear, into 
 which the Turks had thrown him, upon Hungary.. 
 His lainifters pretend, that it would be impoffibJe to 
 confine the Turkifli infolence within bounds, unlefs 
 Hungary was re-united under an abfolute dominion. 
 Yet trwey had repelled the Turks from Vienna with- 
 the troops of Saxony, Bavaria, Lorrain and other 
 German princes who were under no ddpotic yoke; 
 particularly with the Polifh allies. The Hungarians 
 might then ferve the emperor as the. Germans di I, 
 bj remaining free like them j but there were U;D 
 M 6 - jnanjr
 
 276 STATE OF THE EMPIRE 
 
 factions in Hungary ; the Turks were not 
 ibe men to make treaties of Weftphalia in favour 
 of this kingdom ; arid if they were not now in a 
 condition to opprefs the Hungarians, neither could 
 they aflift them. 
 
 The only congrefs between the Hungarian male- 
 contents and the emperor is a fcaffold ; it is eroded 
 in the market-place of Eperies in the month of 
 March 1687, and kept {landing to the end of the 
 year. 
 
 If fome of the cotemporary hiftorians are to be 
 believed the executioners were weary of facrififing 
 the vidims which were without much diftin&ion de- 
 livered up to them. Antiquity cannot match a 
 mafTacre fo long and fo terrible : there have been 
 equal feverities, but none of fuch continuance. Hu- 
 manity does not fhudder at the numbers that fall in 
 battle: it is common > they die fword in hand; and arc 
 revenged : but for nine long months that people 
 ihould fee their countrymen dragged, as it were le- 
 gally to open butchery, -muft be fhocking to human 
 nature \ and fo very barbarous a light as to fill the 
 foul with horror. 
 
 That which is moft terrible for the people is that 
 thefc cruelties fometimes fucceed j and the fuccefs 
 cf them encourages tyrants to ufe men like wild 
 beafrs. 
 
 Hungary was fubdued, the Turks $wice repulfed, 
 -Tranfitvania conquered, and in the hands of the 
 imperialifts. At length while the fcaffold is ftill 
 itancJing at Eperies, the principal Hungarian nobi- 
 lity are fummoned to Vienna, where in the namje 
 cf the whole people they declare the crown of that 
 Jtingcfoni hereditary ; the ftates afterwards aflcmble 
 at Prefburg, where they confim the decree ; and 
 Jofeph is crowned hereditary king of Hungary at 
 mine yeais ojd, 
 
 Leopold
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 
 
 Leopold was at that time the moft powerful em- 
 peror who had been fmce Charles V. Many happy 
 circumftances concurred to enable him, at once, to 
 continue the war againft France till the treaty of 
 Ryfwick, and againft Turlcy till the peace of Carlo- 
 witz concluded in 1699. both ofthefe were of ad- 
 vantage to htm. He treated with Lewis XIV. at 
 JRyfwtck on the footing of an equal, which could 
 not have been expected after the peace of Nimeguen, 
 and he negotiated with the Turks as a conqueror. 
 Thefe fuccefles gave Leopold a manifeft fuperiority 
 in the diets of Germany, which, tho' it did not 
 take away the liberty of votes, made them depen- 
 dent on the emperor. 
 
 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 
 UNDER LE O P O L D. 
 
 Germany, under this reign, renews the bonds in 
 which it had heretofore held Italy. For in that war 
 which was ended at Ryfwick, while Leopold in 
 league with the duke of Savoy as well as with fo 
 many other princes againft France, fent troops to- 
 >wards the Rhine, he required contributions of all 
 that did not belong to Spain. The flates of Tufca- 
 ny, of Venice on the 7'erra firma, the Genoefe and 
 even the pope paid more than 300000 piftoles. In 
 the beginning of the century when it happened that 
 the provinces of the Spanim. monarchy were difput- 
 cd with Lewis XIV's grand- fon, Leopold exerted 
 the imperial authority in profcribing the du-ke of 
 Mantua, and giving-the Mantuan Montferrat to the 
 duke of Savoy. 
 
 It was alfo as Roman emperor he gave the elec- 
 tor of Brandenburg the title of king; That thje 
 
 king
 
 278 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 
 
 king of Germany mould make kings was never 
 agreed among nations ; but ancient cuRom has ad- 
 mitted princes to receive the title of king from him, 
 whom the cuftom aforefaid calls the fueceflbr of C*far. 
 
 Thus the chief of Germany having this name be- 
 ftows names, and Leopold makes a king without 
 confulting the three colleges. But when he created 
 a ninth electorate in favour of the duke of Hanover, 
 lie created this German dignity with the confent of 
 /our electors, as chief of Germany. Yet could he 
 not fix him in the college of electors, where the duke 
 of Hanover did not obtain a feat till after Leopold's 
 <leath. 
 
 It is true that in all capitulations, Germany i? 
 called the empire. But this is an abufe of words 
 authorized by time. The emperors in their capitula- 
 tions fwear, that they will not bring any troops into 
 the empire without confent of the electors, princes and 
 Jlates. But it is clear that by this word empire^ they 
 then underftood Germany, and not Milan and Man- 
 tua. For the emperor fends troops to Milan without 
 confulting any body. Germany is called the empire 
 as the feat of the Roman empire, a ftrange revolu- 
 tion, which Auguftus could never have fufpe&ed. 
 An Italian lord addrefles himfdf without difficulty to 
 the diet of Ratifbon ; he addrefles himfelf, du'ring the 
 vacancy of the throne, to the electors of Saxony, of 
 Bavaria and to the Palatine ; he obtains titles and 
 territories when there is no- body to oppofe him. 
 The pope indeed does not demand a confirmation of 
 his election, of the diet, but the duke of Mantua pre- 
 fents him a petition when Leopold puts him under 
 the ban of the empire in 1700. This empire is then 
 the right of the ftrongeft, the right of opinion founded 
 on the happy incurfions of Charles V. and Otho into 
 Italy. 
 
 The diet of Ratifbon is become perpetual under 
 the fame Leopold ever fmce 1664. This, which one 
 
 would.
 
 UNDER LEOPOLD. 279 
 
 would think, ftiould have increafed its power, con- 
 tributes to its weaknefs. Neither the prince? who for- 
 merly made up this auguft aflembly, nor the electors 
 aflift any longer at the coronation. They fend depu- 
 ties to the diet, and one deputy acts for two or three 
 princes. The treating of weighty matters is either 
 forgot or neglected, and Germany is fecretly divided 
 under the appearance of union. 
 
 OF GERMANY, 
 
 In the times of JOSEPH, and of CHARLES VI. 
 
 THE emperor Jofeph was unammoufly chofen 
 king of the Romans, by all the electors when 
 only 12 years old, in the year 1690; an evident 
 proof of the authority of his father Leopold ; a proof 
 of the great fecurity the electors were in with refpect 
 to their rights, which they would not have facrificed j 
 a proof of the firm agreement between all the ftates 
 of Germany and their chief ; which the power of 
 Lewis XIV. had cemented more ftrongly than ever. 
 
 In his capitulation he promifes to obferve the treaty 
 of Weitphalia, in every thing but wbere-tbe advantage 
 of France is concerned. 
 
 The reign of Jofeph was ftill happier than that of 
 Leopold. The money of the Englifh and Dutch, 
 the fuccefs of prince Eugene arid the duke of Mai- 
 borough, make him every-where victorious, and his 
 good fortune makes him almoft abfolute. He be- 
 gins by putting under the ban of the empire, in con- 
 lequence of his own authority, the electors of Bavaria 
 and Cologn, becaufe they were thepar^ans of France 
 and he feizes on theij dominions. He gives the 
 higher Palatinate to that branch of the Palatine which 
 Jxad loft it under Ferdinand II. and at the peace of 
 
 Raftadt
 
 . OF GERMANY 
 
 Raftadt and of Baden, he afterwards reftores it to 
 the Bavarian branch. 
 
 He adls in reality like a Roman emperor in Italy. 
 He confifcates the AJantuan for his own ufe ; he at firft 
 takes the Milanefe for himfelf, which he afterwards 
 gives to the archduke his brother : but he keeps the 
 towns^and revenues of it, by dividing from this country, 
 Alexandria, Valenza, and Lomelina in favour of the 
 duke of Savoy, on whom, to fecure him in his in- 
 - tereft, he beftows the inveftiture of Montferrat. ,He 
 plunders the duke of Mirandola, and gives his pof- 
 /effions to the duke of Modena. Charles V. had not 
 been more abfolute in Italy ; nor had Clement VII. 
 been more alarmed, than was now Clement XL 
 Jofeph goes to deprive him of the duchy of Fcrara, 
 in order to refrore it to the houfe of Modena from 
 which the pope had taken it. 
 
 His armies poflefTing Naples in the name of the 
 archduke his brother, and Bologna, Ferara, and 
 parf of Romagnia in his own name, already 
 threatened Rome. It was certainly the pope's in- 
 tereft that there mould be a balance in Italy ; but 
 this balance victory had deftroyed. All the princes 
 were fummoned, and all pofleflbrs of fiefs to produce 
 their titles. The duke of Parma who held at that 
 time of the holy fee, had but 15 days allowed him to 
 do homage to the emperor. At Rome was diftributed 
 a manifefto attacking the temporal power of the pope, 
 and annulling all the donations which the emperors 
 .had made without the concurrence of the empire. 
 It is certain, that if by this manifefto they fubje&ed 
 the pope to the emperor, they alfo rendered the em- 
 .perors dependent upon the imperial decrees of the 
 Germanic body: but reafons and arms are at one 
 time ufed, which at another are rejected ; and all 
 they endeavoured at prefent was having fome title to 
 rule in Italy as cheaply as they coujd. 
 
 All
 
 UNDER JOSEPH AND CHARLES VI. 281 
 
 All the princes were aftonifhed. It was fcarcely 
 to be expected, that 34 cardinals fhould at this time 
 have the boldnefs and generofity to do that which 
 neither Venice, Florence, Genoa, nor Parma, dared 
 to undertake. They railed a little army at their 
 own expence ; one laying down 100,000 crowns, 
 another 24,000, this fending 100 horfe, and that 50 
 foot. The peafants were armed. But the fole con- 
 fequence of this undertaking was, their fubmitting 
 fword in hand, to the terms prefcribed by Jofeph. 
 The pope was obliged to difband his army, to pre- 
 ferve no more than 5,000 men in the ecclefiaftical 
 ftate ; to fubfiit the imperial troops ; to abandon to 
 them Comacchio, and to acknowledge the archduke 
 Charles king of Spain. In 1709 he deprives the duke 
 of Savoy of the Vigenevafque and the fief of Langucs, 
 .nor yet does that prince dare to quit his party. 
 
 Jofeph dies, aged 33, in the year 1711, amidft all 
 his profperity. Charles VI. his brother fucceeded 
 him, and found himfelf. mailer of all Hungary in a 
 fbte of lubjeclion, the hereditary dominions of Ger- 
 many, which were very flourishing, the Milanefe, 
 the Mantuan, Naples, Sicily, and the 9 provinces 
 of the Low-countries, and had the proportions made 
 in the year 1709 by France, then very much weaken- 
 ed, been liftened to, Charles VI. had been alfo 
 matter of Spain and the New World. It was then-, 
 that there was no balance of power in Europe. The 
 Englifh, who had fought for this balance only, mur- 
 mur againft queen Ann for re-eitablifhing it by the 
 peace of Utrecht : fo much did hatred againft Lewis 
 XIV. prevail over real intereft. Thus after the par- 
 ticular peace of Raftadt and of Baden, Charles VI. 
 is the moft powerful prince in Europe. 
 
 But as powerful as he was when he took pofleffion 
 of the empire, the Germanic body fupported, nay 
 augmented their rights more than ever. The capi- 
 tulation of Charles VI. implies, that no German 
 
 prince
 
 282 OF GERMANY 
 
 piince or ftate fhall be put under the ban of the empire 
 but by confent of the 3 colleges, &'c. They yet 
 recalled in this capitulation the treaty of Weftphalia, 
 which had always been regarded as a fundamen- 
 tal law. 
 
 Germany was quiet and flourishing under the reign 
 of this laftAuftrian emperor, for, the war of 1716 
 againfi the Turks was only waged upon the Ottoman 
 frontiers, and nothing could have been more glorious. 
 
 Prince Eugene there increafed the vaft reputation 
 which he had before acquired in Italy, Flanders, and 
 Germany. The victory of Pcferwaradin and the 
 taking of Temifw.aer Signalized the campaign in 1716, 
 The year following he bad flilJ more furprizing fuc- 
 cefles : for in beiieging Belgrade, prince Eugene 
 found himfelf furrounded in his camp by 150,000 
 Turks. He was circumStanced like Csefar at the 
 fiege of Alexia, or of the Czar Peter near Pruth. 
 He did not imitate the Ruffian emperor, who de- 
 manded peace, but Caefar like, defeated his nume- 
 rous enemies and took the town. He returned to 
 Vienna covered with glory, where they talked of 
 trying him for having hazarded that Slate which he 
 had faved and whofe boundaries he had enlarged. 
 An advantageous peace was the fruit of thefe victories. 
 The fyiiem of Germany was not at all broken in up- 
 en either by the war or the peace ; which augmented 
 the emperor's dominions, and confirmed the Germa- 
 nic constitution. Charles XII. king of Sweden's dif- 
 -graces add to the pofieflions of the houfes of Branden- 
 burg and Hanover. The Germanic body was be- 
 come ftill more considerable. The treary of WeSl- 
 f> halra received in reality a blow by tbefe acquifitions ; 
 but all the rights which the ftates of Germany had 
 acquired by this treaty, were preferved by taking fome 
 provinces from the Swedes to whom they partly owed, 
 fhofe very rights which they enjoyed. The three re- 
 ligions cftablifhed in Germany maintained themfelves. 
 
 peaceably
 
 UNDER JOSEPH AND CHARLES VI. 20*3 
 
 pdaceably under the fhade of their privileges, and flight 
 inevitable differencesnolongergaverifetocivil troubles. 
 It ought principally to be obferved, that Germany 
 \vas intirely changed under Leopold, Jofeph, and 
 Charles VI. The manners before this were rude, 
 their lives unpolifhed, the fciences almoft unknown, 
 as well as convenient magnificence ; there was fcarcely 
 one town well built, nor a houfe erected upon the 
 regular and noble principles of architecture ; neither 
 gardens, nor manufactures of merchandize or tafte. 
 The Northern provinces were intirely uncultivated ; 
 a 30 year's war had ruined them. Germany was 
 more altered in 60 years than (he had been from Otho 
 to Leopold. 
 
 Charles VI. was conftantly happy to 1734. The 
 celebrated victories gained by prince Eugene over the 
 Turks of Temefwaer and at Belgrade had enlarged 
 the frontiers of Hungary. The emperor predomi- 
 nated m Italy, where he poflefled Naples and Sicily, 
 the Mtlanefe, and the Mantuan. The imperial and 
 (upreme right over Tufcany, Parma and Placentia, 
 which had been fo long contefted, were confirmed 
 to him by his giving the inveftiture of thefe irates to 
 don Carlos, fon of Philip the Vth who thereby be- 
 came his vaflal. The imperial lights exercifed in 
 Italy by Leopold and by Jofeph, were then in their 
 full vigor ; and certainly, if an emperor had kept fo 
 many pofTeflions in Italy, fo many rights with fo 
 many pretenfions, the 700 years ftruggle of the Ita- 
 lian liberty againft the German power might have 
 eafily been finished by its fubje6tion. 
 
 Thefe profperities were limited by the ufe which 
 Charles VI. made of his credit in Europe, by pro- 
 curing jointly with Ruffia, the throne of Poland to 
 Auguftus III. 
 
 This was a fingular revolution, whereby he loft for 
 ever Naples and Sicily, and enriched the king of Sar- 
 dinia at his own expenc*, in order to givt a king to 
 
 Poland.
 
 2.84 
 
 OF GERMANY 
 
 Poland. Nothing {hews better the fatality that pre- 
 iides over events and mocks the forefight of man. It 
 was his good fortune twice to have conquered 
 150, OOO Turks, yet Naples and Sicily were taken 
 from him by only 10, 000 Spaniards in one campaign. 
 
 In the year 1700 could it have been poffibly ima- 
 gined, that Stanislaus fhould 44 years after have 
 Lorrain in exchange for lofing the crown of Poland, 
 and that for the very fame leaibn Tufcany (hould he 
 given to the houfe of Lorrain ? If one reflects on 
 the many events which have difturbed and trans- 
 formed ftates, it will appear that fcarce any thing 
 happens according to people's expectations, or as Po- 
 liticians have defigned. 
 
 The latter years of Charles VI. were yet more 
 unhappy. He imagined becaufe prince Eugene had, 
 defeated the Turks with inferior German armies, 
 much more eafily might they be beaten by the Ger- 
 mans and Ruffians joined. But alas he had no lon- 
 ger a prince Eugene, and while the armies of the 
 Czarina Ann take Crimea, enter Walachia, aad 
 propofe penetrating to Adrianople, the Germans 
 were defeated. A difadvantageous peace fucceeds. 
 Belgrade, Temeswaer, Orfova, and all the country 
 between the Danube and the Save remain to the Ot- 
 tomans. All the fruits of prince Eugene's conquefts 
 are thus loft, and the emperor's only refource is that 
 of imprifoning the unfortunate generals j ftriking off 
 the heads of fuch officiers as had furrendered the 
 towns, and punifhing thofe, who purfuant to his or- 
 ders, had clapped up a neceflary peace. 
 
 He died foon after. The revolutions which en- 
 fued are matter for another hiftpry, and the wounds 
 which frill bleed are too frefh to be probed. 
 
 A philofophical reader, after having run thro' this 
 Jong fucceffion of emperors, might reflect, that 
 among them all Frederic III. only live 1 75 years, as 
 Lewis XIV. only, zunong the kings of France. Whilft 
 
 among
 
 UNDER JOSEPH AND CHARLES VI. 28$ 
 
 among the popes we fee numbers of lives ftretched 
 beyond 84. Not that the laws of nature in general 
 make life longer inr Italy than in Germany or 
 France, but becaufe popes are commonly more ab- 
 ftemious than kings, and that there are more popes 
 than either emperors or kings of France. 
 
 The duration of the reigns of the emperors, 
 which have pafled in review before us, ferves to con- 
 firm the rule which Newton has laid down for th re- 
 formation of ancient chronology. He fuppofes the 
 generations of the fovereigns of old to make out 
 one with another, 21 years each j and indeed the 50 
 emperors from Charlemagne to Charles VII. forming 
 a period of near a thoufand years, admits each of them 
 to have reigned about 20 years. We can reduce this 
 Newtonian, rule ilill more in itates fubjedl to frequent 
 revolutions. Without going higher than the Roman 
 empire, we fhali find in the fpace of 500 years, about 
 go reigns ; that is from Caefar to Auguftulus. 
 
 Another important reflt&ion occurs, and that is, 
 that there feems to be fcarcely one emperor from the 
 time of Charlemagne, who may be faid to have been 
 happy. The lultre of Charles V. eclipfes that of aU 
 his predeceflbrs ; yet he, wearied with continual 
 checks in life, and tired with the plagues of fuch a 
 compounded adminiftration, rather than difgufted with 
 the nothingnefs of grandeur, fecludes a premature old 
 age in an obfcure retreat. 
 
 W.e have not long fince feen an emperor mafter 
 of the moft refpe&able qualities, fuftain the moft 
 violent turns of fortune, while nature conduces him 
 to the grave, even in the prime of life, by the moil 
 cruel diforders. 
 
 This hiftory is fcarcely any more than a vaft fcene 
 of weakneffes, faults, crimes and misfortunes; among 
 which we find fome virtues and fome fuccefs j as fer- 
 tile vallies are often feen among chains of rocks and 
 precipices. This is likewife the cafe with other hif- 
 tories. O F
 
 * * 
 
 * 
 
 OF THE 
 KINGS OF BOHEMIA, 
 
 from the end of the Xlllth Century. 
 
 OT T O C A R U S fon to king Wenceslaus the 
 blind, killed in 1280 fighting againil the em- 
 peror Rodolphus. 
 
 WENCESLAUS the elder after the death of his 
 father, is placed under the guardianlhip of Otho 
 of Brandenburg in 1305. 
 
 WENCESLAUS the younger dies, about a year 
 after his father, of debauchery. 
 
 HEN RY, duke of Carinthia, earl of Tirol, brother- 
 in-law of Wenctsaus the younger, is flripped twice 
 of his kingdom ; firft by Rodolphus of Auftria 
 fon of Albert I. afterwards by John of Luxem- 
 burg fon of the emperor Henry VII. 
 
 JOHN of Luxemburg mafter of Bohemia, Silefia, 
 and Lufatia, killed at the battle of Cieci in France 
 in 1346. 
 
 The emperor CHARLES IV. 
 
 The emperor WENCESLAUS. 
 .The emperor SIGISMUND. 
 
 The emperor ALBERT of Auftria. 
 
 LADISLAUS the pcfthumous fon of the emperor 
 Albert of Auftria, dies in 1457 at the fame time 
 that Magdalene daughter to ^Charles VII. king of 
 France is on the road from Germany to be manied 
 to him. 
 
 GEORGE Podibrad vanquiftied by Matthias of Hun- 
 gary dies in 1471. 
 
 LADISLAUS of Poland king of Bohemia and of 
 Hungary dies in 1516. 
 
 LEWIS
 
 ELECTORS OF MENTZ. 287 
 
 LEWIS Con of Ladislaus alfo king of Hungary anor 
 Bohemia is killed fighting agaiaft the Turks aged 
 only 20 years. 
 
 The emperor FERDINAND I. and after him the em* 
 perora of the houfe of Auftria. 
 
 THE ELECTORS OF MENTZ. 
 From the end- of tbe Xllltb Ctntury. 
 
 VERNIER count de Falkenftein, he who beft 
 fupported his pretenfions to the town of Erfort, 
 
 dies in 1284. 
 HENRY KENODERER a francifcan frier confeflbr to 
 
 the emperor Rodolphus, dies in 1288. 
 GERRARD baron d'Eppenftein who fought at that 
 
 battle in which Adolphus of Naflau was killed, dies 
 
 in 1305. 
 PETER AICHSPALT a citizen of Triers, phyfician 
 
 to Henry of Luxemburg who cured pope Cle- 
 
 ment V. of a diforder thought to be mortal, dies 
 
 in 1320. 
 
 MATTHIAS count de Burgeckdies in 1328, 
 BALDWIN brother to the emperor Henry of Luxem- 
 
 burg holds Triers and Mentzfor three years j this 
 
 the only example of the kind. 
 HENRY count de Virrreburg excommunicated by Cle- 
 
 ment VI. fupports himfelf by war, and dies iri 
 
 GERLACH de Naflau dies in 1371. 
 
 JOHN de Luxemburg count de St. Paul dies 1373* 
 
 ADOI.PHUS de Naflau to whom Charles IV. gave 
 
 the little town of Hoehft, dies in 1 390. 
 CONRAD of Vinsbcrg who caufes the Vaudois to be 
 
 burned dies 1396. 
 JOHN of Naflau, this is he w-ho depofed the empe- 
 
 ror Wenceslaus, dies in 1419. 
 CONRAD count de Rens, beaten by the landgrave 
 
 of HeiTe, dies in 1431. THEO-
 
 288 ELECTORS OF MENTZ. 
 
 THEODORE d'Urback, he ought to have contri- 
 buted to the prote&ion of printing invented in his 
 time at Mentz, dies in 1459. 
 
 DITRICH count of Ifenbarg, and an Adolphus of 
 NafTau long difpute fword in hand for the arch- 
 bifhopric. Iferiburg yields the electorate to his 
 competitor Naflau in 1463. 
 
 ADOLPHUS dies in 1475. 
 
 DITRICH reaffumes the electoral fee, builds the 
 caftle of Mentz, and dies in 1482. 
 
 ALBERT of Saxony dies in 1484. 
 
 BERTOLDUS of Henneberg the principal author of 
 the league of Suabia, and great reformer of reli- 
 gious houfes, dies in 1504. Gualtieri falfely afleits. 
 that he died of a diforder but little befitting an 
 archbifhop. 
 
 JAMJJS of Libenftein dies in 1508. 
 
 URIEL de Guimenguen dies in 1514. 
 
 ALBERT of Brandenburg fon of the eleclor John at 
 the fame time archbifhop of Mentz, of Magdeburg 
 and of Haiberftadt, who defired much a cardinal's 
 cap, dies in 1545. 
 
 SEBASTIAN de Hovenftein doctor of the laws, in 
 whofe time Mentz is burned by a prince of Branr 
 denburg, dies in 1555. 
 
 DANIEL BRENDEL de HOMBURG, dies in 1582, 
 leaving behind him a name valued and refpecled. 
 
 WOLFGANG of Dalburg he deprives hiraftlf of the 
 pleafures of the chace becaufe it. damages the lands 
 of his fubje&s, and dies in 1601. 
 
 JOHN ADAM of Bkken, he affifts in France at the 
 
 ' difpute between cardinal du Perron and de Mornai, 
 he dies in 1604. 
 
 JOHN SCHWEIGHARD de Cronberg, perfecuted a 
 great while by the prince of Brunfwic, the friend 
 of God) and the foe to the priefts, delivered by the 
 arms of Tilli, and dies in 1626. 
 
 GEORGE FREDERIC de Grieffendau, principal author 
 
 of
 
 ELECTORS OF COLOGN.' 
 
 of the famous edid of the reftitution of benefices, 
 which caufed the 30 year's war dies in 1629. 
 
 ANSELMO CASIMIR WAMBOLD ofUmftadt, driven 
 out by the Swedes, dies in 1647. 
 
 JOHN PHILIP of Schcenbron brings the town ofErfort 
 under his fubjedion by the help of the French 
 arms and the emperor Leopold's difploma, he dies 
 in 1673. 
 
 LOTH ARIUS FREDERIC of Metternich forced to cede 
 his lands to the elector Palatine dies in 1675. 
 
 DAMIEN HARTARD von der Lien : he builds the pa- 
 lace of Mentz, and dies in 1678. 
 
 CHARLES HENRY of Metternich, dies in 1689. 
 
 ANSELMO-FRANCIS of Ingelheim, on whofe town 
 the French feize, dies in 1695. 
 
 LOTHARIO FRANCIS of Schcenbron coadjutor in 
 1694, refpe&ed by all his cotemporaries; dies 
 in 1729. 
 
 FRANCIS LEWIS count Palatine, dies in 1732. 
 
 PHILIP CHARLES of Eltz, dies in 1743. 
 
 JOHN FREDERIC Charles count d'Holftein. 
 
 THE ELECTORS OF COLOGN. 
 
 ENGELBERG count de Walkenftein a goodfoldier, 
 but an unhappy archbifhop taken in war by the 
 
 inhabitants of Cologn, dies about the year 1274. 
 SIFROI count de Vefterbuch not lefs a foidier and 
 
 more unfortunate than his predeceflbr, a prifoner 
 
 of war for feven years j dies in 1298. 
 VJCKBOLD de Holt another warrior, but more happy 
 
 dies in 1305. 
 HENRY count de Vinnanbuch difputes the clefton-ite, 
 
 and carries it from two competitors he dies in 1338. 
 VALRAME count de Juliers a pacific prince, dies 
 
 in 1352. 
 GUILL dc Geneppe who heaped and left behind him 
 
 great treafures, dies in 1362. 
 
 VoL - " N JOHN
 
 290 ELECTORS OF COLOGN. 
 
 JOHN de Virnenburg forces the chapter to ele him, 
 and fquandersall thctreafures of bis predeceflbr, dies 
 in 1363. 
 
 ADOLPHUS count .de.la March refigns the archbifhop- 
 rk in 1364. is made count of Cleves and has 
 children. 
 
 ENGHELBERG count de la March, 
 
 CANON of Falkenftein coadjutor to the former, and 
 at the fame time archbifhop of Triers, governs 
 Cologn for three years, and is obliged to refign it 
 
 - in 1370. There was brought to Cologn while he 
 governed, a body quite frefh of one of the innocents 
 maflacred by Herod, which gives frefh credit to the 
 relicks preferved in that town. 
 
 FREDERIC count de Sarverden a peaceable prince, 
 dies in 1414. 
 
 THEODORE count de Mceurs, difputes the arch- 
 bifhopric with William of Ravensberg bifhop of 
 Paderborn ; but this bifhop of Padcrborn being 
 married ; .both diocefes fall to the count de Moeurs. 
 He alfo enjoys Halberfhdt, and dies in 1457. 
 
 ROBERT of Bavaria makes ufe of Charles the bold 
 duke of Burgundy to affift him in fubje&ing Co- 
 logn, but is, at laft forced to fly, and dies in 1480. 
 
 HERMAN landgrave of HefTe who governed fome 
 years, in time of Robert of Bavaria, dies in 1508. 
 
 PHILIP count d'Oberftein dies in 1515 
 
 HERMAN de Veda or Neuvid, turns Lutheran, after 
 being bifhop 32 years, and dies in retirement in- 
 1556. 
 
 ANTONY brother to Adolphus bifhop of Liege and <?f 
 Utrecht dies in 1558. 
 
 JOHN earl of Mansfelt born a Lutheran, dies in 1562. 
 
 FREDERIC de Veda abdicates in 1568, referving to 
 himfelf 30,000 florins of gold yearly, it is never 
 paid him, and he dies miferably. 
 
 SALENTINUS count of Ifenburg after having go- 
 'vcrncd ten years, aflembles the chapter and nobi- 
 lity,
 
 ELECTORS OF TRIERS. 291 
 
 Hty, when reproaching them with the ingratitude 
 where with they had repaid the pains he had taken 
 with them, he abdicates the archbifhopric, and 
 weds a countefs de la March. 
 
 .GEBHARD truchfes de Walburg quits his archbifhop- 
 ric for the beautiful Agnes de Mansfelt ; which fa- 
 ther Kolbs calls \\isfacriligiousfpoufe. This father 
 Kolbs was not polite, he dies in 1612. 
 
 FERDINAND, his land having been ravaged by the 
 great Guftavus, dies in. 1650. 
 
 MAXIMILIAN HENRY fucceds cardinal Mazarine 
 in his retreat, and dies in 1688. 
 
 JOSEPH CLEMENT who carried the electorate from 
 cardinal de Furftemberg, dies in 1723. 
 
 AUGUSTUS CLEMENT. 
 
 ELECTORS OF TRIERS. 
 
 HENRY de Veftigen fubdues Coblentz, dies 
 in 1286. 
 BOEMOND de Vanfberg deftroys the caftles of the 
 
 rebel barons, and dies in 1299. 
 DITRICH de NafTau cited to Rome to anfwer com- 
 plaints made by his clergy, who afterwards refufe 
 
 him burial, dies 1307. 
 BALDWIN of Luxemburg who joins Philip de Va- 
 
 lois againft Edward III. dies in 1354. 
 BOHEMOND de Sarbruck, who has in his old days 
 
 great difputes with the Palatine, dies in 1368. 
 CONRAD of Falkenftein, makes great foundations, 
 
 and refigns theeledorate tohis nephew in fpite of the 
 
 canons, he dies in 1388. 
 VERMER de Konigften nephew to the laft, reduces 
 
 Vezel with artillery, and is almoft always at war, 
 
 he dies in 1418. 
 OTHO de Zeigenheim, beaten by the Huflites, dies 
 
 on that expedition in 1430. 
 
 RABAN de Helmftadt, always at war with his neigh- 
 
 N 2 bours,
 
 292 ELECTORS OF TRIER. 
 
 hours, pawns his pofleflions and dies infolvent in 
 
 M39- 
 
 JAMES de Sirck,the ravaged electorate of Triers not 
 being fufficent to fubfift him he is made bifhop of 
 Metz, and dies in 1456. 
 
 JOHN de Baden, it was he who concluded the mar- 
 riage between Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy, 
 dies in 1501. 
 
 JAMES de Baden umpire betwen Cologn and the 
 archbimop, dies in 1511 
 
 RICHARD de Wolfrat who fora long time takes part 
 with Francis I. againft Charles V. in their fhuggle 
 for the empire, he dies 1531. 
 
 JOHN de Metzenhaufen encourages the fciences, and 
 improves his territory, dies in 1540. 
 
 JOHN Lewis of the Hague, dies 1547. 
 
 JOHN- d'Ifemburg, under, whoni Triers fufFers much 
 from the Lutheran arms, dies in 1556. 
 
 JOHN de Leyen, he befieged Triers, dies in 1567. 
 
 JAMES deEls, he fubdues Triers, dies in 1581. 
 
 JOHN de Schonberg, in whofe time the garment of 
 Jefus Chrift was found at Triers, but whence it 
 came is not exactly known, dies in I5Q9- 
 
 LOTHARIO de Metternick, joins brifkly the catholic 
 league, and dies in 1623. 
 
 PHILIP CHRISTOPHER of Sotern, he was taken pri- 
 foner by the Spaniards, and furnifhed France with 
 a fufficent pretext to declare war againft Spain, he 
 was reftored to his fee by the victory of Conde and 
 Turenne, he dies in 1652. aged 87 years. 
 
 CHARLES CASPAR de Leyen, driven out of his ca- 
 pital by the arms of France, but reftored by the 
 defeat of marfhal Crequi, he dies in 1676. 
 
 JOHN HUGO d'Orfbeck ; he fees Triers almoft quite 
 deftroyed by the French ; the war was always 
 dreadful, he dies in 1711. 
 
 CHARLES JOSEPH of- Lorra'n coadjutor in 1710, 
 fufFers ftill more by the war, dies ann. 1715. 
 
 FRANCIS
 
 ELECTORS PALATINE. 293 
 
 FRANCIS LEWIS count Palatine, bifhop of Breflau, 
 and Worms, grand matter of the Teutonic order 
 dies anno 1729. 
 
 FRANCIS GEORGE de Schonhron. 
 
 THE ELECTORS PALATINE. 
 
 From the end of the Xlllth Century. 
 
 LEWIS dies an. 1285, his father Otho was the 
 firft count Palatine of this houfe. 
 
 RODOLPHUS fon of Lewis, and brother to the em- 
 peror Lewis of Bavaria, dies in England in 1319. 
 
 ADOLPHUS the Simple dies in 1327. 
 
 RODOLPHUS II, brother to Adolphus the fimple, 
 and fon to Rodolphus I. father-in-law to the em- 
 peror Charles IV. dies in 1353. 
 
 ROBERT the Red dies in 1390. 
 
 ROBERT the Stubborn dies in 1398. 
 
 ROBERT the emperor. 
 
 LEWIS the bearded and the pious dies in 1436. 
 
 LEWIS the Virtuous dies in 1449. 
 
 FREDERIC the Warlike, Philip's tutor, enjoys the 
 deflorate tho' his pupil is alive, he dies 1476. 
 
 PHILIP fon of Lev/is the Virtutut dies in ico8. 
 
 LEWIS fon of Philip dies 1544. 
 
 FREDERIC the Wife, brother to Lewis dies in i6. 
 
 OTHO HENRY Philip's grand fon dies in 1550. 
 
 FREDERIC III. o f the branch of Simmeren, dies in 
 1576. 
 
 LEWIS VI. fon of Frederic dies in 1583. 
 FREDERIC IV. of that name grand fon to Lewis 
 
 dies m 1610. 
 FREDERIC V. of that name, fon of Frederic IV. allied 
 
 to James I. king of Bohemia, but driven out of his 
 
 dominion, dies in 1632. 
 
 CHARLESrLEWH re-eftablifhed in the Palatine dies 
 anno 1680. 
 
 N 3 CHARLES
 
 294 ELECTORS OF SAXONY. 
 
 CHARLES fon to the preceding, dies without iflue in 
 1685. 
 
 PHILIP WILLIAM of the branch of Neuburg, father- 
 in-law to Leopold, to the king of Spain and to the 
 king of Portugal, dies anno 1690. 
 
 JOHN WILLIAM fon of Charles Philip born in 1658, 
 his country was deftroyed by the war of 1689, and 
 at the peace of Ryfwick the lands which the houfe 
 of Orleans difputed with him were adjudged by the 
 pope's decifive fentence to this elector, he dies in 
 1716. 
 
 CHAR.LES PHILIP the laft elector of the houfe of 
 Neuburg dies in 1742. 
 
 CHRISTIAN PHILIP THEODORE de Sultzbach. 
 
 THE ELECTORS OF SAXONY. 
 
 AL B E R T II. great-grand- fon of Albert the Bear 
 of the houfe of Anhalt fucceeds his anceftors 
 
 in 1260, and governs Saxony thirty feven year, dies 
 
 in 1297. 
 
 RODOLPHUS I. fon of the faid Albert dies in 1356. 
 RODOLPHUS II. fon of Rodolphus I. dies 1370. 
 WENCESLAUS a younger brother of Rodolphus II. 
 
 dies in 1388. 
 
 RODOLPHUS III. fon of Wenceflaus dies in 1419. 
 ALBERT III. brother to Rodolphus III. the laft elector 
 
 of the houfe of Anhalt, which had poflefled Saxony 
 
 227 years, dies in 1422. 
 TREDERIC I. of the houfe of Mifnia firnamed the 
 
 warlike dies in 1428. 
 FREDERIC the affable dies in 1464. 
 ERNEST FREDERIC the religious dies in 1486. 
 FREDERIC the wije dies in 1525, it is he who is faid 
 
 to have refufed the empire. 
 JOHN firnamed the Conjlant brother to the foregoing, 
 
 dies in 1532. 
 
 JOHN FREDERIC the Magnanimous dies in 1554,^- 
 
 polfefled
 
 ELECTORS OF BRANDENBURG. 295 
 
 poflefled of his electorate by Charles V. from .him 
 the branches of Gotha and Weimar are decended. 
 
 MAURICE coufin in the fifth degree to John Frederic 
 invefted by Charles V. dies in 1563. 
 
 AUGUSTUS the Pious brother to Maurice dies in 1586. 
 
 CHRISTIAN fon to Auguftus the pious dies in 1591. 
 
 FREDERIC WILLIAM , ten years adminiftrator> 
 dies in 1602. 
 
 CHRISTIAN II. fon to Chriftian I. dies in 1611. 
 
 JOHN GEORGE brother of Chriftian dies 1656. 
 
 JOHN GEORGE If. dies in 1680. 
 
 JOHN GEORGE III. dies in 1691. 
 
 JOHN GEORGE IV. dies in 1694. 
 
 AUGUSTUS king of Poland, difpoflefTed of the king- 
 dom by the fuccefles of Charles XII. and reftored 
 by the faid Charles's misfortune dies in 1733. 
 
 FREDERIC AUGUSTUS II. elector and king of Poland. 
 
 ELECTORS or BRANDENBURG. 
 
 Jlfter divers elettors of the houfes of Jfcania, Bava- 
 ria, and of Luxemburg* 
 
 FREDERIC de Hohenzollern burggrave of Nu- 
 remberg, buys the marquifate of Brandenburg from 
 the emperor Sigismund for one hundred thoufand 
 golden florins, repurchafed by the fame emperor, 
 he dies in 1400. 
 
 JOHN I. fon of Frederic abdicates in favor of his bro- 
 ther ann. 1464. he is not taken notice of in the 
 memoirs of Brandenburg, fo that he is not to be 
 looked upon as elector. 
 
 . 
 
 FKEDERTC with the iron teeth, brother to the fore- 
 going dies in 1471. 
 
 ALBERT the Achilles brother to the two latter ; it is 
 pretended that he abdicated in 1476, and that he 
 died in 1486. 
 
 JOHN firnamed the Cicero fon of Albert the Achilles 
 dies in 1499. 
 
 JOA-
 
 296 ELECTORS OF BAVARIA. 
 
 JOACHIM I. Neftor the fon of John, dies in 1535. 
 
 JOACHIM II. Heftor fon of Joachim I. dies in 1571. 
 
 JOHN GEORGE fon of Joachim II. dies in 1598. 
 
 JOACHIM FREDERIC fon of John George adminif- 
 trator of Magdeburg dies in 1608. 
 
 JOHN SIGISMUND fon of Joachim Frederic divides 
 the fucceffion of Cleves and Juliers with the houfe 
 of Neuberg, dies in 1619. 
 
 GEQRGE WILLIAM whofe dominions were laid 
 wafte by the 30 years war dies in 1640. 
 
 FREDERIC WILLIAM who re-eftablifhes his coun- 
 try dies in 1688. 
 
 FREDERICK, who erects into a kingdom part of the 
 proviiice of Pruffia of which he was duke, and 
 which had formely held of Poland dies in 1713. 
 
 TREDERIC WILLIAM II. king of Pruffia, who re- 
 peoples the intirely ruined lands of Pruffia, dies in 
 174.0. 
 
 FREDERIC III. king of Pruffia. 
 
 THE ELECTORS OF BAVARIA. 
 
 MAXIMILIAN created in 1623, and at that 
 time ranked among the electors, the firft after 
 the king of Bohemia, dies in 1651. 
 FERDINAND MARIA his fon, died 1679. 
 MAXIMILIAN MARIA who was of great fervice in 
 delivering Vienna from the Turks ; he fignalifed 
 himfelf at the fieges of Baden and Belgrade, was 
 put under the ban of the empire by the emperor 
 Jofeph in 1706, and reftored by the peace of Ba- 
 den, he dies in 1726. 
 
 CHARLES ALBERT his fon, emperor dies in 1745. 
 CHARLES MAXIMILIAN JOSEPH fon of Charles 
 Albert. 
 
 TH E
 
 # * 
 
 * 
 
 297 
 
 THE ELECTORS OF HANOVER. 
 
 ERNEST AUGUSTUS duke of Brunfwic and 
 Hanover &c. created by the emperor Leopold 
 in 1692, upon condition that he fhould furnifh 6000 
 men againft the Turks, and 3000 againft France, 
 he dies in 1698. 
 
 GEORGE LEWIS fon of the former, received in the 
 electoral college at Ratifbbn in 1708, with the 
 title of archtreafurer of the empire, made king 
 of England in 1714, he dies in 1727. 
 
 GEORGE II. his fon alfo king of England. 
 
 A Let-
 
 * 
 
 A Letter from the Author 
 
 T 6 H E R 
 SERE N E HIGHNESS 
 
 MADAM 
 . 
 THE DUTCHESS DOWAGER 
 
 OF S AXE-G OTH A. 
 
 Colmar, Uarth*, 1754. 
 
 MAD- AM, 
 
 YOUR Auguft flame has ornamented the begin- 
 ning of t'bfcfe annals, permit that it may crown 
 the end ; this httle ^br.idgment -was 'begun in your 
 palace, with the<*ffi#%nce. of jjae 6*1 Manufcript, of 
 myEflay upon Univerfal Hiftory, which had lain 
 there a long time j and tho' this manufcript was no 
 more than a very indigefted collection of materials, 
 I neverthelefs made it ufeful. I had already caufed 
 the firft Volume of the Annals of the Empire to be 
 printed, when I was informed, that fome loofe (beets 
 of this old manufcript had fallen into the hands of a 
 bookfeller at the Hague. 
 
 Thefe loofe flieets, without either order or con- 
 nexion, doubtlefs tranfcribed by an ignorant hand, 
 disfigured and falfified, were, to my great concern, 
 reprinted feveral times at Paris and elfe where. 
 
 Your
 
 * 2 99 
 
 Your Serene Highnefs has fignified your refentment 
 upon this account in your letters to me. You know 
 how very much the real manufcript, which is in your 
 poffeflion, differs from the fragments that have been 
 publiftied. It is my duty, loudly to reprove and 
 condemn fuch an abufe ; and above four months fince 
 I acquitted rnyfelf of this obligation in the letter to a 
 profelTor of hiftory, prefixed to the annals. And I now, 
 Madam, repeat this juft proteftation, under your fa- 
 vourable protection. 
 
 With refpedt to this fmall abridgment of the an- 
 nals of the Empire, undertaken by your Serene High- 
 nefs's orders, thefe orders themfelves, and the defire 
 of pleafing you, would have rendered the truth ftill 
 more dear and facred to me, were fhe not fo by her 
 own intrinfce worth. 
 
 This truth, to which our Illuftrious de Thou has 
 facrificed, which heaped upon him fo much affliction, 
 and makes his memory fo valuable, can it hurt me, 
 in an age much more enlightened than his ? 
 
 What weak fanatic can reproach me with having 
 refpected the three Religions authorized in the Em- 
 pire ? what fool would have had me play the contro- 
 vertift, inftead of writing as an hiftorian ? I am con- 
 fined to facts. Thefe facts are proved ; they are 
 authentic. A thoufand pens have been employed 
 about them. No juft man can complain. A great 
 Queen aptly fpoke thus of an hiftorian : they point 
 out to us our duty by fpeaking of the faults of our pre- 
 decejfors. The truth is hid from us by thofe who fur- 
 round us, and revealed to us by none but hiftorians. 
 
 There have been emperors, unjuftand cruel j popes 
 and bifhops, unworthy of their ftation. Who is there 
 doubts it ? It is the confolation of the world, to have 
 faithful annals, which excite to virtue, by expoiing 
 fts crimes. What is it to the wife emperor who 
 
 reigns
 
 3 * 
 
 reigns in our days, that Henry V. and Henry VI. 
 were cruel ? What is it to the enlightened, the juft, 
 the moderate pontiff, who now fills the throne of 
 Rome, that Alexander VI. has left behind him an 
 odious memory ? The horrors of paft ages are the 
 elogiums of the prefent. Unhappily thofe who are 
 charged with the education of princes, hide from them 
 thefe ancient truths. They accuftom them in their 
 infancy to fee nothing but falfity, and thus prepare 
 for the mafters of the world, while in their cradles, 
 the poifon of illufion in w.hich they are all their lives 
 to be immerfed. 
 
 You, Madam, who are a lover of truth, and were 
 pleafed, that I ihould proclame it, let me intreat you 
 to receive this new homage, which I pay to you and 
 to her. 
 
 I am, Madam, with the profoundeft refpeft, and 
 the moft inviolable attachment 
 
 . 
 YOUR 
 
 MOST SERENE HIGHNES'S 
 
 Mojl humble and moft obedient 
 Servant 
 
 v 
 
 f
 
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