The Empire of Austria; Its Rise and Present Power | Page 2

Alliance with the Duke of Burgundy.--Mutual Distrust.--Marriage of Mary.--The Age of Chivalry.--The Motive inducing the Lord of Praunstein to Declare War.--Death of Frederic II.--The Emperor's Secret.--Designs of the Turks.--Death of Mahomet II.--First Establishment of Standing Armies.--Use of Gunpowder.--Energy of Maximilian.--French Aggressions.--The League to Expel the French.--Disappointments of Maximilian.--Bribing the Pope.--Invasion of Italy.--Capture and Recapture.--The Chevalier de Bayard. Page 77

CHAPTER VI.
MAXIMILIAN I. From 1500 to 1519.
Base Treachery of the Swiss Soldiers.--Perfidy of Ferdinand of Arragon.--Appeals by Superstition.--Coalition with Spain.--The League of Cambray.--Infamy of the Pope.--The King's Apology.--Failure of the Plot.--Germany Aroused.--Confidence of Maximilian.--Longings for the Pontifical Chair.--Maximilian Bribed.--Leo X.--Dawning Prosperity.-- Matrimonial Projects.--Commencement of the War of Reformation.--Sickness of Maximilian.--His Last Directions.--His Death.--The Standard by which his Character is to be Judged. Page 91

CHAPTER VII.
CHARLES V. AND THE REFORMATION. From 1519 to 1581.
Charles V. of Spain.--His Election as Emperor of Germany.--His Coronation.--The First Constitution.--Progress of the Reformation.--The Pope's Bull against Luther.--His Contempt for his Holiness.--The Diet at Worms.--Frederic's Objection to the Condemnation of Luther by the Diet.--He obtains for Luther the Right of Defense.--Luther's triumphal March to the Tribunal.--Charles urged to Violate his Safe Conduct.-- Luther's Patmos.--Marriage of Sister Catharine Bora to Luther.--Terrible Insurrection.--The Holy League.--The Protest of Spires.--Confession of Augsburg.--The Two Confessions.--Compulsory Measures. Page 106

CHAPTER VIII.
CHARLES V. AND THE REFORMATION. From 1531 to 1552.
Determination to crush Protestantism.--Incursion of the Turks.--Valor of the Protestants.--Preparations for renewed Hostilities.--Augmentation of the Protestant Forces.--The Council of Trent.--Mutual Consternation.-- Defeat of the Protestant Army.--Unlooked-for Succor.--Revolt in the Emperor's Army.--The Fluctuations of Fortune.--Ignoble Revenge.--Capture of Wittemberg.--Protestantism apparently crushed.--Plot against Charles.--Maurice of Saxony.--A Change of Scene.--The Biter Bit--The Emperor humbled.--His Flight.--His determined Will. Page 121

CHAPTER IX.
CHARLES V. AND THE TURKISH WARS. From 1552 to 1555.
The Treaty of Passau.--The Emperor yields.--His continued Reverses.--The Toleration Compromise.--Mutual Dissatisfaction.--Remarkable Despondency of the Emperor Charles.--His Address to the Convention at Brussels.-- The Convent of St. Justus.--Charles returns to Spain.--His Convent Life.--The Mock Burial.--His Death.--His Traits of Character.--The King's Compliment to Titian.--The Condition of Austria.--Rapid Advance of the Turks.--Reasons for the Inaction of the Christians.--The Sultan's Method of Overcoming Difficulties.--The little Fortress of Guntz.--What it accomplished. Page 186

CHAPTER X.
FERDINAND I.--HIS WARS AND INTRIGUES. From 1555 to 1562.
John of Tapoli.--The Instability of Compacts.--The Sultan's Demands.--A Reign of War.--Powers and Duties of the Monarchs of Bohemia.--The Diet.--The King's Desire to crush Protestantism.--The Entrance to Prague.--Terror of the Inhabitants.--The King's Conditions.--The Bloody Diet.--Disciplinary Measures.--The establishment of the Order of Jesuits.--Abdication of Charles V. in Favor of Ferdinand.--Power of the Pope.--Paul IV.--A quiet but powerful Blow.--The Progress of the Reformers.--Attempts to reconcile the Protestants.--The unsuccessful Assembly. Page 151

CHAPTER XI.
DEATH OF FERDINAND I.--ACCESSION OF MAXIMILIAN II. From 1562 to 1576.
The Council of Trent.--Spread of the Reformation.--Ferdinand's Attempt to influence the Pope.--His Arguments against Celibacy.--Stubbornness of the Pope.--Maximilian II.--Displeasure of Ferdinand.--Motives for not abjuring the Catholic Faith.--Religious Strife in Europe.--Maximilian's Address to Charles IX.--Mutual Toleration.--Romantic Pastime of War.--Heroism of Nicholas, Count of Zeini.--Accession of Power to Austria.--Accession of Rhodolph III.--Death of Maximilian. Page 166

CHAPTER XII.
CHARACTER OF MAXIMILIAN.--SUCCESSION OF RHODOLPH III. From 1576 to 1604.
Character of Maximilian.--His Accomplishments.--His Wife.--Fate of his Children.--Rhodolph III.--The Liberty of Worship.--Means of Emancipation.--Rhodolph's Attempts against Protestantism.--Declaration of a higher Law.--Theological Differences.--The Confederacy at Heilbrun.--The Gregorian Calendar.--Intolerance in Bohemia.--The Trap of the Monks.--Invasion of the Turks.--Their Defeat.--Coalition with Sigismond.--Sale of Transylvania.--Rule of Basta.--The Empire captured and recaptured.--Devastation of the Country.--Treatment of Stephen Botskoi. Page 182

CHAPTER XIII.
RHODOLPH III. AND MATTHIAS. From 1604 to 1609.
Botskoi's Manifesto.--Horrible Suffering in Transylvania.--Character of Botskoi.--Confidence of the Protestants.--Superstition of Rholdoph.--His Mystic Studies.--Acquirements of Matthias.--Schemes of Matthias.--His increasing power.--Treaty with the Turks.--Demands on Rhodolph.--The Compromise.--Perfidy of Matthias.--The Margravite.--Fillisbustering.-- The People's Diet.--A Hint to Royalty.--The Bloodless Triumph.--Demands of the Germans.--Address of the Prince of Anhalt to the King. Page 198

CHAPTER XIV.
RHODOLPH III. AND MATTHIAS. From 1609 to 1612.
Difficulties as to the Succession.--Hostility of Henry IV. to the House of Austria.--Assassination of Henry IV.--Similarity in Sully's and Napoleon's Plans.--Exultation of the Catholics.--The Brother's Compact.--How Rhodolph kept it.--Seizure of Prague.--Rhodolph a Prisoner.--The King's Abdication.--Conditions Attached to the Crown.--Rage of Rhodolph.--Matthias Elected King.--The Emperor's Residence.--Rejoicings of The Protestants.--Reply of the Ambassadors.-- The Nuremberg Diet.--The Unkindest cut of all.--Rhodolph's Humiliation and Death. Page 213

CHAPTER XV.
MATTHIAS. From 1612 to 1619.
Matthias Elected Emperor of Germany.--His Despotic Character.--His Plans Thwarted.--Mulheim.--Gathering Clouds.--Family Intrigue.--Coronation of Ferdinand.--His Bigotry.--Henry, Count of Thurn.--Convention at Prague.--The King's Reply.--The Die Cast.--Amusing Defense of an Outrage.--Ferdinand's Manifesto.--Seizure of Cardinal Klesis.--The King's Rage.--Retreat of the King's Troops.--Humiliation of Ferdinand.--The Difficulties Deferred.--Death of Matthias. Page 229

CHAPTER XVI.
FERDINAND II. From 1619 to 1621.
Possessions of the Emperor.--Power of the Protestants of Bohemia.-- General Spirit of Insurrection.--Anxiety of Ferdinand.--Insurrection led by Count Thurn.--Unpopularity of the Emperor.--Affecting Declaration of the Emperor.--Insurrection in Vienna.--The Arrival of Succor.--Ferdinand Seeks the Imperial Throne.--Repudiated by Bohemia.--The Palatinate.-- Frederic Offered the Crown of Bohemia.--Frederic Crowned.--Revolt in Hungary.--Desperate Condition of the Emperor.--Catholic League.--The Calvinists and the Puritans.--Duplicity of the Emperor.--Foreign Combinations.--Truce between the Catholics and the Protestants.--The Attack upon Bohemia.--Battle of the