The Thirty Years War, book 4 | Page 4

dispose them to a closer alliance with
Sweden, as to a hasty peace with the Emperor; and it depended entirely
upon the course pursued, which of these alternatives they would adopt.
Every thing might be lost by the slightest sign of despondency; nothing,
but the confidence which Sweden showed in herself, could kindle
among the Germans a noble feeling of self-confidence. All the attempts
of Austria, to detach these princes from the Swedish alliance, would be
unavailing, the moment their eyes became opened to their true interests,
and they were instigated to a public and formal breach with the
Emperor.
Before these measures could be taken, and the necessary points settled
between the regency and their minister, a precious opportunity of action
would, it is true, be lost to the Swedish army, of which the enemy
would be sure to take the utmost advantage. It was, in short, in the
power of the Emperor totally to ruin the Swedish interest in Germany,

and to this he was actually invited by the prudent councils of the Duke
of Friedland. Wallenstein advised him to proclaim a universal amnesty,
and to meet the Protestant states with favourable conditions. In the first
consternation produced by the fall of Gustavus Adolphus, such a
declaration would have had the most powerful effects, and probably
would have brought the wavering states back to their allegiance. But
blinded by this unexpected turn of fortune, and infatuated by Spanish
counsels, he anticipated a more brilliant issue from war, and, instead of
listening to these propositions of an accommodation, he hastened to
augment his forces. Spain, enriched by the grant of the tenth of the
ecclesiastical possessions, which the pope confirmed, sent him
considerable supplies, negociated for him at the Saxon court, and
hastily levied troops for him in Italy to be employed in Germany. The
Elector of Bavaria also considerably increased his military force; and
the restless disposition of the Duke of Lorraine did not permit him to
remain inactive in this favourable change of fortune. But while the
enemy were thus busy to profit by the disaster of Sweden, Oxenstiern
was diligent to avert its most fatal consequences.
Less apprehensive of open enemies, than of the jealousy of the friendly
powers, he left Upper Germany, which he had secured by conquests
and alliances, and set out in person to prevent a total defection of the
Lower German states, or, what would have been almost equally ruinous
to Sweden, a private alliance among themselves. Offended at the
boldness with which the chancellor assumed the direction of affairs,
and inwardly exasperated at the thought of being dictated to by a
Swedish nobleman, the Elector of Saxony again meditated a dangerous
separation from Sweden; and the only question in his mind was,
whether he should make full terms with the Emperor, or place himself
at the head of the Protestants and form a third party in Germany.
Similar ideas were cherished by Duke Ulric of Brunswick, who, indeed,
showed them openly enough by forbidding the Swedes from recruiting
within his dominions, and inviting the Lower Saxon states to Luneburg,
for the purpose of forming a confederacy among themselves. The
Elector of Brandenburg, jealous of the influence which Saxony was
likely to attain in Lower Germany, alone manifested any zeal for the
interests of the Swedish throne, which, in thought, he already destined
for his son. At the court of Saxony, Oxenstiern was no doubt

honourably received; but, notwithstanding the personal efforts of the
Elector of Brandenburg, empty promises of continued friendship were
all which he could obtain. With the Duke of Brunswick he was more
successful, for with him he ventured to assume a bolder tone. Sweden
was at the time in possession of the See of Magdeburg, the bishop of
which had the power of assembling the Lower Saxon circle. The
chancellor now asserted the rights of the crown, and by this spirited
proceeding, put a stop for the present to this dangerous assembly
designed by the duke. The main object, however, of his present journey
and of his future endeavours, a general confederacy of the Protestants,
miscarried entirely, and he was obliged to content himself with some
unsteady alliances in the Saxon circles, and with the weaker assistance
of Upper Germany.
As the Bavarians were too powerful on the Danube, the assembly of the
four Upper Circles, which should have been held at Ulm, was removed
to Heilbronn, where deputies of more than twelve cities of the empire,
with a brilliant crowd of doctors, counts, and princes, attended. The
ambassadors of foreign powers likewise, France, England, and Holland,
attended this Congress, at which Oxenstiern appeared in person, with
all the splendour of the crown whose representative he was. He himself
opened the proceedings, and conducted the deliberations. After
receiving from all