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

the
Turks.--John Capistrun.-- Rescue of Belgrade.--The Turks
Dispersed.--Exultation over the Victory.--Death of
Hunniades.--Jealousy of Ladislaus.--His Death.--Brotherly
Quarrels.--Devastations by the Turks.--Invasion of Austria.--Repeal of
the Compromise.--The Emperor a Fugitive. Page 68

CHAPTER V.
THE EMPERORS FREDERIC II. AND MAXIMILIAN I. From 1477
to 1500.
Wanderings of the Emperor Frederic.--Proposed 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