of his grandfather, nor any of the dynastic shrewdness that 

 had elevated his family." 



Rudolph's character contrasted strangely with that of 

 his father; "Maximilian was frank, candid and manly; he 

 appreciated the dignity of truth, he was fond of society, 

 cheerful in conversation, systematic in business as well as 

 patient and complacent when troublesome problems required 

 his attention." Of him the Bohemians said: ''We are as 

 happy under his government as if he were our. father; our 

 privileges, our laws, our rights, liberties and usages are 

 protected, maintained, defended and confirmed." 



Such modicum of Maximilian's good traits as Rudolph 

 inherited were modified by less fortunate ones derived from 

 his mother, Mary of Austria, who was Maximilian's first 

 cousin, being the daughter of Charles V. She inculcated in 

 her son "a machine-like devotion that found religious virtue 

 in the scrupulous observance of ceremonies and useless mor- 

 tifications." She led him to regard his confessor's counsel as 

 an oracle that could neither be questioned nor disobeyed. 

 Besides this tutelage the instruction imparted by the Jesuits 

 to the youthful prince in Spain was better fitted to produce 

 a University professor than a monarch. After her husband's 

 death Mary retired to a nunnery in Spain where she remained 

 till her life ended in 1603. 



Imbued through these influences with intense bigotry and 

 hatred of liberty of conscience, Rudolph had not long been 

 seated on his father's throne when he began to frame laws 

 against the Protestants, depriving them of legal rights, clos- 

 ing their schools and places of worship, expelling their min- 

 isters and granting official positions exclusively to Catholics; 

 such edicts as these embittered the lives of some of the most 

 sturdy inhabitants and caused them to hate the despotic 

 ruler of their destinies. 



196 



