GERMANY. 



countries, as rendered them fjrcat princes. Many of tlie 

 other members, though they enjoyed all the rights of fove- 

 reignty, ruled over fuch petty domains, tliat their real 

 power bore no proportion to this high prerogative. The 

 electors and emperors, by tvirns, endeavoured to extend their 

 own authority, by encroaching on thofe feeble members of 



Rhine to the ftiorr s of the Ealtic, without little intcrmiflion 

 from tlie battle of I'raguc to the peace of Weftphalia. The 

 vmfortunate Frederick, who had been put under the ban of 

 the empire, died broken-hearted. Ferdinand's arms were 

 almoft conftanlly victorious againll the Protellant princes for 

 the fpace of ten years. H-e was on tlie point of crufliing 



the Germanic body, who fomelimes defended their rights their party when Gullavus Adolphus of Sweden rufhed upon 

 with much fpirit, but more frequently, being overawed or him. In vain did the Imperialilts commanded by Tilly en- 

 corriipted, tamely furrendered their privileges, or meanly fa- deavour to check his career; they were defeated and dif- 

 voured the defigns formed againft them. pcrfed. Ferdinand was going to fue for peace when the fall 



But the empire of Germany comprehended countries of of the Swediih monarch at Lut/.en re-animated his hopes: 

 fuch vail extent, and was inhabited by fuch a martial and Wallenilein's defection did not arreil his arm. He con- 

 hardy race of men, that when the abilities of an emperor, or tinued lighting againft his Protcftant vafTals to the hour of 

 zeal for any common caufe could roufe this unwieldy body, his deatli, which happened in 1637. The war raged wiib 

 it was iHU able to aft with force. Charles V. grandfon of unabated fury under his fon Ferdinand III. who was ap- 

 Maximilian, and heir to the kingdom of Spain, in right of pointed his fuccefTor on the imperial throne. The Proleftant 

 his mother, was elefted emperor in the year 15 19. In his caufe was ably defended by the lieroes brouglu up under the 

 reign happened the reformaticm of rehgion caufed by Luther, great Guftavus Adolphus. Hiftory will never forget the 

 which occafioned inceffant wars till 1648. (See Luther names of the duke of Saxe Weimar, of Bannier, Torften- 

 and Rei-ormation.) There were moments when Charles V. fon, Piccolomin!, Merci, AVrangel, and many others who 

 flattered himfelf with the hope of being able to hold the fliook the Aulh-i^-i power, till at length a general peace was 

 balance between the Roman Catholics and the Lutherans, concluded in 164(1, which being guaranteed by Sweden and 

 Hut the contending parties were too much inflamed with France, has been confidered for a century and a half as 

 animofity, and in addition to his wars againil Francis I. of forming the balls of the political fyftem of Europe, under 

 France, he was forced to fuftain a violent one in the heart of tlie name of the peace of Munfter or peace of Weftphalia. 

 the empire. Fortune, which fmiled upon him in the begin- Leopold I. who was elected emperor of Germany, after 

 iiing of his reign, forfook him towards its end. Heabdi- the death of his father Ferdinand III. in the year 1657, had 

 cated the imperial throne, in 1558, in favour of his brother to combat the French on one fide, and the Turks on the 

 Ferdinand I., who had the addrefs of getting his fon Maxi- other. The latter advanced to the walls of Vienna, but 

 milian II. declared king of the Romans, or fuccefTor to the were compelled to raife the fiege by the valeur of John 

 imperial crown in his life-time. This precaution became Sobieflvi, king of Poland. The fertile province of Alface 

 familiar to the lioufe of Auftria, and kept the imperial fcep- was conquered by France, but the Turks, having been 

 tre in that family, until the extinftion of the German empire, repeatedly defeated by prince Eugene of Savoy, were forced 

 By his laft will Ferdinand ordered that if cither his own to cede Tranfylvania by the peace of Carlouitz in 1699. 

 male iffue, or that of his brother Charles Ihould fail, his During Leopold's long reign, the duke of Hanover was 

 Auftrian eftates fiiould revert to his fecond daughter .Anne, admitted into the eleftoral college, the eleftor of Saxony 

 wife to the cleCior of Bavaria. Tliis circuniltance is the obtained the cleftive royal crown of Poland, the eleftor of 

 origin of the oppofition made by the houfe of Bavaria, in Brandenburg was acknowledged hereditary king of Pruffia, 

 later times, to the Pragmatic faiitlion in favour of Maria and a prince of the Bourbon family was fcatcd on the Spa- 

 Therefa, mother of JSJeph the fecond. nifli throne Leopold died in 1 705. The reign of his fon 



The reign of Maximilian II. was difturbed by internal Jofeph I. lafted but fix years, and is remarkable onlv for 

 commotions, and an invafion from the Turks. He died in the viftories which the great duke of Marlborough gained 

 >5'76, and was fucceeded by his fon Rodolph, who was in his caufe over the French. As he left no male iffue, the 

 involved in wars vihU the Hungarians, and in differences with eleftor of Maycnce exerted all his influence to procure t!ie 

 his brother Mattliias, to wliom the empire devolved at his imperial crown to his brother the archduke Charles, who 

 death. Having no children, Matthias conferred the crown was at that time in Spain, dlfputing the crown of that 

 of Hungary on his coufin Ferdinand arch-duke of Auftria, kingdom with Philip of Anjou, grandfon to Louis XIV. 

 and caufed kim to be elefted king of Bohemia, which eleclion The elevation of Cliarles to the empire terminated the con- 

 proved the fource of a long war. Ferdinand perfecuted the tetts which had haraffed Spain and Germany. The peace 

 numerous feftaries in Bohemia. They took up arms ; the of Utrecht, concluded in 1713, was followed by that of 

 brave Mansfeld fought at their head, and Matthias, who Baden with France in 17 14, and that of Paflarowitz with 

 came to the alViftance of hi=; kinfman, died of vexation, for the Turks in 1 71 7. 



Bot having been able to obtain a complete triumph over the Charles VI. intent upon fecuringhis hereditary dominions 

 liohemians. A tender of the imperial crown was made to to the archduchefs Maria Therefa his daughter, framed that 

 Maximilian, duke of Bavaria, who prudently declined the famous Pragmatic fanftion which was foon to dilturb again 

 offer. Ferdinand was therefore proclaimed em.peror in the peace of Germany. Happily for him the crown of 

 l6i9,butthoBohemians,maintaining thatlhefameindividual Great Britain devolved to the houfe of Hanover, which 

 «ould not wear the cn)wn of Germany together with that of circumllance drev/ the conneftion of Auilna and England 

 Bohemia, conferred the latter on Frederick, the eleftor pa- againil their common enemy m.ore clofc. Charles VI. mar- 

 lutine. Yielding to the intreaties of his fpoufe Elizabeth, ried his daughter to Francis duke of Lorraine, and died in 

 daughter of .James I. of England, againft his own conviftion, 1740. No fooner was he in the grave than the Pra-rmatic 

 Frederick made a fplendid triumphal entry into Prague; but fanftion was attacked on all fides The great Fredertck of 

 a few days after, his .army was attacked on the heights near Pruflia conquered Silefia, and Spain and'' L'avaria preferred 

 the town, and completely routed. He was obliged to fly their claims on feveral provinces. The intri "ues of France 

 with his wife and children, and found at laft an afylum in caafed the imperial throne to be filled, after an interregnum 

 Holland. His defeat was liie beginning of the thirty years' of two years, by the eleftor of Bavaria, who took the name 

 ■war which ravaged Germany from the Danube and the of Charles VII, and was proclaimed emperor in 1-42. 



