Karl VI. refused to recognize his rival, Philip V., as king of Spain, and therefore rejected the Treaty of Utrecht. But the other princes of Germany were not eager to prolong the war for the sake of gratifying the Hapsburg pride. Prince Eugene, who was a devoted adherent of Austria, in vain implored them to be united and resolute. "I stand," he wrote, "like a sentinel (a watch!) on the Rhine; and as mine eye wanders over these fair regions, I think to myself how happy, and beautiful, and undisturbed in the enjoyment of Nature's gifts they might be, if they possessed courage to use the strength which God hath given them. With an army of 200,000 men I would engage to drive the French out of Germany, and would forfeit my life if I did not obtain a peace which should gladden our hearts for the next twenty years." With such forces as he could collect he carried on the war along the Upper Rhine, but he lost the fortresses of Landau and Freiburg. Louis XIV., however, who was now old and infirm, was very tired of the war, and after these successes, he commissioned Marshal Villars to treat for peace with Prince Eugene. The latter was authorized by the Emperor to negotiate: the two commanders met at Rastatt, in Baden, and in spite of the unreasonable stubbornness of Karl VI. a treaty was finally concluded on the 7th of March, 1714. [Sidenote: 1714. END OF THE WAR.] Austria received the Spanish Netherlands, Naples, Milan, Mantua and the Island of Sardinia. Freiburg, Old-Breisach and Kehl were restored to Germany, but France retained Landau, on the west bank of the Rhine, as well as all Alsatia and Strasburg. Thus the recovery of the latter territory, which Joseph I. refused to accept in 1710, was lost to Germany until the year 1870. By the Treaty of Utrecht, Duke Victor Amadeus of Savoy had received Sicily as an independent kingdom. A few years afterwards he made an exchange with Austria, giving Sicily for Sardinia: thus originated the Kingdom of Sardinia, which continued to exist until the year 1860, when Victor Emanuel became king of Italy. CHAPTER XXXII. THE RISE OF PRUSSIA. (1714--1740.) Wars of Charles XII. of Sweden. --Invasion of Saxony. --Enlargement of Prussia and Hannover. --The "Pragmatic Sanction." --Sacrifices of Austria. --Battle of Peterwardein. --Treaty of Passarowitz. --War in Italy. --Frederick I. of Prussia. --Frederick William I. --His Character and Habits. --His Policy as a Ruler. --His Giant Body-Guards. --The Tobacco College. --Decay of Austria. --The other German States. --First Emigration to America. --War of the Polish Succession. --French Invasion. --German Disunion. --The Treaty of Vienna. --Marriage of Maria Theresa. --Disastrous War with Turkey. --Prussia at the Death of Frederick William I. --Austria at the Death of Karl VI. [Sidenote: 1714.]