Cassell's History of England, Vol. 4 (of 8): From the Fall of Marlborough to the Peninsular WarAnonymous
History
Cassell's History of England, Vol. 4 (of 8): From the Fall of Marlborough to the Peninsular War
Anonymous
Great Britain -- History
As this allied army approached Vienna, Maria
Theresa fled with her infant son, afterwards Joseph II., into Hungary,
her husband and his brother, Prince Charles of Lorraine, remaining to
defend the city. The Hungarians received their menaced queen with
enthusiasm. She had done much since the recent commencement of her
reign to win their affections. She had been crowned in the preceding
month of June in their ancient capital, and had sworn to maintain their
ancient constitution in all its force, and the people were fervent
in their loyalty. When, therefore, she appeared before the Hungarian
Parliament in Presburg with her son in her arms, and called upon that
high-spirited nation to defend her against her perfidious and selfish
enemies, the sensation was indescribable. All rose to their feet, and,
drawing their swords half-way from the scabbard, they exclaimed, "Our
lives and our blood for your majesty! We will die for our _king_, Maria
Theresa!"
Whilst these transactions had been taking place on the Continent, our
fleets, which should have kept the French and Spaniards in check, had
done worse than nothing. France had subtly delayed to declare war
against us, so that, although she joined her fleets and armies to the
enemy, we could not attack her without being the first to declare war,
or to commence it by direct breach of the peace. Admiral Haddock, who
was on the watch in the Mediterranean to harass the Spaniards, was thus
baffled. The Spanish fleet was joined by twelve French men-of-war from
Toulon, the admiral of which declared that he had orders to defend
the Spaniards if they were attacked. As the combined fleet, moreover,
doubled his own, Haddock was compelled to fall off and leave them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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