The History of the Thirty Years' WarSchiller, Friedrich
History
The History of the Thirty Years' War
Schiller, Friedrich
Europe -- History -- 1517-1648; Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648
To give weight to this declaration, he appeared with his whole force
before Berlin. "I will not be worse treated than the imperial generals,"
was his reply to the ambassadors whom the bewildered Elector despatched
to his camp. "Your master has received them into his territories,
furnished them with all necessary supplies, ceded to them every place
which they required, and yet, by all these concessions, he could not
prevail upon them to treat his subjects with common humanity. All that I
require of him is security, a moderate sum of money, and provisions for
my troops; in return, I promise to protect his country, and to keep the
war at a distance from him. On these points, however, I must insist;
and my brother, the Elector, must instantly determine to have me as a
friend, or to see his capital plundered." This decisive tone produced
a due impression; and the cannon pointed against the town put an end
to the doubts of George William. In a few days, a treaty was signed,
by which the Elector engaged to furnish a monthly subsidy of 30,000
dollars, to leave Spandau in the king's hands, and to open Custrin at
all times to the Swedish troops. This now open alliance of the Elector
of Brandenburg with the Swedes, excited no less displeasure at Vienna,
than did formerly the similar procedure of the Duke of Pomerania; but
the changed fortune which now attended his arms, obliged the Emperor to
confine his resentment to words.
The king's satisfaction, on this favourable event, was increased by
the agreeable intelligence that Griefswald, the only fortress which
the Imperialists still held in Pomerania, had surrendered, and that the
whole country was now free of the enemy. He appeared once more in this
duchy, and was gratified at the sight of the general joy which he had
caused to the people. A year had elapsed since Gustavus first entered
Germany, and this event was now celebrated by all Pomerania as
a national festival. Shortly before, the Czar of Moscow had sent
ambassadors to congratulate him, to renew his alliance, and even
to offer him troops. He had great reason to rejoice at the friendly
disposition of Russia, as it was indispensable to his interests that
Sweden itself should remain undisturbed by any dangerous neighbour
during the war in which he himself was engaged. Soon after, his queen,
Maria Eleonora, landed in Pomerania, with a reinforcement of 8000
Swedes; and the arrival of 6000 English, under the Marquis of Hamilton,
requires more particular notice because this is all that history
mentions of the English during the Thirty Years' War.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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