Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/262

 250 THE AGE OF HAPSBURG ASCENDENCY hostilities, and reconciliations, which followed for a time, need not be recorded; but in 1541 Charles felt himself free to lead a mighty fleet against Algiers. The fleet was shattered by storms, and so one more blow against the advancing Turk was spoilt. The disaster again moved Francis to make war upon his rival. There was another French war, in which Charles got Charles the support of England. Charles and Henry each and Francis, declared that the other had played him false; and finally Charles made on his own account a peace with France, which, in actual fact, made no difference to the possessions of either power. Almost immediately afterwards both Francis of France and Henry vin. of England died. Between the Turks and the French king, Charles had hitherto been quite unable to risk a civil war in Germany. He had been 3 Charles obliged to compromise with the Protestants at the and the Pacification of Nuremberg, after the formation of Empire. the L eague f Schmalkald. The two religious parties continued in a state of latent hostility, which did not be- come positively active. What Charles himself wanted was to arrive at some compromise which would give the Protestants just enough satisfaction to make them cease to be dangerous, at least until he could feel secure against external attacks. This object he attempted to achieve at the Diet of Ratisbon, in 1541. Ratisbon ^ s to the questions which vexed theologians he Conference, was probably completely indifferent, but he wished 154L Germany to be united and authority to be respected. The conference then was held at Ratisbon, at which both parties were represented by the men who were most conciliatory, and were disposed to go furthest in the direction of compromise. The conference was a failure, nevertheless; in plain terms the gulf could not be bridged; the reconciliation of creeds was im- possible. Charles seems to have made up his mind at this stage, first that the Reformation must be crushed, and secondly that he must wait till he could crush it once and for all by a sudden and unexpected blow. For the moment he confirmed the treaty of Nuremberg, and the Protestants thought that their future was secured.