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 case have lasted long. The Lutherans, through the gradual accession of the old-utraquists, now formed a large majority of the population; they were also, in any dispute with the Catholics, certain of the support of the Brethren of the "Unity." It was therefore inevitable that the Lutherans should aspire to a predominant position in the country. They had, indeed, already expressed their dissatisfaction when the king appointed Catholics to most of the great offices of the State. The Catholics, on the other hand, were impatient of the comparative freedom which the "heretics" enjoyed. This feeling increased when Archduke Ferdinand of Styria carried out what was called a "Catholic reformation" in that country. He suppressed all the liberties which his father had granted to the Protestants, and expelled all their ecclesiastics from his dominions.

Events were, however, precipitated by the mental illness of Rudolph. Though he had long had a tendency to melancholia, it was only in the year 1600 that traces of mental aberration were noticed in him. The other members of the Imperial family therefore suggested to Rudolph (who had no legitimate descendants) that he should appoint a successor; it was further proposed that this successor should, in case of Rudolph's being incapacitated from governing, act as his representative as German Emperor, and as King of Bohemia and Hungary. The enjoyment of the full honours of the throne was left to Rudolph. This scheme was particularly countenanced by the Archduke Matthew, the eldest of Rudolph's brothers. An improvement in Rudolph's health, however, soon took place, though he remained to the end of his life subject to fits of mental disease. Henceforth, however, the state of Rudolph's health had a very detrimental effect on his policy, which became indeed more active, but was wanting in coherence, and tended to vary from one extreme to another. About the time of the beginning of Rudolph's illness a prophecy of the astronomer, Tycho Brahé, had announced to him that he would share the fate of King Henry III of France. This greatly alarmed him, and inspired him with a violent dislike to the clergy, in whose ranks he believed that his murderer, as in the case of the French king, would be found. He therefore for a time entirely ceased to attend religious services. Only two years later Rudolph issued a decree (1602)