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CHAPTER XVII.

BATTLE OF KOENIGGRATZ (SADOWA)—1866. will not here permit the discussion of the Schleswig-Holstein difficulties which led to the war between Prussia and Austria in 1866, and the victory of Prussia at Sadowa. Briefly we may say that since the time of Charlemagne, Schleswig was a disputed possession between the Germans and the Danes, while Holstein has been practically in the same category. Reams of paper by the hundred have been covered with the diplomatic correspondence growing out of the various claims to these disputed provinces, and on several occasions the contending parties have resorted to the arbitrament of war. The war of 1863-4, between Denmark and Prussia, resulted in the defeat of the former. It was followed by the peace of Vienna, in which the king of Denmark resigned the duchies to Prussia and Austria, and agreed to a rectification of his frontier. He was also to pay an indemnity for the expenses of the war. Hardly was the ink dry on the treaty of peace before Prussia and Austria began to quarrel over the possession of the duchies; the quarrel was partially stifled by the convention of Gastein (August 14, 1865), in which it was agreed that Austria should have the temporary government of Holstein, and Prussia that of Schleswig. Prussia adhered to the terms of the convention just long enough to secure from Napoleon III. a guaranty of the neutrality of France in case of a war between Prussia and 308