Page:History of the Thirty Years' War - Gindely - Volume 1.djvu/148



ERDINAND had now the responsibility of determining his own position in relation to the Bohemian contest. He had hitherto continually complained that the Emperor had neglected the necessary defensive measures, and although, after the abduction of Khlesl, the most important ground of complaint was removed, yet the war preparations did not take on the dimensions of the original plan, and were not in proportion to the means at command. The unfortunate events of the war caused Ferdinand to appear less hostile to the Emperor’s desire to mediate a peace than might have been expected from his first action; he hoped indeed that the Duke of Bavaria would, in the mediation, take care of his interests, both as a Catholic and as a sovereign. Immediately after the death of the Emperor his conduct indicated that he