Chapter XVII: From the Death of Rudolf II. to the Battle of the White Hill 454-482

(1612-1620.)

Matthias’s difficulties--Policy of Z̆erotin--Erasmus von
Tschernembl--His differences with Z̆erotin--Z̆erotin and
Khlesl--Relations of Bohemia to Moravia and Silesia--Policy
of Khlesl--The Transylvanian question--Khlesl
worsted by Z̆erotin--Election of Matthias as Emperor and
its results--The nobles and the towns--Results of their
quarrels--The provincial question again--“Hapsburgs or
no Hapsburgs?”--New persecution--Ferdinand of Styria--Khlesl’s
change of policy--The Troppau question--Fall
of Z̆erotin--Election of Ferdinand as King of Bohemia--The
renewed persecution--The Assemblies of 1618--The
Defenestratio--The Provisional Government--Fall of
Khlesl--Alliances on both sides--Deaths of Maximilian
and Matthias--Silesia, Lausitz, and Moravia join the
Bohemians--Thurn’s invasion of Austria and its end--Bethlen
Gabor, and the rising in Hungary--Election of
Frederick as king--Discontent of the peasantry with the
movement--Difficulties of the Assembly--Bethlen’s successes
and failures--Maximilian of Bavaria--The final
invasion--Battle of the White Hill.