Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/426

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
412
The Story of Bohemia.

country. The Bohemian leaders in vain remonstrated with him that all was not yet lost, that General Thurn had still a large army of Hungarians, that General Mansfield was ready to attack the enemy from the rear, that many cities were still in their possession, and Moravia and Silesia were still unconquered. It was all in vain; the cowardly king would not listen to them, and the very next day started for Breslau, accompanied by his generals, Anhalt and Hohenloh, and also by Thurn, who, although the chief instigator of the rebellion, was the first to desert the cause of the Bohemians.

Frederick, having ruled in Bohemia one short winter, became known in history as the “Winter King.”

The city, thus ignominiously forsaken by its king and leaders, was compelled to surrender. Five lords were sent to receive the victorious general and ask him what terms he offered; but he gave them to understand that the day of terms was past, that now nothing would be accepted but unconditional surrender. As soon as the army took possession of the city, a manifesto was issued declaring Ferdinand the lawful King of Bohemia, Silesia, and Moravia. Maximilian assured the States that Ferdinand would pardon them, and, leaving Tilly in command of the garrison, he took his departure for Bavaria, carrying with him immense quantities of spoils.

In the defeat of the Bohemians on the White Mountain, the Spanish-Jesuit party finally gained its aim, which was utterly to root Protestantism out of the land, and to establish a despotic form of government in place of the ancient self-rule. Prudence, however,