Page:History of the Thirty Years' War - Gindely - Volume 1.djvu/152

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114
THE THIRTY YEARS’ WAR

greeting. His reception was everywhere equally sympathetic, and he was able to assure the Directors that, with a few exceptions, the whole nobility of Moravia and all the cities were ready to take their side. Thurn came next to Znaim, where a large portion of the Moravian nobility were gathered, and it was there arranged that the alliance between Moravia and Bohemia should be concluded at the Diet which Ferdinand had called for the beginning of May, at Brünn. The Catholics were paralyzed with fear; already their leaders, Cardinal Dietrichstein and the Prince of Liechtenstein, were seeking to place themselves in a more favorable attitude towards the movement; only Z̃erotín was steadfast in the part he had chosen. Living in retirement at a country-seat, he neither troubled the leaders of the agitation with counsels, nor made any promises contradictory to his recent action, but waited for the assembling of the Diet, that he might there raise his voice, and that surely not in harmony with the views of Thurn.

During the march of the Bohemian army to Znaim the Moravian troops under the command of Cardinal Dietrichstein remained quietly in their quarters, as no other order had reached them. The cavalry was commanded by two colonels, George von Náchod and Sedlnický [Sedlnitsky], and were quartered at Brünn. But the infantry was under the command of Albert von Waldstein, who became afterwards so distinguished as a commander, and were stationed in Olmutz. Náchod adhered to Ferdinand, and desired therefore to save his troops for the King by leading them out of the country, but did not effect his purpose, as he was deserted by his soldiers. Thurn had therefore in the rest of his march to Brünn no enemy to encounter.

In the meantime Cardinal Dietrichstein, Prince Liech-