XVI.

FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE REACTION TO THE DEATH OF RUDOLF II. 425-453

(1600-1612.)

Causes of Rudolf’s change of policy--The Turkish question--Growth of power of the Komora Dvorska--Rudolf’s insanity--Opposition of his family to him--The Edict of 1602--of 1604--Bocksay’s insurrection--Growing opposition to Rudolf--Karl von Z̆erotin--His training, character, and policy--Rudolf removes him from office--His relations with Illyezhazy--His championship of Matthias--Differences between Rudolf and Matthias--Lichtenstein and Berka--The Moravian rising--Christian of Anhalt--Z̆erotin’s feelings about war--Alliance between Hungary, Moravia, and Austria against Rudolf--Wenceslaus Budovĕc--His struggles for religious liberty in Bohemia--His opposition to Matthias--The Assembly of 1608--Importance and originality of Budovĕc’s demands--Rudolf’s resistance--Failure of Matthias in Bohemia and success elsewhere--Lobkovic, Martinic, and Slavata--Adam of Sternberg--Resolution of Bohemian Protestants to resort to armed resistance--Bohemia and Silesia--Rudolf’s final resistance to the Protestants--Budovĕc’s leadership--The Defenders--Peter Vok of Rosenberg--Rudolf’s final concession--The Letter of Majesty--The Archduke Leopold--The peacemakers--Concession by Rudolf to Matthias--The Passau plot; its rise, horrors, and end--Flight of Leopold--Matthias crowned at Prague--Last hopes and death of Rudolf.