Scriptor Ignotus > Recent Status Updates

Gustavus Adolphus invades Germany from Baltic bridgehead. Seeking support among Protestant princes, he pressures Brandenburg and Saxony into tepid support for his cause, having been pushed away from the empire by the Edict. Their backing is solidified, along with that of Hessen-Kassel, by Gustavus' decisive victory over Tilly's imperialists at Breitenfeld (1631). Gustavo's mythologized in Protestant propaganda.

victories over Bohemian Revolt, La Rochelle, give radical Catholics confidence that the Reformation itself can be undone. Jesuits like Lamormaini prove hearty supporters of Edict, and rush to take over newly-appropriated church lands. Many Catholics opposed it, like Wallenstein and Philip IV, who felt it created discord within empire to prevent it from assisting against Dutch. 1630, Gustavus intervenes in Germany.

... Apparent Franco-Imperial compromise alienates the Spanish. Meanwhile, Ferdinand blunders with Edict of Restitution, which excludes Calvinists from equal legal footing and authorizes widespread Catholic takeover of church property held by Protestants for a century. It was supposed to codify Peace of Augsburg, but Augsburg was ambiguous on purpose, so confessional disputes could be handled case-by-case. Catholic...

to assist Casale. Empire intervenes to preserve its authority over northern Italy, sending general Collalto, who overruns countryside with Spanish, leaving Mantua and Casale isolated. French send troops to relieve pressure on Casale. Mantua falls to Empire. Empire then distracted by internal problems and Swedish intervention. Peace of Cherasco installs Charles as Duke of Mantua and allows French to garrison in Casale

Imperial advance to Baltic worries Gustavus, who gets foothold in Germany by saving Stralsund. Dutch capture Spanish treasure fleet off Cuba. Coupled with Dutch capture of s'Hertzogenbosch, Spanish morale deflated. Charles of Navare, french noble, seizes power in Mantua, prompting a crisis involving France, Spain and Empire. Cordova (Spain) beseiges Charles at Casale. French defeat Hugues at La Rochelle, then move...

Christian IV of Denmark intervenes in Lower Saxony in 1625, with aid of Mansfeld & Dutch, British and French auxiliaries, in service to an unsubstantiated Hague Protestant alliance. Trounced by Tilly and Wallenstein, whose army is emp.'s counterweight to the Liga. Rivalry forms. Wallenstein made Duke of Mecklenburg. Danes lose mainland, accept peace renouncing lower Saxon claims, to chagrin of Protestant int'l.

Frederick flees, Bethlen of Transyl. brought to terms. Tilly shows tactical brilliance by destroying armies of paladins Mansfeld and Duke Christian of Brunswick. Catholic revival in Habsburg lands, as protestantism linked with sedition. Philip IV and count-duke Olivares tighten the noose on the Dutch, taking Breda and hampering maritime trade. Richelieu begins anti-Habsburg policies, fails to take Genoa with Savoy.

The Empire strikes back. Maximilian and Tilly invade Bohemia, score decisive victory at White Mountain and take Prague. Bohemian confederation collapses. Revolt represented protestant "estates' rights" advocates against centralizing Habsburgs. Resumption of Spanish-Dutch War; radical calvinist dutch leadership with more temperate population. Denmark reluctant to support Frederick. Many British soldiers recruited.

*Frederick V of Palatine, not Saxony.

After 269 pages, war is now underway. Ferdinand becomes emp. Rebel Bohemian Confederation rejects imperial authority, elects Frederick V of Saxony as king. Rebels get support from Transylvania, Empire from Spanish Habsburgs. James of England tries unsuccessfully to mediate. Poor Saxony still wants a traditional compromise. Rebels have early successes, but are unsuccessful in two early attempts to besiege Vienna.

Rudolf succeeded by aging Matthias, whose minister Klesl takes the teeth out of Liga and Union to reassert imperial law. Succession still an issue as Archduke Ferdinand makes concessions to Phillip III to navigate rise to power. Uskok piracy leads to war between Ferdinand and Venice, supported by English and Dutch. Millenarian fervor drives Calvinist militancy. Hallie's comet, bible prophecy feed apocalyptic sense.

Palatine and Anhalt push for extra constitutional measures for the Protestant cause. Emperor Rudolf can't be seen as a partisan Catholic, so Maxilimian of Bavaria takes up leadership of the Catholic response. Palatine leads a Union of Protestant princes, Bavaria a Liga of Catholic ones, excluding the Habsburgs. Henri IV was a boss. Several crises harden the divisions within the empire. Foreign intervention.

Been taken around Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Now returning to the Empire. From Rudolf to Matthias. Interesting myths mentioned by Wilson: First Spanish king a son of Noah, Batavian freedom of Dutch from antiquity and bible, Swedes as successors of Goths, Poles founded by ancient conquerors equal in status, hence no noble titles.

Background on Spain's golden age and the Dutch Revolt.

Twilight of the Idols-X

enjoyable. Poems are short and humorous, but deep.

Ch. 12: The Last Colonial War

Ch. 10: The First Holocaust

Ch. 9: Sentenced to Suffer Death

Ch. 7

Ch. 7: "'War against War'" and the Fast Train to Paradise

Ch. 5: The Path to War

On Ch. 4: The Carpet-Weavers

Ch. 1