The Thirty Years' War - James Aitken Wylie

it, and, not to speak of the many points which it left
open to opposite interpretations, and which were
continually giving rise to quarrels, perpetual
infringements were taking place on the rights
guaranteed under it. The Protestants had long
complained of these breaches of the Pacification,
but could obtain no redress; and in the view of the
general policy of the Popish Powers, which was to
sweep away the Pacification of Augsburg
altogether as soon as they were strong enough, a
number of Protestant princes joined together for
mutual defense. On the 4th of May, 1608, was
formed the "Protestant Union." At the head of this
Union was Frederick IV, the Elector of the
Palatinate.
The answer to this was the counter-institution,
in the following year, of the "Catholic League." It
was formed on July 10th , 1609, and its chief was
Maximilian, Duke of Bavaria. Maximilian was a
fanatical disciple of the Jesuits, and in the League
now formed, and the terrible war to which it led,
we see the work of the Society of Jesus. The Duke
of Bavaria was joined by Duke Leopold of Austria,
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