172 The Origins of the Thirty Years War and the Revolt in Bohemia, 1618
the supposedly elective crown, particularly as it was known that the
Bohemians intended to attach stringent conditions limiting its pow-
ers. Moreover it should alarm him that the first and only ally of the
Bohemian Estates was the prince of Transylvania, who was to all intents
and purposes a vassal of the Turks. He should also recognise that
the House of Austria, a mighty dynasty, would not accept the loss of
Bohemia, but would take any opportunity to revenge themselves, and
such opportunities could occur unexpectedly almost overnight. Further-
more it was not long since these selfsame Bohemian Estates had elected
and crowned Ferdinand as their king, and it would be contrary to all
lawful practice in Christian lands for him now to be deprived of the
throne and for another prince to accept it. If that were permissible, then
in the future whenever a dispute over religious or political matters arose
the same could happen to Friedrich himself, or indeed to Maximilian or
any other prince. Finally there was unfortunately a widespread percep-
tion among the Protestant estates of the Empire that the Catholics were
planning their destruction. This was false, as he implored Friedrich to
believe.^37 All this Maximilian supported with much detailed argument,
but from Friedrich he received only a polite acknowledgement and a
brief refutation. He had not, he said, sought the Bohemian crown, but
as it had nevertheless been offered to him this must be through divine
providence. Thus he could not merely reject out of hand the vocation
to which God had called him.^38
It was in any case too late, as on 25 September a conclusion was
reached in the elector’s council in Heidelberg. Here too there were great
reservations about Friedrich accepting election, and many of the coun-
cillors sought to persuade him to first seek the approval of the king
of England, a tactic which would have put off the decision, whereas
Christian argued against delay and for immediate acceptance. He car-
ried the day, and Friedrich promptly wrote to inform his father-in-law
of his intention to accept and to seek his support, despite the fact that
the English king had made clear his opposition from the outset, when a
Palatine representative had first disclosed the possibility to him at New
Year 1619.^39 Two days later Friedrich’s ambassador went to Prague to
inform the Bohemians of his agreement, but with the request that this
should be kept secret until an official Bohemian delegation brought
him the formal offer. Far from supporting the decision, James I was
openly critical and angry, but this had no more effect than Maximilian’s
pleadings or the advice from many other princes.
It was another month before Friedrich reached his new kingdom,
making a triumphal entry into Prague on 31 October, where he and his