The Search for Allies 193with prospective opponents without Maximilian’s personal approval,
although he in turn conceded the same right to Ferdinand.
Most significant were the guarantees provided to Maximilian person-
ally in respect of the costs and risks of the war, which were to be borne
entirely by the emperor. The latter was required to pledge his entire
possessions for the purpose, a commitment which was also to devolve
upon his successors if necessary, and in addition to reimbursement
of any direct military costs in excess of Bavaria’s basic contributions
to the League this was also to cover other expenses, such as dam-
age caused in the duchy by enemy troops. Moreover should Bavaria
actually lose any territory as a result of the war it was to be compen-
sated by transfer of an equal amount from the Austrian lands, while
conversely if Maximilian re-conquered any Habsburg lands occupied
by the enemy he was entitled to hold these with all rights of posses-
sion, subject only to a few exceptions, until such time as his expenses
had been paid in full. Given the permanently parlous state of Imperial
finances and the inevitably high costs of the war, it was going to be
extremely difficult for the emperor to meet these commitments even in
the event of success. Thus Maximilian could see the prospect of perma-
nent territorial gain in lieu of a cash repayment, whether by transfer of
some Austrian lands or, more controversially, of the Palatinate territories
belonging to Friedrich, the recently elected king of Bohemia, follow-
ing his prospective defeat. The latter were carefully not mentioned in
the contract although Maximilian extracted a verbal commitment, but
when Ferdinand was later obliged to give Johann Georg of Saxony a
written promise of an unnamed territory as a reward for his assistance
Maximilian too demanded a written confirmation, which he received in
May 1620.^26
Maximilian had another aspiration which was so secret that it did
not feature in the contract at all, discussion of which was probably con-
fined to the two principals. In medieval times the Palatine and Bavarian
branches of the house of Wittelsbach had shared a single electoral posi-
tion in the Empire, with the title of elector alternating between them, as
confirmed in a family compact made in 1329. The Golden Bull of 1356,
however, had merely allocated the electorate to the Palatinate, since
which time that branch had not honoured the agreement, much to the
chagrin of the Bavarians, and Maximilian now saw a chance to rectify
the position and to enhance his own status. Thus he induced Ferdinand
to promise to transfer Friedrich’s electoral title to him upon success-
ful conclusion of the war in Bohemia. Although there was a precedent,
Charles V’s transfer of the Saxony electorate after the Schmalkaldic war,