An Inevitable War? 49a government comprised largely of religious militants, closing ranks
against a potential Lutheran threat to their control internally, and
committed to a continuation of the long-standing external policy of
confrontation with the Catholic-dominated Imperial institutions and
the Habsburg emperor. When Friedrich IV died in 1610 there was indeed
a dispute over the regency, but the most entitled relative, a Lutheran,
was forestalled by acoup de mainby another, a Calvinist. The latter held
the position until Friedrich V came of age in 1614, but well before then
Christian of Anhalt had become the dominant influence on Palatine
policy.
Christian of Anhalt
Christian was brought up as a Lutheran in his father’s principality of
Anhalt, which on the latter’s death was divided between his several
sons.^42 Christian thus inherited a small territory centred on the town of
his birth, becoming Prince Christian I of Anhalt-Bernburg, and through-
out the remainder of his adventurous career he combined the continued
rule of this little province with his other posts and activities. His con-
siderable ability and good education were complemented by an easy,
outgoing personality, and he had the gift of getting on well with almost
everyone, including his political opponents. He was also extremely well
connected, as a scion of an old and prestigious noble family, so that his
relatives included the rulers of other important territories, particularly
in north Germany, while his older sisters made good marriages, further
extending those links.
Ability, rank and connections doubtless all played a part, but it was
nonetheless a remarkable achievement when Christian, at the age of 23,
was appointed to command the army raised by the short-lived German
Protestant alliance to assist Henri IV and the French Huguenots in 1591.
The campaign was not a spectacular one, but Christian nevertheless
emerged with credit and a somewhat exaggerated reputation as a gen-
eral, which was further enhanced by a short spell in 1592 as commander
of the Protestant forces in the conflict between the claimants to the bish-
opric of Strasbourg. While in France he also struck up a friendship with
Henri IV, and this may have been instrumental in his conversion to
Calvinism at this time, although ironically Henri himself converted to
Catholicism for political reasons soon afterwards. In 1594 the Calvinist
connection led to Christian, still only 26, being offered the governor-
ship of the Upper Palatinate, an office usually assigned to the heir or a
younger brother of the elector, but one which Christian held for the next
25 years until he was displaced due to the failure of the Bohemian revolt.