202 The Origins of the Thirty Years War and the Revolt in Bohemia, 1618
diversionary attack on the Palatinate, ostensibly awaiting final author-
ity from Madrid.^46 Although Albrecht was in favour of military support
for the emperor he was also concerned that the proposed move could
stretch his own resources as the end of the truce in the Netherlands
approached, as well as perhaps giving the Dutch both the excuse and the
opportunity to terminate it early by intervening themselves and launch-
ing an attack.^47 Whether for these reasons or simply because of legal
concerns he also repeatedly pressed Ferdinand to apply the Imperial ban
to Friedrich and to issue him, Albrecht, as military commander of the
Burgundian circle of the Empire, with a mandate to enforce it, thus pro-
viding legitimate constitutional authority for an invasion of Palatine
territory. This Ferdinand could not do because of the objection of the
elector of Saxony, whose corresponding invasion of Lusatia and Silesia
was equally central to the overall plan, so that doubts remained over
Albrecht’s eventual participation even as Maximilian moved towards
a confrontation with the Union army. A stratagem was finally agreed
whereby Ferdinand issued Albrecht with two copies of a declaration of
the Imperial ban on Friedrich, signed by himself and the Imperial vice-
chancellor but with day and month of the date left blank, so that in the
event of absolute necessity Albrecht could complete and publish them.
Ferdinand despatched these documents to Brussels on 3 September, two
days before Albrecht’s forces actually entered the Palatinate, although
Maximilian himself had long since taken the field.^48