The Project Gutenberg EBook of Won by the Sword, by G.A. Henty

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Title: Won by the Sword
A Story of the Thirty Years' War

Author: G.A. Henty

Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4931]
Posting Date: June 13, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WON BY THE SWORD ***

Produced by Martin Robb

WON BY THE SWORD

A STORY OF THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR

By G.A. Henty

PREFACE.

MY DEAR LADS,

In my preface to the Lion of the North I expressed a hope that I might
some day be able to continue the history of the Thirty Years' War. The
deaths of Gustavus and his great rival Wallenstein and the crushing
defeat of the Swedes and their allies at the battle of Nordlingen
brought the first period of that war to a close. Hostilities, indeed,
never ceased, but the Swedes no longer played the leading part on the
Protestant side that they had hitherto occupied. Oxenstiern, the great
chancellor of Sweden, saw that the only hope of eventual success lay in
engaging France in the struggle, and he and the Duke of Weimar went
to Paris and pointed out to Richelieu that unless France intervened,
Austria must become the master of all Germany, and as the ally of Spain
would have it in her power to completely dominate France. Richelieu
perceived the opportunity, made a treaty with the Swedes and Weimar, and
engaged to grant large subsidies to the former, and to send an army to
cooperate with the latter. Then began the second period of this long and
terrible struggle, France now taking the place that Sweden had hitherto
occupied, and bearing the brunt of the conflict. She emerged triumphant
with her territories largely increased, while Austria was crushed and
humiliated, and Spain was dethroned from her position as the dominating
power of Europe. The success of France was greatly due to the fact that
her armies were led by two of the greatest military geniuses of all
times, viz., Conde and Turenne, men of very different types, but equally
great as commanders, and equally at the time of which we are speaking
devoted to the cause of France. Both were men of extraordinary personal
courage, and althou