rity of the empire
disappeared. The Hapsburgs still retained their title as its heads, but
their real authority was confined entirely to their personal domains,
Austria, Bohemia, and such part of Hungary as they could hold against
the Turks.[9]

Historians tell us that in those terrible thirty years the population of
Germany had dwindled from thirty million to only twelve million; nearly
two-thirds of its common people had perished, mostly of starvation. The
stored-up wealth of ages had been destroyed. The very character of the
race had changed, broken from its old hardihood to temporary feebleness
and fawning. The land had been set back an entire century, perhaps two,
in its advance toward civilization. That is what war means. That is
glory!

RULE OF RICHELIEU

Meanwhile France, profiting by the feebleness of her neighbors, had made
great strides. At first the death of Henry IV had threatened her with
the old anarchy. Louis XIII, Henry's son, was but a child; the
Queen-mother, who became regent, was an Italian, Marie de' Medici, and
devoted to the Spanish interests. The Huguenots feared renewed
persecution. The nobles of the court grasped after renewed power.

In such turmoil was the land that it seemed necessary to summon the
"States-General," the assembly of all the notables of France, the last
one to be called until that eventful year of 1789. The States-General
talked and dissolved, having done nothing but reveal that there was one
capable man among its members, a young bishop who was to be a cardinal,
Richelieu. His plans for reform and pacification were not adopted, but
he drew the attention of the Queen Regent and became her chief adviser,
later the chief adviser of the King.

Richelieu did four things for France. He broke the power of the
Huguenots, who had become a political party, and a very troublesome one,
a state within a state, independent and defiant, with their impenetrable
capital at La Rochelle. After one of the most remarkable sieges of
history Richelieu captured La Rochelle, crushed the resistance of the
Huguenots by repeated defeats elsewhere, and then--granted them complete
religious freedom![10]

It is one of the epochs of the world, the beginning of toleration not
through force, but through free-will. A Catholic and a cardinal, having
complete power to force these Protestants to his will, bids them worship
as they choose, asking only that they become patriotic Frenchmen.

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