ny, yet the humiliating
conditions which he had subscribed, and the loss of such valuable
provinces, filled him with resentment; his lofty spirit was still
further inflamed by his queen Cunegunda, a princess of an imperious
temper, who stimulated her husband with continual reproaches. He
accordingly raised obstacles to the execution of the treaty, and
neglected to comply with many of the conditions to which he had
agreed.

Rudolph, desirous to avoid a rupture, despatched his son Albert to
Prague, Ottocar received him with affected demonstrations of
friendship, and even bound himself by oath to fulfil the articles of
the peace. But Albert had scarcely retired from Prague before Ottocar
immured in a convent the daughter he had promised to one of the sons
of Rudolph, and sent a letter to the King of the Romans, filled with
the most violent invectives, and charging him with a perfidious
intention of renewing the war.

Rudolph returned a dignified answer to these reproaches, and prepared
for the renewal of the contest which he saw was inevitable. He
instantly reoccupied that part of Austria which he had yielded to
Ottocar as a pledge for the portion of his daughter. He also obtained
succors from the Archbishop of Salzburg, the bishops of Passau,
Ratisbon, and the neighboring prelates and princes, and collected
levies from Austria and Styria for the protection of Vienna. In an
interview at Hainburg, on the frontiers of Austria, with Ladislaus,
King of Hungary, he adopted that Prince as his son, and concluded with
him an offensive and defensive alliance. Unwilling, however, to trust
his hopes and fortune to his new subjects, many of whom were ready to
desert him, or to allies whose fidelity and attachment were doubtful,
he applied to the princes of the German empire, but had the
mortification to be disappointed in his expectations. He was joined by
a few only of the inferior princes; but many who had not taken part in
the former war were still less inclined to support him on the present
occasion; several gained by Ottocar either remained neutral or took
part against him; those who expressed an inclination to serve him
delayed sending their succors, and he derived no assistance even from
his sons-in-law the Electors of Palatine and Saxony.

On the other hand, he was threatened with the most imminent danger,
for Ottocar, who during the peace had prepared the means of gratifying
his vengeance, had formed a league with Henry o