ch the count had
presented him he rode away to rejoin his regiment.

No military movements of importance had taken place subsequent to the
battle of Lutzen. Oxenstiern had laboured night and day to repair as far
as possible the effects of the death of Gustavus. He had been left by
the will of the king regent of Sweden until the king's daughter, now a
child of six years old, came of age, and he at once assumed the supreme
direction of affairs. It was essential to revive the drooping courage
of the weaker states, to meet the secret machinations of the enemy, to
allay the jealousy of the more powerful allies, to arouse the friendly
powers, France in particular, to active assistance, and above all to
repair the ruined edifice of the German alliance and to reunite the
scattered strength of the party by a close and permanent bond of union.

Had the emperor at this moment acted wisely Oxenstiern's efforts would
have been in vain. Wallenstein, farseeing and broad minded, saw the
proper course to pursue, and strongly urged upon the emperor the
advisability of declaring a universal amnesty, and of offering
favourable conditions to the Protestant princes, who, dismayed at the
loss of their great champion, would gladly accept any proposals which
would ensure the religious liberty for which they had fought; but the
emperor, blinded by this unexpected turn of fortune and infatuated by
Spanish counsels, now looked to a complete triumph and to enforce his
absolute will upon the whole of Germany.

Instead, therefore, of listening to the wise counsels of Wallenstein he
hastened to augment his forces. Spain sent him considerable supplies,
negotiated for him with the ever vacillating Elector of Saxony, and
levied troops for him in Italy. The Elector of Bavaria increased his
army, and the Duke of Lorraine prepared again to take part in the
struggle which now seemed to offer him an easy opportunity of increasing
his dominions. For a time the Elector of Saxony, the Duke of Brunswick,
and many others of the German princes wavered; but when they saw that
Ferdinand, so far from being disposed to offer them favourable terms to
detach them from the league, was preparing with greater vigour than
ever to overwhelm them, they perceived that their interest was to remain
faithful to their ally, and at a great meeting of princes and deputies
held at Heilbronn the alliance was re-established on a firmer basis.

Before, however, the solemn compact was