left his
adversary free to crush the religious liberty of his German subjects.

The Emperor, who had declared himself on the side of the Papacy in
1521, now united with the Pope and Charles' brother Ferdinand, who had
been given the government of all the Austrian lands. All three were
determined to compel Germany to return to the old faith and the old
subjection to the Empire. Their resolve seemed to be fulfilled when
Maurice, Duke of Saxony, betrayed the Protestant cause, the allies of
the German princes proved faithless, and the Elector of Saxony and the
Landgrave of Hesse were taken prisoners at Muhlberg in April 1547.

The star of Austria was still in the ascendant, and Charles V could
still quote his favourite phrase, "Myself and the lucky moment." He
put Maurice in the place of the venerable Elector of Saxony, who had
refused long ago to take a bribe, and let the Landgrave of Hesse lie in
prison. He imagined that he had Germany at his feet, and exulted over
the defenders of her freedom. There had been a faint hope in their
hearts once that the Emperor would champion Luther's cause from
political interest, but he did not need a weapon against the Pope since
the Holy See was entirely subservient to his wishes. Bigotry,
inherited from Spanish ancestors, showed itself in the Emperor now. In
Spain and the Netherlands he used the terrible Inquisition to stamp out
heresy. The Grand Inquisitors, who charged themselves with the
religious welfare of these countries, claimed control over lay and
clerical subjects in the name of their ruler.

{71}

Maurice was unscrupulous and intrigued with Henry II of France against
the Emperor, who professed himself the Protector of the Princes of the
Empire. A formidable army was raised, which took Charles at a
disadvantage and drove him from Germany. The Peace of Augsburg, 1555,
formally established Protestantism over a great part of the empire.

The Emperor felt uneasily that the star of the House of Austria was
setting. After his failure to crush the heretics, he was troubled by
ill-health and the gloomy spirit which he inherited from his mother
Joanna. He was weary of travelling from one part of his dominions to
another, and knew that he could never win more fame and riches than he
had enjoyed. His son Philip was old enough to reign in his stead if he
decided to cede the sovereignty. The old Roman Catholic faith drew him
apart from the noise and strife of the world