ounced the allegiance
of Rudolph. Matthias then invaded Bohemia, and invited the estates of
the kingdom to meet him at Caslav (Ceslau). In consequence of a sudden
revolution of feeling for which it is difficult to account, the
Bohemians declined the overtures of Matthias. The estates met at Prague
in March 1608, and, though again submitting their demands concerning
ecclesiastical matters to Rudolph, authorized him to levy troops for the
defence of Bohemia. The forces of Matthias had meanwhile entered Bohemia
and had arrived at Liben, a small town near Prague now incorporated with
that city. Here Matthias, probably disappointed by the refusal of the
Bohemians to join his standard, came to an understanding with his
brother (June 25, 1608). Rudolph formally ceded to Matthias the
government of Hungary, Moravia, and Upper and Lower Austria, but
retained his rights as king of Bohemia.

Diet of 1609. Demand for religious liberty.

Soon after the conclusion of this temporary settlement, the estates of
Bohemia again brought their demands before their king. Rudolph had
declined to discuss all religious matters during the time that the
troops of his brother occupied part of Bohemia. The diet that met on the
20th of January 1609 is one of the most important in the history of
Bohemia. Here, as so frequently in the 17th century, the religious
controversies were largely influenced by personal enmities. Rudolph
never forgave the treachery of his brother, and was secretly negotiating
(at the time when he again appeared as champion of Catholicism) with
Christian of Anhalt, the leader of the German Protestants. This was
known to the court of Spain, and the Bohemians also knew that the king
could therefore rely on no aid from that quarter. They were therefore
not intimidated when Rudolph, vacillating as ever, suddenly assumed a
most truculent attitude. The estates had at their meeting in March of
the previous year drawn up a document consisting of twenty-five
so-called Articles, which formulated their demands with regard to
matters of religion. The king now demanded that this document, which he
considered illegal, should be delivered up to him for destruction. The
"articles" expressed the wish that the _Confessio Bohemica_ should be
recognized as one of the fundamental laws of the kingdom, and that
complete religious liberty should be granted to all classes. They
further demanded that the Protestants--as it now became customary to
ca