prince, whose dominions must, by their situation, always oblige him to
compliance with the demands, and to concurrence in the schemes of his
protectors, and who will rather act as the substitute of France, than
the emperour of Germany.

But it was to no purpose that they had graced their dependant with
titular honours and ensigns of sovereignty, if the house of Austria
still retained its hereditary dominions, and preserved its strength
when it had lost its dignity. They well knew that armies were equally
formidable, whether commanded by an emperour or an inferiour
sovereign; and that a mere alteration of names, though it might afford
a slight and transient gratification to vanity, would produce no real
increase or diminution of power.

They, therefore, thought it necessary to improve the present time of
confusion, and excite all the princes of the empire to revive their
ancient claims upon the Austrian territories; claims, which how long
soever they had been forgotten, howsoever abrogated by long
prescription, or annulled by subsequent treaties, were now again to
become valid, and to be decided by the arbitration of France.

But this project being defeated by the heroick constancy of the queen
of Hungary, whose wisdom and resolution, which will equal her name in
future histories with those of the most successful conquerors,
rejected their mediation, and refused to own her right doubtful, by
submitting it to be tried; they were obliged no longer to dissemble
their designs, or make farther pretences to respect or tenderness. Her
fall was necessary to their own exaltation; they, therefore, kindled a
general conflagration of war, they excited all the princes to take
arms against her, and found it, indeed, no difficult task to persuade