Friedrich IV. of Nurnberg, Son of that Friedrich III., Kaiser
Rudolf's successful friend, was again a notable increaser of his
House; which finally, under his Great-grandson, named Friedrich
VI., attained the Electoral height. Of which there was already
some hint. Well; under the first of these two Friedrichs, some
slight approximation, and under his Son, a transient express
introduction (so to speak) of Brandenburg to Hohenzollern took
place, without immediate result of consequence; but under the
second of them occurred the wedding, as we may call it, or union
"for better or worse, till death do us part."--How it came about?
Easy to ask, How! The reader will have to cast some glances into
the confused REICHS-History of the time;--timid glances, for the
element is of dangerous, extensive sort, mostly jungle and shaking
bog;--and we must travel through this corner of it, as on shoes of
swiftness, treading lightly.


CONTESTED ELECTIONS IN THE REICH: KAISER ALBERT I.;
AFTER WHOM SIX NON-HAPSBURG KAISERS.

The Line of Rudolf of Hapsburg did not at once succeed
continuously to the Empire, as the wont had been in such cases,
where the sons were willing and of good likelihood. After such a
spell of anarchy, parties still ran higher than usual in the Holy
Roman Empire; and wide-yawning splits would not yet coalesce to
the old pitch. It appears too the posterity of Rudolf, stiff,
inarticulate, proud men, and of a turn for engrossing and
amassing, were not always lovely to the public. Albert, Rudolf's
eldest son, for instance, Kaiser Albert I.,--who did succeed,
though not at once, or till after killing Rudolf's immediate