登陆注册
5244000000054

第54章 Book II(22)

By this league with Pomerania, Gustavus secured a powerful friend in Germany, who covered his rear, and maintained his communication with Sweden.

As Ferdinand was already the aggressor in Prussia, Gustavus Adolphus thought himself absolved from the usual formalities, and commenced hostilities without any declaration of war. To the other European powers, he justified his conduct in a manifesto, in which he detailed the grounds which had led him to take up arms. Meanwhile he continued his progress in Pomerania, while he saw his army daily increasing. The troops which had fought under Mansfeld, Duke Christian of Brunswick, the King of Denmark, and Wallenstein, came in crowds, both officers and soldiers, to join his victorious standard.

At the Imperial court, the invasion of the king of Sweden at first excited far less attention than it merited. The pride of Austria, extravagantly elated by its unheard-of successes, looked down with contempt upon a prince, who, with a handful of men, came from an obscure corner of Europe, and who owed his past successes, as they imagined, entirely to the incapacity of a weak opponent. The depreciatory representation which Wallenstein had artfully given of the Swedish power, increased the Emperor's security; for what had he to fear from an enemy, whom his general undertook to drive with such ease from Germany?

Even the rapid progress of Gustavus Adolphus in Pomerania, could not entirely dispel this prejudice, which the mockeries of the courtiers continued to feed. He was called in Vienna the Snow King, whom the cold of the north kept together, but who would infallibly melt as he advanced southward. Even the electors, assembled in Ratisbon, disregarded his representations; and, influenced by an abject complaisance to Ferdinand, refused him even the title of king. But while they mocked him in Ratisbon and Vienna, in Mecklenburg and Pomerania, one strong town after another fell into his hands.

Notwithstanding this contempt, the Emperor thought it proper to offer to adjust his differences with Sweden by negociation, and for that purpose sent plenipotentiaries to Denmark.

But their instructions showed how little he was in earnest in these proposals, for he still continued to refuse to Gustavus the title of king.

He hoped by this means to throw on the king of Sweden the odium of being the aggressor, and thereby to ensure the support of the States of the empire.

The conference at Dantzic proved, as might be expected, fruitless, and the animosity of both parties was increased to its utmost by an intemperate correspondence.

An imperial general, Torquato Conti, who commanded in Pomerania, had, in the mean time, made a vain attempt to wrest Stettin from the Swedes.

The Imperialists were driven out from one place after another;Damm, Stargard, Camin, and Wolgast, soon fell into the hands of Gustavus.

To revenge himself upon the Duke of Pomerania, the imperial general permitted his troops, upon his retreat, to exercise every barbarity on the unfortunate inhabitants of Pomerania, who had already suffered but too severely from his avarice. On pretence of cutting off the resources of the Swedes, the whole country was laid waste and plundered;and often when the Imperialists were unable any longer to maintain a place, it was laid in ashes, in order to leave the enemy nothing but ruins.

But these barbarities only served to place in a more favourable light the opposite conduct of the Swedes, and to win all hearts to their humane monarch. The Swedish soldier paid for all he required;no private property was injured on his march. The Swedes consequently were received with open arms both in town and country, whilst every Imperialist that fell into the hands of the Pomeranian peasantry was ruthlessly murdered. Many Pomeranians entered into the service of Sweden, and the estates of this exhausted country willingly voted the king a contribution of 100,000 florins.

Torquato Conti, who, with all his severity of character, was a consummate general, endeavoured to render Stettin useless to the king of Sweden, as he could not deprive him of it.

He entrenched himself upon the Oder, at Gartz, above Stettin, in order, by commanding that river, to cut off the water communication of the town with the rest of Germany. Nothing could induce him to attack the King of Sweden, who was his superior in numbers, while the latter was equally cautious not to storm the strong entrenchments of the Imperialists.

Torquato, too deficient in troops and money to act upon the offensive against the king, hoped by this plan of operations to give time for Tilly to hasten to the defence of Pomerania, and then, in conjunction with that general, to attack the Swedes. Seizing the opportunity of the temporary absence of Gustavus, he made a sudden attempt upon Stettin, but the Swedes were not unprepared for him. A vigorous attack of the Imperialists was firmly repulsed, and Torquato was forced to retire with great loss. For this auspicious commencement of the war, however, Gustavus was, it must be owned, as much indebted to his good fortune as to his military talents. The imperial troops in Pomerania had been greatly reduced since Wallenstein's dismissal; moreover, the outrages they had committed were now severely revenged upon them;wasted and exhausted, the country no longer afforded them a subsistence.

All discipline was at an end; the orders of the officers were disregarded, while their numbers daily decreased by desertion, and by a general mortality, which the piercing cold of a strange climate had produced among them.

Under these circumstances, the imperial general was anxious to allow his troops the repose of winter quarters, but he had to do with an enemy to whom the climate of Germany had no winter.

同类推荐
  • 轻重甲

    轻重甲

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 体真山人真诀语录

    体真山人真诀语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编家范典卷家范总部

    明伦汇编家范典卷家范总部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • History of the Peloponnesian War

    History of the Peloponnesian War

    The State of Greece from the earliest Times to the Commencement of the Peloponnesian War THUCYDIDES, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out.汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 满洲秘档选辑

    满洲秘档选辑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 蜀山剑侠传7

    蜀山剑侠传7

    小说以峨眉弟子“三英二云”、“七矮”等的修真学艺、斩妖除魔为故事核心。“三英”之一的李英琼是整套小说的主角,小说详细描述了她从一个普通女子,经过无数次的机缘巧合,得到了长眉真人的紫郢剑以及白眉和尚的定珠,获得了圣姑的一甲子功力,最终成长为峨嵋派后辈中最杰出的人物……
  • 尸家禁地

    尸家禁地

    命中注定早死的大学生遇上了驱魔美女,从此生活发生了翻天覆地的变化。为了活命,他唯有陪着美女穿梭阴阳两界,享受着一次次惊悚恐怖,九死一生的亡命之旅,爽到肝颤,刺激到心脏都随时可能爆炸……
  • 优秀小学生应该知道的礼仪小常识

    优秀小学生应该知道的礼仪小常识

    一本书无法改变整个世界,但可能会塑造孩子的一生。《优秀小学生:应该知道的礼仪小常识》以礼仪小故事、你来评对错、礼仪小常识的形式,讲述小学生应该知道的个人形象,家庭、生活,校园、学习,社会交往,外出、公共,媒介使用,涉外等方面的礼仪小常识,紧密结合新时代、新风尚以及现代礼仪,同时容纳传统礼仪的精粹。《优秀小学生:应该知道的礼仪小常识》是市场上第一本培养礼仪小公民的经典读本,能在轻松的课外阅读中帮助小学生知书识礼、全面发展,为将来成为高素质、有教养的新世纪人才打下坚实的基础。
  • 斯大林(名人传奇故事丛书)

    斯大林(名人传奇故事丛书)

    从事社会主义宣传,被神学院开除,坐牢、流放,斯大林有一个革命家应该有的典型经历。
  • Cult

    Cult

    In the dead of night, Naomi Forman receives a phone call. Barney Harrigan, the man she once loved—now happily married with children—utters, "My wife Charlotte has been captured by the Glories." What began as a rude interruption of her night becomes a horrifying interruption of her life, as she is unable to ignore Barney's cry for help.Drawn into the Glory Church doomsday cult by her estranged sister, Charlotte Harrigan succumbs to the will of the enigmatic Father Glory. Brainwashed beyond comprehension, she is now only one of many who have been entrapped by the cult's promise of rebirth into a new, idyllic life.
  • 龙妻凤夫

    龙妻凤夫

    这是一个关于由人变成鱼,再由鱼变成龙的狗血故事。不管多么狗血,宋翎都表示很淡定,所以做人的时候她努力吃饭睡觉,做鱼的时候努力吐泡泡,做龙的时候,好吧,她要做一条勤快的龙。可是为毛每次她施云布雨的时候,就有一只长得像个人,其实是只鸟,简称鸟人,在那里搞破坏。*****宋翎来到东海。乌云刚聚在一起,就被某鸟用巨大的翅膀给扇散了。“你干什么?”某鸟淡淡道,“东海的风好,正好可以舒顺本座的羽毛。”*****宋翎来到沙漠。这次她还没起风,就见某鸟优哉游哉的卧在烫得能烧熟生鸡蛋的沙地上。“这里没有风,你又来干什么?”某鸟望着天上晃得睁不开眼的烈日,“晒太阳。”*****宋翎来到…额…红烛高帐,两双眸子默默对视许久,正是春情酝酿好时机。在两张唇忍不住再忍不住终究还是忍不住无限拉近时,宋翎大吼一声,“糟糕!”某鸟一双邪魅桃花眼微微眯起,“怎么了?”“今晚轮到我去施云布雨了!”某鸟露出一丝坏笑,“这个怎敢劳烦娘子,由为夫来就好了。”推荐我的完结文:《极品假太监》强力推荐好友精彩文文:酒家娘子:《总裁,轻一点》极致诱惑,超完美视觉盛宴。二月榴:《豪门—噬欢》提线wawa:《腹黑少爷迷糊妻》雨悸:《王爷,王妃爬墙了》落雪人家《师兄,你别跑》
  • 流浪创世魔法师

    流浪创世魔法师

    一个的魔法世界,一个宅男的设计师突然闯入。“都是为了生活,我真的不想这样。”拿着作弊器的余奇无奈的说道。
  • 章木头

    章木头

    吴君,女,中国作协会员。曾获首届中国小说双年奖、广东新人新作奖。长篇小说《我们不是一个人类》被媒体评为2004年最值得记忆五部长篇之一。出版多本中篇小说集。根据其中篇小说《亲爱的深圳》改编的电影已在国内及北美地区发行放映。
  • 爱入心扉

    爱入心扉

    她是一个农村女孩子,努力考上了大城市的大学,走出村子,却发现自己根本不属于这个城市,他的出现彻底的让她改变了自己,他是一个霸气的总裁,却有着独宠于她的情爱,她会接受吗?
  • 赚钱其实没那么难

    赚钱其实没那么难

    本书精选作家迩半坡先生在各个名刊上发表的文章40余篇,其中多篇被大量转载和入选进各种书籍,篇篇文章以当下国内外的创业明星为榜样,以时尚前沿的商业模式为蓝本,截取最新锐热点事件和现象,通过系统化研究,揭示创意创业、实现梦想和改造世界等过程中的核心竞争力,囊括富有鲜活动力的人物精神和创新意识,揭秘创意创业的商业智慧,带给你全新的启迪借鉴意义和实战经验价值。