There was even a secret negotiation going on a long time between the new king of Bohemia and Philip to arrange for the precedence of the Spanish males over the Styrian females to the hereditary Austrian states, and to cede the province of Alsace to Spain.
It was not wonderful that Protestant Germany should be alarmed.

After a century of Protestantism, that Spain should by any possibility come to be enthroned again over Germany was enough to raise both Luther and Calvin from their graves.

It was certainly enough to set the lively young palatine in motion.

So soon as the election of Frederic was proclaimed, he had taken up the business in person.

Fond of amusement, young, married to a beautiful bride of the royal house of England, he had hitherto left politics to his counsellors.
Finding himself frustrated in his ambition by the election of another to the seat he had fondly deemed his own, he resolved to unseat him if he could, and, at any rate, to prevent the ulterior consequences of his elevation.