Mathias, who was himself a tolerant and well meaning man, tried to allay the storm; but, failing to do so, marched an army into Bohemia.
"Had Mathias lived matters would probably have arranged themselves, but he died the following spring, and was succeeded by Ferdinand II.
Ferdinand is one of the most bigoted Catholics living, and is at the same time a bold and resolute man; and he had taken a solemn vow at the shrine of Loretto that, if ever he came to the throne, he would re-establish Catholicism throughout his dominions.

Both parties prepared for the strife; the Bohemians renounced their allegiance to him and nominated the Elector Palatine Frederick V, the husband of our Scotch princess, their king.
"The first blow was struck at Zablati.

There a Union army, led by Mansfeldt, was defeated by the Imperial general Bucquoi.

A few days later, however, Count Thurn, marching through Moravia and Upper Austria, laid siege to Vienna.

Ferdinand's own subjects were estranged from him, and the cry of the Protestant army, `Equal rights for all Christian churches,' was approved by the whole population--for even in Austria itself there were a very large number of Protestants.