Even the pope, who had always felt a little jealous of the power of the emperor, thought that as the Protestants were now put down it might be well to check the ambition of Charles V.a little, and he accordingly ordered all his troops to return to Italy.

The holy father, Paul III., even sent money to the Protestant Elector of Saxony, to enable him to resist the emperor, and sent ambassadors to the Turks, to induce them to break the truce and make war upon Christendom, that the emperor might be thus embarrassed.
Charles thus found himself, in the midst of his victories, suddenly at a stand.

He could no longer carry on offensive operations, but was compelled to prepare for defense against the attacks with which he was threatened on every side.
Again, the kaleidoscope of political combination received a jar, and all was changed.

The King of France died.

This so embarrassed the affairs of the confederation which Francis had organized with so much toil and care, that Charles availed himself of it to make a sudden and vigorous march against the Elector of Saxony.