Civil war had now commenced.

But the Protestants were strong, determined, and had proved their valor in the recent war with the Turks.

The more moderate of the papal party, foreseeing a strife which might be interminable, interposed, and succeeded in effecting a compromise which again secured transient peace.
Charles, however, had not yet abandoned his design to compel the Protestants to return to the papal church.

He was merely temporizing till he could bring such an array of the papal powers against the reformers that they could present no successful resistance.

With this intention he entered into a secret treaty with the powerful King of France, in which Francis agreed to concentrate all the forces of his kingdom to crush the Lutheran doctrines.