e conditional on the
acceptance of a number of articles, including the maintenance of
religious liberty. The prince acceded, with some reservations, and was
crowned on February 21, 1574. Four months later he heard of the death
of his brother, Charles IX, making him king of France. Without daring
to ask leave of absence, he absconded from Poland on June 18, thereby
abandoning a throne which was promptly declared vacant.

The new election presented great difficulties, and {144} almost led to
civil war. While the Senate declared for the Hapsburg Maximilian II,
the Diet chose Stephen Bathory, prince of Transylvania. [Sidenote:
Stephen Bathory, 1576-86] Only the unexpected death of Maximilian
prevented an armed collision between the two. Bathory, now in
possession, forced his recognition by all parties and led the land of
his adoption into a period of highly successful diplomacy and of
victorious war against Muscovy. His religious policy was one of
pacification, conciliation, and of supporting inconspicuously the
Jesuit foundations at Wilna, Posen, Cracow, and Eiga. But the full
fruits of their propaganda, resulting in the complete reconversion of
Poland to Catholicism were not reaped until the reign of his successor,
Sigismund III, a Vasa, of Sweden. [Sidenote: Sigismund III, 1586-1632]

[Sidenote: Bohemia]

Bohemia, a Slav kingdom long united historically and dynastically with
the Empire, as the home of Huss, welcomed the Reformation warmly, the
Brethren turning first to Luther and then to Calvin. After various
efforts to suppress and banish them had failed of large success, the
Compact of 1567 granted toleration to the three principal churches. As
in Poland, the Jesuits won back the whole land in the next generation,
so that in 1910 there were in Bohemia 6,500,000 Catholics and only
175,000 Protestants.

[Sidenote: Hungary, 1526]

Hungary was so badly broken by the Turks at the battle of Mohacs that
she was able to play but little part in the development of Western
civilization. Like her more powerful rival, she was also distracted by
internal dissention. After the death of her King Lewis at Mohacs there
were two candidates for the throne, Ferdinand the Emperor's brother and
John Zapolya, [Sidenote: Zapolya, 1526-40] "woiwod" or prince of
Transylvania. Protestantism had a considerable hold on the nobles,
who, after the shattering of the national power, divided a portion of
the goods of the church betw