“Well, Lenz can vouch for me being male.” Rosy’s grin flashed again. “We got into a pissing contest after Pisek. But what about you, oh honored leader? You are almost as standoff-ish as Allenberg.”
“Very funny.” Simon emptied the bottle and chucked it at Rosy, who caught it neatly before it could hit his head. “And for that insult you can help Schaden ready the horses in the morning. Now let’s get tucked in for a few hours. We’ll leave well before dawn.”
Cologne, Hatzfeldt House
October 15, 1634
“Lady Lucie, Lady Lucie! There’s a new letter!” The copper-curled youngster came rushing into the kitchen waving a bundle of paper. Lucie von Hatzfeldt and the cook both looked up from their list of the food stored in the larders, and broke off their early morning debate about what could be done to make it last as long as the siege.
“Thank you, Peter. Who brought it?” Lucie reached for the letter as quickly as her crippled back allowed her.
“Jacob from Bonn. He had to wait almost a week to get through the siege. Do you think the general has beaten the Hessians?”
“That is probably being a bit too optimistic. If Uncle Georg returns from the town hall please bring him to me.” She removed the seal and started reading.
To Lady Lucie von Hatzfeldt, Hatzfeldt House, Town of Cologne
From Melchior von Hatzfeldt, Count and General of the Holy Roman Empire
Dear Lucie,
Please spread around the following information: both applications for membership of the USE have reached Magdeburg and are under consideration there. Hesse has been informed of this today. Hesse has agreed to stop the bombardment of Bonn, but the town is to remain closed until the agreed upon tribute is delivered, and as the tribute includes the town of Beuel as well as other areas, the paperwork can delay this for as long as he wants it to.
I expect him to move most of his cannons to Cologne and make an all-out effort to take the town or force the council to surrender within the next few days. The council can try offering a substantial tribute, or they can decide to batten down and accept the damage until Magdeburg can interfere, but make sure they realize that the damage will be heavy and delay will not be possible. Hesse knows he must take Cologne now—or face a probably very costly failure.
Finally some information of less immediate interest to Cologne: Yesterday, Charlotte von Zweibrücken did me the honor of becoming my wife. She and her baby son remained incognito in Bonn after escaping the archbishop, and I met her on the wall during the siege. Charlotte has joined the women’s militias here in Bonn, and has fought most valiantly at my side on the walls.
What is to be mentioned only within the closest family is that Charlotte has had a very bad time—both as a wife and as a widow—and that I am deeply honored that she is willing to entrust me with the safety of her baby and her person. I might wish that she was less eager to gain the ability to ensure such safety herself, but considering what she has been through, I do understand. It is a part of our marriage settlement that Charlotte may continue her military training, as well as any other skills she wish to develop. I want it made perfectly clear to every member of the family—our stepmother Margaretha included—that no matter what happens I expect Charlotte to have the full support of the entire Hatzfeldt family, and that anybody not offering her this support will receive my strongest displeasure.
Your loving brother,
Melchior
When Lucie looked up from reading the letter, the cook in the chair on the opposite side of the table had been replaced by the cousin, whom everybody called Uncle Georg. The elderly man had had a fine career as dean in Fulda, and had seemed the only calm, financially secure and fully respectable member of the unruly Wildenburger line until he’d suddenly and violently fallen in love with Helene von Bellinghausen, left the church to marry her, and settled on her estate southeast of Cologne. After the death of his beloved Helene, Georg had secluded himself on the estate and refused to see anybody until the previous year, when Maxie had made a brief stop on her way to her cousin in Bonn, and dragged Georg off to Cologne. Georg had not liked the strong counter-reformation at the University of Cologne, so instead Maxie had set him teaching his young cousin, Wilhelm Heinrich of the Weisweiler line, how to manage the many estates he was soon to take control over. In the process Georg—as nearly everybody else—had run afoul of Lucie’s quarrelsome stepmother, Margaretha von Backenfoerde, and the old administrator’s ability to block that lady had made him a firm favorite with Lucie and her brothers.
Lucie smiled wryly at the old man and reached across table to give him the letter. “I think Melchior has fallen in love. Oh, and Hesse knows that he might have less than a week to take Cologne, so that’s the reason for the recent attacks.”
Chapter 27
Bonn, Eigenhause House
November 1, 1634
Charlotte snuggled a bit closer to Melchior, who gave a little grunt and put his arms around her.
“Cold, m’dear? Would you like me to close the bed-curtains?”
“No, but thanks. The room isn’t drafty, and you make a very nice warming pan without the hazard of fire.”
“Well, we could try for a little fire.” Charlotte could hear the smile in her husband’s voice as his hands started to drift, and gave a little giggle in response. She rubbed her cold nose on his shoulder. Getting married to Melchior was starting to look like a very good idea—even if he didn’t like her fighting and didn’t like closed bed-curtains.
“Is your dislike of closed bed-curtains from your campaigns?”
“No. There’s very rarely any opportunity to stop drafts while camping.” Melchior stopped what he was doing to raise himself on one elbow and lean down to give Charlotte a kiss, his beard tickling her nose and making her sneeze. “I gained the dislike in Vienna. Despite what the American books tell about the plot against Wallenstein, assassinations are not actually common among military leaders, but I do have a few enemies with fewer morals and more capacity for violence than they should have. And so I prefer to be able to see what’s in my room the moment I open my eyes. But they are quite unlikely to come to this part of the world.” Melchior lay down again and pulled Charlotte close.
“Do you need to go back to Vienna, and do you think the Emperor will let you go without protests?”
“I’ll certainly not need to go until things are quiet in this part of the world, and even then—unless Wallenstein gets ambitious—there’s probably nowhere else I could be of more use to the Empire than here. You’ll need to understand, my dear,” Melchior was obviously getting serious now, “that even if I resign as general, I’ll still be an Imperial Count, and I do take my liege oath very seriously. I have no qualms at all about my marriage vows to you, but if you decide to join your lands to the USE there could be a problem. Much as I respect Gustavus Adolphus I cannot formally enter his service.”
“I’ve been thinking about that—I mean alliances for the future. Essen appears to be able to maintain independence, but I’m not De Geer and neither Jülich nor Berg have the resources to produce such wealth or maintain such an army.” Charlotte shrugged. “On the other hand I most definitely don’t want my baby’s heritage nibbled away bit by bit. An alliance with France is out of the question, and—given what I saw when helping Irmgard at the infirmary—I would find it most difficult to be even coldly polite to Hesse and those who supported him in the USE.” Charlotte shook her head to remove the memory. “I’m not entirely opposed to considering an alliance with Essen despite their war with Wolfgang, but I’m quite certain that would make every member of the Neuburg family my sworn enemy—probably Bavaria too.”
“That leaves you looking to the west.”
“Yes. What do you know about Don Fernando on Jülich’s western border? He is a Habsburg like your own emperor, but could he be trusted?”
“To keep an alliance? Yes. To not covet Jülich if you remain neutral? No. To go to war with the USE over Jülich? I don’t think
so. I don’t know the details of their negotiations, but at the moment the Netherlands just don’t have the resources to win an all-out war with the USE.”
“You obviously know a lot about this part of the world, I thought you had spent very little time here, what with you fighting in Denmark and Bohemia?”
“Archduke Ferdinand sent me to make an evaluation of the middle Rhine area this summer. Hesse took me completely by surprise by attacking Bonn, but I really should have expected it. According to Father Johannes the American books claim that Cologne is destined for prominence, but Kassel for obscurity. Hesse is bound to try changing that.”
“By fair means or foul?”
“I don’t know. I’ve not well acquainted with the man, but just in case: I’m watching my back—and yours.” Melchior’s hands started roaming again. “And—while I haven’t the slightest intention of dictating your decisions regarding your lands—I firmly advice you to stay right here until Hesse has withdrawn.”
“I could perhaps be persuaded to see the wisdom in that.”
Chapter 28
Magdeburg, Wettin House
November 5, 1634
“Dearest Litsa, have you been waiting long?” Johanna burst into the parlor with even more than her usual speed and nimbly skipped to avoid the low table filled books and papers, that Elisabeth had placed next to the writing desk.
“I’ve been here for a while, but not idly waiting. Maxie took me to meet Father Johannes and Madame Louisa Tapie this afternoon; she is the wife of Father Johannes’ nephew, the publisher of Simplicissimus, and she is also co-editor.” Elisabeth gave the brightest smile Johanna had ever seen on her face. “She hired me.”
“What!”
“She hired me. I’m the permanent Magdeburg correspondent for the Simplicissimus Magazine. With special responsibility for the magazine’s political and aristocratic articles.
“Litsa, are you out of your mind?” Johanna sank down in the nearest chair.
“No, this is what I want.” Elisabeth’s smile turned serene. “I never had either the slightest interest in marriage or a vocation, but this is my vocation: information politics. I went to the palace afterwards and spoke to Uncle Hermann. I convinced him I was both serious and knew what I was talking about. He expects to continue as the secretary of state after the election and has not been satisfied with the work of his public relations—that’s the people supposed to make sure the newspapers write the correct information—and if I show I can do the work for Simplicissimus, he’ll try to get me hired by the government. Information is going to be very important.”
“That might convince your father to let you do it, but your mother is going to have hysterics.” Johanna left the chair and started pacing the room. “It would be too dull a life for me, but if this is what you want I’ll help you all I can; I just don’t think your father is going to stand up to your mother.” She brightened. “You’ll have to run away to prove yourself. You can hide with Maxie and then flee with Friedrich and me to Cologne.”
“No.” Elisabeth turned grim. “My honored mother might protest, but I know too much about buried Isenburg skeletons for her to stop me.” She tilted her head and scowled at her eager friend. “Friedrich, who? And whatever are you up to now? Have you been reading those American novels again?”
Johanna grinned and threw herself into the chair. “I’ve been so busy too, dearest Litsa. After Friedrich—Zweibrücken that is—had been heard—or rather interrogated—by the Chamber of Princes he had nothing to do except wait for them to debate, so I went to keep him company. Maxie was right: he is such a darling boy. And he completely understood how dull it is always being surrounded by adults and never being allowed to do anything on your own. He has had the greatest adventures on his Grand Tour, and would have loved nothing more than to lead an army against Archbishop Ferdinand to free his sister. Only Maxie and Lucie von Hatzfeldt convinced him that Charlotte and her baby was safe, and that the best thing he could do was to stop Hesse and ensure Charlotte had a home to return to. His own lands: Zweibrücken, Bischweiler and Birlenbach are in perfect order, and no one really needs him there, so what he really want to do is help Charlotte and her baby get back to Jülich—and help his sister get that land back in shape. And he invited me to come help him.” Johanna took a deep breath, lifted her head and did her best to look virtuous. “After all, I did concentrate my studies on medicine and nursing, and Charlotte might need someone to take care of her and the baby after their hardships; Eleonore and mother would both surely support me.”
“Probably. But he invited you? Just as a result of a few hours’ conversation?” Elisabeth looked skeptical.
“Well, I might have delicately hinted that I would like to come.” Johanna grinned.
“I see. And was young Zweibrücken by any chance darling enough for you to delicately hint at the benefits of joining the USE, and forming an alliance with one of its prominent families?”
Johanna opened her eyes wide and placed her hand over her heart. “Why Litsa, I would never dream of doing anything so indelicate.” She grinned again. “I plan to have Maxie do so instead, since he has quite a lot of respect for that lady.”
Both girls were laughing hard when the door opened. “Good evening, Anchen and Litsa.” The abbess was wearing an evening gown and behind her in the hall, tante Anna Marie, Hedwig and Eleonore looked ready to leave for the evening party at the palace. “You seem in very good spirits.”
“Oh, we are, but why is a story for tomorrow.” Elisabeth smiled. “But please, has the emperor made a decision about Cologne and Jülich-Berg?”
“They are still debating, but it looks like the former archdiocese and the free town of Cologne will become a republic with Hermann von Hatzfeld in charge of the first election; he was the only suggestion acceptable to both Catholics and Protestants. Charlotte and her brother along with the emperor’s sister and her husband all becomes guardians of Wolfgang’s heir, but the heritage itself is split. To keep the matter settled even if the baby dies, Jülich is settled directly on Charlotte, rather than on the baby, and if she dies without an heir the land reverts to the crown, not to the Neuburgs or the Zweibrücken family. If Jülich joins the USE, which is expected, she also gets the seat in the Chamber of Princes. The occupied part of Berg is confirmed to Essen along with Kleve, while the rest of Berg is given to young Zweibrücken in return for his oath of loyalty. His lands may also join the USE along with the other areas in his family, thus bringing the entire—or almost entire—Rhineland and Pfalz into the USE.”
“Then Hesse and cousin Amalie gets nothing?”
“Hesse gets Mark, but he is told to settle his deals with Essen on his own.” The abbess frowned. “Ravensberg and the other minor areas are settled on Hedwig’s children, Anna Marie and Hilpoltstein, but all with the same condition about reverting to the crown. The emperor wants it as part of the constitution that all the ruling families must choose a way to pass on titles and land: male first, male only, with or without including morganatic marriages, or however they want it, but if the line ends according to their choice, then the land reverts to the crown. This was agreed on.”
“So the tighter a family try to hold its land, the more likely that they will lose it to the crown. Beautiful.” Elisabeth smiled at the pen in her hand.
“Well, it should cut down on the dynastic quarrels,” Eleonore said, waddling to the doorway. “But do come, dear Dorothea. Tante Anna Marie and Hedwig are already in the carriage. And girls: there is to be a major celebration of the new treaty before the Cologne delegation leaves, and the invitation is for members of the Chamber of Princes with their family, so you can come. Probably the day after tomorrow.”
“Forget your writings for tonight, dear Litsa,” Johanna’s eyes glowed with the joy of battle and adventure, “and come help me lower the neckline of my rose damask dress.”
Chapter 29
Donauwörth,
November 10, 1634
Donauwörth look
ed extremely impressive in the morning light, and on his way into the castle Simon marveled that the Swedish king had even contemplated attacking it—not to mention that he had actually conquered it. Fortunately the Wolf had no such intention, and would be taking the regiments across the bridge some miles up the Danube. The captain of the guard there had accepted their papers—supported by a small bribe—as genuine proof that they were troops having left the service of Bernard in Swabia, and now heading north for a new contract with Gustavus Adolphus in Mecklenburg.
Once across the Danube the regiments would however be travelling through the new USE, and until they reached the Wolf’s old home-territory west of Mainz, they would have no old contacts for ready information. That the Wolf had actually expressed a dislike for travelling blind, and once again tasked Simon with finding out whatever he could about troop movements or other potential problems, had made the irreverent Rosy wonder about the domestic influence of the temperamental Madeleine. In Simon’s opinion it was far more likely that the Wolf’s worry about the fate of his cousin and general made him unwilling to run his usual risks.
“A pity we couldn’t take along Madeleine.” Rosy turned his head to look across the cart carrying him and Schaden. “She is absolutely wonderful at distracting guards.”
“We’ll manage.” Simon grunted. Having Schaden claim a toothache and go to get one of his miserable brown stumps drawn by the garrison blacksmith was a good enough excuse for Rosy and Schaden to enter the castle, and give Rosy a chance to chat with whoever was around. In the meantime the plan was for Simon to seek an interview with General Munro, while Allenberg as Simon’s batman went to negotiate with the garrison’s quartermaster for some fancy bits and pieces for Simon’s equipment. They were keeping to the story about heading for a contract in Mecklenburg, and while General Munro certainly wouldn’t spend his time on a lowly Lieutenant, there was no reason some lower-ranking officer wouldn’t be willing to spend a morning hour giving a personable young officer the benefit of his experience, and some details about the area he would be travelling through—especially if Simon admitted not having had any breakfast and invited the officer to join him.
1635- the Wars for the Rhine (ARC) Page 20