He had been enormously wealthy, but was now living in exile and deprived of his revenues.  By this means they had at last induced him to sign a document, in which he promised, for himself and his successors, not to make any attempt to enforce his claims to the succession.  The document was curiously worded; there was no actual renunciation, only a promise to abstain from action.  In return for this a sum of money, not equal, however, to that which he had lost, was handed over to him.  Now it was Bismarck who, while envoy at Frankfort, had carried on the negotiations; he had taken much trouble about the matter, and earned the warm gratitude both of the King of Denmark and of the Duke.  There is, I think, no doubt that he believed that the agreement was a bona fide one and would be maintained.  Since then the Duke had renounced all his claims in favour of his eldest son; Prince Frederick had not signed the contract and maintained that he was not bound by it.  Of course Bismarck could not admit this, and his whole attitude towards the Prince must from the beginning be hostile.

It is only fair to point out that there was no reason whatever why the Augustenburgs should do anything more than that to which they were bound by the strict letter of the agreement; they had no ties of gratitude towards Denmark; they had not, as is often said, sold their rights, for they had received only a portion of their own possessions.  However this may be, his claim was supported, not only by the people and Parliaments, but by leaders of the German Governments, headed by the King of Bavaria.

Bismarck was now asked to denounce the Treaty of London to which Prussia had given her assent; to support the claims of Augustenburg; to carry out the policy of the Diet, and if necessary to allow the Prussian army to be used in fighting for Prince Frederick against the King of Denmark.  This he had not the slightest intention of doing.  He had to consider first of all that Prussia was bound by treaties.  As he said:  “We may regret that we signed, but the signature took place.  Honour as well as wisdom allows us to leave no doubt as to our loyalty to our engagements.”  He had moreover to consider that if he acted as the Germans wished he would find himself opposed, not only by Denmark, but also by Russia and England, and in military operations on the narrow peninsula the power of the English fleet would easily outbalance the superiority of the Prussian army.  Moreover, and this was the point which affected him most, what good would come to Prussia even if she were successful in this war?  “I cannot regard it as a Prussian interest to wage war in order in the most favourable result to establish a new Grand Duke in Schleswig-Holstein, who out of fear of Prussian aggression would vote against us at the Diet.”

His policy, therefore, was clearly marked out for him:  he must refuse to recognise the claims of Augustenburg; he must refuse to break the Treaty of London.  This, however, would not prevent him from bringing pressure to bear on the new King of Denmark, as he had done on his predecessor, to induce him to abide by his treaty engagements, and, if he did not do so, from declaring war against him.