One more effort the emperor made, and it was indeed a desperate one.  He dispatched a secret agent, an English Roman Catholic, by the name of Strickland, to London, to endeavor to overthrow the ministry and bring in a cabinet in favor of him.  In this, of course, he failed entirely.  Nothing now remained for him but to submit, with the best grace he could, to the terms exacted by his foes.  In the general pacification great interests were at stake, and all the leading powers of Europe demanded a voice in the proceedings.  For many months the negotiations were protracted.  England and France became involved in an angry dispute.  Each power was endeavoring to grasp all it could, while at the same time it was striving to check the rapacity of every other power.  There was a general armistice while these negotiations were pending.  It was, however, found exceedingly difficult to reconcile all conflicting interests.  New parties were formed; new combinations entered into, and all parties began to aim for a renewal of the strife.  England, exasperated against France, in menace made an imposing display of her fleet and navy.  The emperor was delighted, and, trusting to gain new allies, exerted his skill of diplomacy to involve the contracting parties in confusion and discord.

Thus encouraged, the emperor refused to accede to the terms demanded.  He was required to give up the Netherlands, and all his foreign possessions, and to retire to his hereditary dominions.  “What a severe sentence,” exclaimed Count Zinzendorf, the emperor’s ambassador, “have you passed on the emperor.  No malefactor was ever carried with so hard a doom to the gibbet.”

The armies again took the field.  Eugene, again, though with great reluctance, assumed the command of the imperial forces.  France had assembled one hundred thousand men upon the Rhine.  Eugene had but thirty thousand men to meet them.  He assured the emperor that with such a force he could not successfully carry on the war.  Jealous of his reputation, he said, sadly, “to find myself in the same condition as last year, will be only exposing myself to the censure of the world, which judges by appearance, as if I were less capable, in my old age, to support the reputation of my former successes.”  With consummate generalship, this small force held the whole French army in check.

CHAPTER XXV.

CHARLES VI.  AND THE TURKISH WAR RENEWED.

From 1735 to 1730.

Anxiety Of Austrian Office-Holders.—­Maria Theresa.—­The Duke Of
Lorraine.—­Distraction Of The Emperor.—­Tuscany Assigned To The Duke Of
Lorraine.—­Death Of Eugene.—­Rising Greatness Of Russia.—­New War With
The Turks.—­Condition Of The Army.—­Commencement Of Hostilities.—­
Capture Of Nissa.—­Inefficient Campaign.—­Disgrace Of Seckendorf.—­The
Duke Of Lorraine Placed In Command.—­Siege Of Orsova.—­Belgrade Besieged
By The Turks.—­The Third Campaign.—­Battle Of Crotzka.—­Defeat Of The
Austrians.—­Consternation In Vienna.—­Barbarism Of The Turks.—­The
Surrender Of Belgrade.