the Save, the Theiss, the Drave, and the lower Danube flocked to her standards.  They came, semi-savage bands, in uncouth garb, and speaking unintelligible tongues—­Croats, Pandours, Sclavonians, Warusdinians and Tolpaches.  Germany was astounded at the spectacle of these wild, fierce men, apparently as tameless and as fearless as wolves.  The enthusiasm spread rapidly all over the States of Austria.  The young men, and especially the students in the universities, espoused the cause of the queen with deathless fervor.  Vienna was strongly fortified, all hands engaging in the work.  So wonderful was this movement, that the allies were alarmed.  They had already become involved in quarrels about the division of the anticipated booty.

Frederic of Prussia was the first to implore peace.  The Elector of Bavaria was a rival sovereign, and Frederic preferred seeing Austria in the hands of the queen, rather than in the hands of the elector.  He was, therefore, anxious to withdraw from the confederacy, and to oppose the allies.  The queen, as anxious as Frederic to come to an accommodation, sent an ambassador to ascertain his terms.  In laconic phrase, characteristic of this singular man, he returned the following answer:—­

“All lower Silesia; the river Neiss for the boundary.  The town of Neiss as well as Glatz.  Beyond the Oder the ancient limits to continue between the duchies of Brieg and Oppelon.  Breslau for us.  The affairs of religion in statu quo.  No dependence on Bohemia; a cession forever.  In return we will proceed no further.  We will besiege Neiss for form.  The commandant shall surrender and depart.  We will pass quietly into winter quarters, and the Austrian army may go where they will.  Let the whole be concluded in twelve days.”

These terms were assented to.  The king promised never to ask any further territory from the queen, and not to act offensively against the queen or any of her allies.  Though the queen placed not the slightest confidence in the integrity of the Prussian monarch, she rejoiced in this treaty, which enabled her to turn all her attention to her other foes.  The allies were now in possession of nearly all of Bohemia and were menacing Prague.

The Duke of Lorraine hastened with sixty thousand men to the relief of the capital.  He had arrived within nine miles of the city, when he learned, to his extreme chagrin, that the preceding night Prague had been taken by surprise.  That very day the Elector of Bavaria made a triumphal entry into the town, and was soon crowned King of Bohemia.  And now the electoral diet of Germany met, and, to the extreme disappointment of Maria Theresa, chose, as Emperor of Germany, instead of her husband, the Elector of Bavaria, whom they also acknowledged King of Bohemia.  He received the imperial crown at Frankfort on the 12th of February, 1742, with the title of Charles VII.