CHAPTER VI.

Establishment of the Condominium in the Duchies—­Dissensions between the Neuburgers and Brandenburgers—­Occupation of Julich by the Brandenburgers assisted by the States-General—­Indignation in Spain and at the Court of the Archdukes—­Subsidy despatched to Brussels Spinola descends upon Aix-la-Chapelle and takes possession of Orsoy and other places—­Surrender of Wesel—­Conference at Xanten—­Treaty permanently dividing the Territory between Brandenburg and Neuburg—­ Prohibition from Spain—­Delays and Disagreements.

Thus the ‘Condominium’ had been peaceably established.

Three or four years passed away in the course of which the evils of a joint and undivided sovereignty of two rival houses over the same territory could not fail to manifest themselves.  Brandenburg, Calvinist in religion, and for other reasons more intimately connected with and more favoured by the States’ government than his rival, gained ground in the duchies.  The Palatine of Neuburg, originally of Lutheran faith like his father, soon manifested Catholic tendencies, which excited suspicion in the Netherlands.  These suspicions grew into certainties at the moment when he espoused the sister of Maximilian of Bavaria and of the Elector of Cologne.  That this close connection with the very heads of the Catholic League could bode no good to the cause of which the States-General were the great promoters was self-evident.  Very soon afterwards the Palatine, a man of mature age and of considerable talents, openly announced his conversion to the ancient church.  Obviously the sympathies of the States could not thenceforth fail to be on the side of Brandenburg.  The Elector’s brother died and was succeeded in the governorship of the Condeminium by the Elector’s brother, a youth of eighteen.  He took up his abode in Cleve, leaving Dusseldorf to be the sole residence of his co-stadholder.

Rivalry growing warmer, on account of this difference of religion, between the respective partisans of Neuburg and Brandenburg, an attempt was made in Dusseldorf by a sudden entirely unsuspected rising of the Brandenburgers to drive their antagonist colleagues and their portion of the garrison out of the city.  It failed, but excited great anger.  A more successful effort was soon afterwards made in Julich; the Neuburgers were driven out, and the Brandenburgers remained in sole possession of the town and citadel, far the most important stronghold in the whole territory.  This was partly avenged by the Neuburgers, who gained absolute control of Dusseldorf.  Here were however no important fortifications, the place being merely an agreeable palatial residence and a thriving mart.  The States-General, not concealing their predilection for Brandenburg, but under pretext of guarding the peace which they had done so much to establish, placed a garrison of 1400 infantry and a troop or two of horse in the citadel of Julich.