On July 8 a general Diet, that is to say one consisting of deputies of Moravia and Silesia as well as Bohemia, met at Prague. On August 3 this assembly pronounced the deposition of Ferdinand as King of the Bohemian lands, and on the 26th the crown was offered to Frederick, Count Palatine. There were other candidates, but an eloquent speech of Ruppa decided in Frederick's favour. He assured the Bohemians that they would obtain powerful allies if they elected Frederick, and specially referred to
The Bohemian leaders--Anhalt the Elder, Hohenlohe, Thurn the Elder and the Younger, Anhalt the Younger, John of Bubna, Henry Slik (of the Moravian allies), Stubenvoll (of the German allies), the Duke of Weimar. The Imperialist leaders--Maximilian of Bavaria, Buguoy, Tieffenbach (of the German league), Tilly, Pappenheim, Des Fours, Caralli and others.]
[Illustration: BATTLE OF THE WHITE MOUNTAIN, NOVEMBER 8, 1620]
James I. of England, the father-in-law of their new Sovereign.
After some hesitation, Frederick accepted the crown and proceeded to Bohemia accompanied by his consort. They arrived at the 'Star' Palace, immediately outside Prague, early in the morning of October 31, and on the same day made their solemn entry into the town. Many Bohemian nobles who had awaited their new Sovereign at the 'Star' joined the procession to the Hradcany Castle. At the Strahov gate they were met by the guilds of Prague carrying their banners, and by numerous peasants 'all clad in the old Bohemian dress and bearing arms that had been used during the Hussite Wars.' On November 4 Frederick was crowned King of Bohemia in St. Vitus's Cathedral, and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place there three days later.
The winning manners of Frederick at first obtained for him considerable popularity, and when Queen Elizabeth gave birth to a son--Prince Rupert--on December 26 the citizens of Prague greatly rejoiced. Difficulties, however, soon arose. The King was ignorant of the national language, and seems to have made no attempt to acquire it. When Frederick's Calvinist divines persuaded him to have the altars and paintings removed from St. Vitus's Cathedral, Lutherans, Utraquists and Romanists were equally indignant.