IV. 1864-66. Commencement of hostilities. CHAP. fort had formally declared that if measures were taken by Prussia against Hanover, Saxony, and Electoral Hesse they would be energetically opposed by his Government. When, therefore, Prussian troops entered these countries, Prussia considered that Austria would carry out her threats, and, regarding the statement of the Austrian representative as a declaration of war, her armies in Silesia were set in movement against the Bohemian frontier. With regard to the other German States, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Oldenburg, Anhalt, Reuss (elder branch) Waldeck, Lippe and the free towns of Bremen, Lubeck, and Hamburgh joined Prussia. Brunswick and Mecklenburg-Strelitz both agreed to the political reforms of Prussia, and to the convocation of a German Parliament, but expressed a desire, which was acceded to, to remain neutral. Italy and As early as the beginning of March, General Govone had been sent on a secret mission from Florence to Berlin to negotiate an alliance between Prussia and Italy during the war that was then threatening. A treaty of alliance of three months' duration was signed between the two countries on April 8, 1866, in which Italy promised to support, with armed force if necessary, the Constitutional Reforms of Prussia in Germany, and was to receive Venice in return at the conclusion of peace. Although Italy was defeated in the war, both on land and sea, in the only battles in which she engaged, she attained the object for which she IV. 1864-66. undertook hostilities. The Emperor of Austria CHAP. ceded the province of Venetia to France in order to obtain her mediation in the peace negotiations, and the Emperor of the French, a peace being signed, transferred it to Victor Emmanuel. Within seven weeks from the outbreak of hostilities the Hanoverian army had capitulated, the Elector of Hesse was a prisoner in the fortress of Stettin, the South Germanic armies were paralysed, the Austrian and Saxon forces had been signally defeated at Königgrätz, and the road to Vienna was open. No help from the neutral Powers could be Treaty of looked for by Austria, and mediation in the peace negotiations was all she could obtain even from France. An armistice was concluded at Nickolsburg July 26, 1866, which led to the definitive treaty of peace signed at Prague August 23, 1866. The augmentation which Prussia thereby acquired was very considerable, and she has been much reproached for the grasping spirit she evinced. The adherents to the policy of Prussia repel these reproaches. The object for which she had been striving, and for the attainment of which she had expended much blood and treasure, was the unity of Germany; and although this was not accomplished, a great step had been made in advance. It was inevitable that some particular interests should be sacrificed in the achievement of a great national reform. The entire incorporation of some States with the dominions of Prussia could be justified Prague. CHAP. IV. 1864-66. on the ground that the State who was to be at the head of the German body politic should be made as powerful as possible. Prussia was the State which had staked most on the struggle for the fulfilment of the desires of all true Germans, and it was but just that she should receive her reward. It was absolutely necessary that countries like Hanover, Hesse, and Nassau should be absorbed. Their dynastical policy ran counter to the work which Prussia had undertaken. The obstacles must be removed. Saxony saved herself from absorption by accepting the alternative of vassalage. It was impossible for Prussia to re-establish the status quo ante bellum: the existence of antagonistic States of the doubtful importance of Hanover, Hesse, and others, in the midst of a Confederation which must consist of homogeneous and harmonious parts, could not be permitted by the country which had originated, fought for, and was about to lead, this Confederation. CHAPTER V. Armistice of Nickolsburg-Treaty of Prague-The new Constitution -The South German States-The annexed provinces-The Luxemburg question-The reorganization of Germany-Establishment of the German Empire. V. 1866-71. Armistice burg. By the armistice concluded at Nickolsburg on July CHAP. 26, 1866, the Emperor of Austria recognised the dissolution of the Germanic Confederation, as it had hitherto existed, and agreed to a new organization of Nickolsof Germany without the participation of Austria. * His Majesty likewise promised to recognize the Confederation which the King of Prussia would establish north of the line of the Main, and declared himself willing that the German States south of this line should enter into a union, whose relations with the North German Confederation were to be the subject of an ulterior agreement between the two parties. Article X. of the Treaty of Prague added the words, And which shall have an international and independent existence." Prague. A Definitive Treaty of Peace was signed at Treaty of Prague August 23, 1866, and Prussia concluded separate treaties of peace with the other German States. The Treaty of Prague increased the territory of Prussia by 1,308 square miles, and her population V. 1866-71. Prussian acquisitions CHAP. by 4,815,000. The acquisition of Hanover, Electoral Hesse, Nassau, and Frankfort was claimed by Prussia by right of conquest. Prussia had declared on June 14, 1866, that she considered the Confederation dissolved by the declaration of war, and that she therefore stood as a European Power and not as a member of the Confederation towards those countries. These acquisitions were, of course, recognised by Austria and the other German States in the several treaties. The incorporation of Slesvig and Holstein rested on the grounds of right of conquest and of cession. Denmark, in 1864, had ceded the Duchies to Austria and Prussia, and in 1866 Austria handed them over entirely to Prussia. As the Duke of Augustenburg had taken the side of the Austrians during the late war, his rights were considered abrogated by right of conquest. But by the influence Article V. of the Emperor of the French the thorny Art. V. was inserted in the Treaty of Prague. It runs as follows:- His Majesty the Emperor of Austria transfers to His Majesty the King of Prussia all the rights which he acquired by the Vienna Treaty of Peace of October 30, 1864, over the Duchies of Holstein and Slesvig, with the condition, that the populations of the northern districts of Slesvig shall be ceded to Denmark if, by a free vote, they express a wish to be united to that country.' The countries north of the Main entered into treaties of offensive and defensive alliance, by which |