What could be better than our sponsor? How about a new series I made all by myself! Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents.

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Take a break from the Bismarck party, because Episode 13 of the Thirty Years War, the Pax Hispania, is out NOW!

In this instalment of our series, we look at how the moment of peace moved the Spanish to act in concert with their Austrian Habsburg cousins. More specifically, we assess the relationship of the Emperor and the King of Spain and, it may surprise you to learn that it wasn’t especially good! In fact, mutual slights and unpaid bills had soured relations between the…relations, over the previous years, to the extent that a Treaty repairing the damage was necessary. The Onate Treaty was born, the product of Count Onate, a Spanish official and later ambassador in Vienna. Onate conceived of the Treaty not merely as a way to better the Habsburg dynastic relationship, but also to settle once and for all on the question of the succession. After many years, you see, the Austrian Habsburg line which was descended from Charles V’s brother Ferdinand I, was dying out.

All that remained were those childless Emperors Rudolf and Matthias. When they died, only Ferdinand of Styria would be left. Would Vienna push him forward, despite his shortcomings, or would they side with Philip III, and grant the King of Spain an even greater inheritance, the likes of which had not been since the days of his grandfather? Fortunately for the Habsburgs succession, but unfortunately for the peace of Europe, and of Spain, Vienna elected to go for Ferdinand of Styria. Per the terms of the Onate Treaty, Ferdinand of Styria would become Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, and he would enjoy the full support of Madrid. All he had to do in return, was promise Spain a short list of concessions…

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