By the dawn of 1630, the Emperor's triumph was secure in the Empire, but now he would have to reckon with the princes and electors of that Empire. They had some steep demands of their own - the dismissal of Wallenstein, and a lasting peace plan which would guarantee their security. The Emperor's wish for a declaration of war on the Dutch, and the confirmation of his son as heir, would have to wait.

Further afield, storm clouds loomed on the horizon which threatened the hard won triumphs. The Spanish demanded a higher contribution from their Austrian cousins; the war in North Italy had turned against their interests, and required more and more soldiers from the Emperor's reserves. The Dutch continued to defeat Spain in detail, and the French continued to finance their exploits. But even worse news was to come. 

King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, armed with a long list of grievances and a large army, landed in Germany just as the Regensburg meeting was settling. He had picked an ideal moment to do so. The Empire was divided religiously thanks to the Edict of Restitution; Wallenstein had been dismissed; the German princes were all wary of the Emperor's promises and weary of war, and on top of this, the bulk of Habsburg forces had been diverted far from North Germany, and in the quagmire in North Italy. All that remained, was for the King of Sweden to land his first blow, and all the triumphs of the last decade could come crumbling down...

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