With that the Thirty Years' War was at an end. Sweden received two
million thalers and some places of importance; these were enfeoffed
to Germany, and in exchange Sweden had three votes in the German
Reichstag.
But Germany's population was only a quarter of what it had been,
and, while it had formerly been one State under the Emperor, it was
now split up into three hundred little States. However, the liberty
of faith affirmed in the Confession of Augsburg, 1555, was
recovered, and extended to the reformed districts. It was dearly
bought, but with it North Germany had also obtained freedom from
Rome, and that could not be too dearly purchased.
Out of chaos comes creation and new creation. From the Germanic
chaos emerged North Germany, the seed of which was Brandenberg,
later on developing into Prussia, and finally the German Empire,
which received the imperial crown at Versailles, but not from the
hands of Rome.
THE GREAT CZAR
On the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland lay the little village
Strelna, halfway between Petersburg and the half-completed Peterhof.
At the end of the village, on the edge of the Strelka stream, stood
a simple country-house under oaks and pines. It was painted green
and red, and the window-shutters were still fastened, for it was
only four o'clock on a summer morning.
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