Botskoi’s Manifesto.—­Horrible Suffering in Transylvania.—­Character of Botskoi.—­Confidence of the Protestants.—­Superstition of Rhodolph.—­His Mystic Studies.—­Acquirements of Matthias.—­Schemes of Matthias.—­His Increasing Power.—­Treaty with the Turks.—­Demands on Rhodolph.—­The Compromise.—­Perfidy of Matthias.—­The Margravite.—­Filibustering.—­The People’s Diet.—­A Hint to Royalty.—­The Bloodless Triumph.—­Demands of the Germans.—­Address of the Prince of Anhalt to the King.

Stephen Botskoi issued a spirited manifesto to his countrymen, urging them to seek by force of arms that redress which they could obtain in no other way.  The Hungarians flocked in crowds to his standard.  Many soldiers deserted from the service of the emperor and joined the insurrection.  Botskoi soon found himself in possession of a force sufficiently powerful to meet the Austrian troops in the field.  The two hostile armies soon met in the vicinity of Cassau.  The imperial troops were defeated with great slaughter, and the city of Cassau fell into the hands of Botskoi; soon his victorious troops took several other important fortresses.  The inhabitants of Transylvania, encouraged by the success of Botskoi, and detesting the imperial rule, also in great numbers crowded his ranks and intreated him to march into Transylvania.  He promptly obeyed their summons.  The misery of the Transylvanians was, if possible, still greater than that of the Hungarians.  Their country presented but a wide expanse of ruin and starvation.  Every aspect of comfort and industry was obliterated.  The famishing inhabitants were compelled to use the most disgusting animals for food; and when these were gone, in many cases they went to the grave-yard, in the frenzied torments of hunger, and devoured the decaying bodies of the dead.  Pestilence followed in the train of these woes, and the land was filled with the dying and the dead.

The Turks marched to the aid of Botskoi to expel the Austrians.  Even the sway of the Mussulman was preferable to that of the bigoted Rhodolph.  Hungary, Transylvania and Turkey united, and the detested Austrians were driven out of Transylvania, and Botskoi, at the head of his victorious army, and hailed by thousands as the deliverer of Transylvania, was inaugurated prince of the province.  He then returned to Hungary, where an immense Turkish army received him, in the plains of Rahoz, with regal honors.  Here a throne was erected.  The banners of the majestic host fluttered in the breeze, and musical bands filled the air with their triumphal strains as the regal diadem was placed upon the brow of Botskoi, and he was proclaimed King of Hungary.  The Sultan Achment sent, with his congratulations to the victorious noble, a saber of exquisite temper and finish, and a gorgeous standard.  The grand vizier himself placed the royal diadem upon his brow.