Journal Entries

Dear Journal,
I am overwhelmed with how well the conquest of Bohemia is going. The Czechs have mainly been defeated at the Battle of White Mountain and now we are working on the conquest of the Bohemian Estate, to make our conquest complete. By taking over the Bohemian estate we will cripple the country’s government and their religious power as well. I can’t wait until I am king of both Austria and Bohemia.

Yours Truly,
Ferdinand II

Dear Journal,
My main goal throughout these past years has been to centralize the government in the German speaking provinces especially Austria, Styria, and Tyrol which now today I’m happy to declare is the main area of my family’s holdings (Habsburg’s). We now finally after numerous years have a permanent army ready to thwart and strike down any adversaries threatening our countries way of life. I also feel it is time to fight and take the plains of Hungary from the Ottoman Turks because I feel our empire is stronger than ever.

Yours Truly
Ferdinand III (r. 1637- 1657)

Dear Journal,
After years of fighting and hardships we have taken over Hungary from the ruthless Ottomans and I am thrilled at the vast empire that we throughout the years have amassed. I feel that since our family has done so well we need to keep absolutism in power to ensure our newly acquired land doesn’t go to corrupt political members and get dismantled. Therefore, I am thinking of issuing the Pragmatic Sanction, which will state that all of my families’ possessions will never be divided and will always be passed intact to a single heir of either sex, since I am the last of the Habsburg males. I hope that this is accepted and our reign will continue for years to come.

Yours Truly,
Charles VI ( r. 1711-1740)

Mckay, Hill, and Buckler. A History of Western Society. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.