George William nodded as he seated himself in the chair set for him and regarded his brother. How different now from the old days when he used to say: I am going to Italy! and Ernest Augustus used to implore to be taken with him, and listened wide-eyed to his elder brother’s adventures. Now it was George William who waited on the words of Ernest Augustus.
‘Louis has to be vanquished. The Emperor Leopold will never forgive him for invading the Palatinate and destroying Heidelberg and Mannheim.’
‘Nor should we,’ retorted George William. ‘I am sure the Duchess Sophia will never forget what they have done to her family.’
Ernest Augustus hid his impatience. George William was sentimental. Had he not learned yet that wise rulers did not go to war for the sake of sentiment but for material gain, and Ernest Augustus had decided that more could be gained by supporting the Emperor Leopold than remaining outside the conflict, and it was for this reason that he had invited his brother to Hanover.
He said: ‘The Emperor is very eager for our help.’
‘We are so small, compared with himself and the French and all the allies.’
‘Small but strategic, my dear brother. And are we even so small? Hanover and Celle combined could give a good account of themselves.’
‘So we should be together.’
‘Certainly. We are closer than ever now since my son married your daughter. Our soldiers have distinguished themselves in battle, and Leopold wants us to set an example to the other small German states. If we come in they will follow us. If we remain aloof, so will they. My wife is determined that we shall join the allies. You know why.’
‘She wants to be on the side of William of Orange. We know of her fondness for the English.’
‘She is not blind to her advantages, either. If we support William, she will ask that he does his utmost to bring in an Act of Settlement which will exclude James’s son from the throne. You know what that means.’
George William nodded. ‘But it is hardly likely that both William and Mary and Anne will have no children.’
‘It is not a very remote possibility. Sophia finds out all she can about the health of those three and it is not good. After Anne – provided William kept his promise and brought in an act to exclude the Stuart – Sophia could be Queen of England. You know what that means, George William. Your daughter – through her marriage with George Lewis – could in time be Queen of England. A little different, eh, from the Duchess of a small German state.’
George William agreed. His eyes shone with pleasure. This made everything worth while. What was a little unhappiness at the beginning when everything could turn out so gloriously. He felt more comforted than he had since that September morning.
‘Not only this, but you know how I have always wanted an Electorate for Hanover. If we provide the troops for the Emperor I can see all sorts of benefits coming to us.’
‘In any case,’ said George William, ‘it is natural for us to be on the side of the Emperor.’
Ernest Augustus smiled. George William would never really change.
‘Mind you,’ went on Ernest Augustus, ‘the Electorate will not easily be come by. There are eight already in the German Empire and the Emperor would have to exert his special prerogative to create another. He will though, providing he gets a good enough price for it. I have been in communication with him and we have stated our desires quite frankly. We could not afford to have misunderstanding on such a matter.’
‘We could not indeed.’
Good brother! It was so pleasant to hear him echoing what was expected of him.
‘We have not only to support the Emperor against Louis and the Turks in Morea, but he wants money too.’
‘How much?’
‘An annual payment of five hundred thousand thalers.’
George William whistled. Then he said: ‘Well, we can do it … between us.’
Between us? thought Ernest August. The bulk would have to come from Celle. But why not? George William had the money and it was an investment for the future prosperity of the house of Brunswick-Lüneberg.
‘He also wants a force of nine thousand men.’
‘And for these concessions?’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that. I have insisted on a definite promise. The Electorate – not immediately – but definitely, and as soon as it can be conveniently bestowed. And Orange has promised to do everything in his power to place Sophia in the succession. Now brother, is that a good bargain? And are you not delighted that you married your daughter to my son.’
‘I can see,’ replied George William, ‘that she has made the best possible of all matches. And what pleases me, is that we have been brought together again.’
Ernest Augustus rose and laid his arm about his brother’s shoulder. George William was comforted.
As he had known he would, Ernest Augustus told Clara what was happening.
‘An Electorate,’ she said. ‘That will delight my lord.’
‘I have always wanted it,’ admitted Ernest Augustus. ‘I’ve been working towards it for years.’
‘That I know well. And but for your brother you would not have been so near it. I’ll warrant he is supplying most of those five hundred thousand thalers – and that a number of the soldiers will come from Celle.’
‘And why not?’
‘I agree. Let him pay. What an excellent stroke of luck that we arranged that marriage with Celle.’
‘It was a stroke of genius.’
‘I hope you remember who did so much to promote it.’
Ernest Augustus laughed. ‘I’ve never denied that the Platens played their part.’
‘You have had your reward.’
‘You are implying that they have not?’
‘Baron!’ she said. ‘It is not a very high sounding title.’
‘What about Count?’
‘Charming.’
‘And that would make you happy?’
‘Try it. I’ll swear you will be pleased with your happy Countess.’
Ernest Augustus needed brilliant commanders to lead his men and his attention was directed by his sons Charles and Maximilian to Count Königsmarck.
Ernest Augustus had already noticed the Count, who had made quite a stir in Hanover. In the first place since the death of his uncle Otho William he was reputed to be one of the richest men in Europe, and he made no secret of the fact, judging by the style in which he lived.
Apparently he intended to stay some time in Hanover for he bought himself a house not far from the Alte Palais and here he had set up an establishment of such grandeur that it was the talk of the neighbourhood. He filled it with twenty-nine indoor servants; and when he took a journey, however short, he rode in a cavalcade of fifty horses and mules. Such a large company to wait on one young man was certain to attract attention. Moreover, he was startlingly handsome and sumptuously dressed. He had brought a wardrobe with him which he had accumulated not only in Saxony but in France.
Ernest Augustus heard from his younger sons that Königsmarck was the most interesting young man at court. He therefore asked that he should be presented to him.
The young man came, resplendent; his doeskin coat embroidered with silver thread; his silk waistcoat magnificent; but even more striking than his elegance were his handsome looks. He was young, clear-eyed, clear-skinned, and, Ernest Augustus conjectured, about the same age as his own George Lewis. But what a contrast! Of course George Lewis was a good soldier, and it was soldiers who were more useful to a country than dandies; but there was in this young man’s bearing something which suggested that he was no fop. His elegant good looks had been bestowed on him by nature and he would have been a fool to ignore them.