Kings & rulers > History of Charles XII. King of Sweden

CHARLES XIT. B. II. 53
ie Sapieba, the Lubomirflty and their friends, the
alatine Lecfmlky treafurer of the crown, and above
II, the partizans of the Princes Sobielky, were all
- ecretly attached to the king of Sweden.
, The moft confiderable enemy the king of Poland
| sad, was Cardinal Radjoufky, archbifhop of Gnefna,
j irimate of the kingdom, and prefident of the dieted
j ie was a man full of artifice and referve in his con-
.J ludt; entirely governed by an ambitious woman,
„;fhom the Swedes called Madame la Cardinale, who
J ever ce .fed to pufh him on to intrigue and faftion.
.i S^he primate’s talent lay chiefly in making his advan-
jitgeofthe conjunflures which fell in his way, with-
ff endeavouring to give rife to them. He would appear
refolved when he was.moft abfolutely determi-
Jed in his projects, feeking always to gain his ends
1 »y ways which feemed moft oppofite to them. King
;■ ^ohn Sobielky, the predecelfor of Auguftus, had for-
: jerly made him biftsopof War'melant, and. vice-chan-
;’j teller of the kingdom. And Radjoufley, whilft a pri^
lisate bilhop. obtained the cardinals hat by the favour
if the fame prince. This dignity Toon opened him
he way to the primacy ; and this uniting in his per*
On whatever is apt to impofe upon others, he was
p a condition to intrigue with impunity.
Upon the death of John he ufecThis utmoft endea*
aurs to place prince James Sobielky upon the throne j
f>ut the torrent of hatred they bore to the father,
nough fo great a man as he was, fet afide the fon.
The cardinal primate then joined with the Abbe de
olignac, embaflador of France, to give the Crown to
lie prince of Conti, who in reality was eledled, but
ie money and troops of Saxony got the better of his
loquence. He at laft fuflTered himfelf to be drawn
nto the party which crowned the ele&or of Saxony,
nd waited with impatience for an opportunity to
wdlvifion between the nation and the new king.
The vidtories of Charles XII. protedlor of prince