[238] The Austrian General Haynau had become famous for his severe repressive measures in Italy during the bombardment of Peschiera and by his reprisals upon the inhabitants of Bergamo and Ferrara, by the sack of Brescia and the massacre of the insurgents. Afterwards, during the Hungarian war, he showed the same severity in the executions carried out at Pesth and Arad in October 1849; he was even said to have had women flogged. The General was staying at Berlin at that time.
[239] Frederick VII., King of Denmark, married on August 7 a milliner named Lola Bosmussen, called the Danish Lola, who was made a Countess for the purpose. A rumour then spread from Hamburg that the King had abdicated in favour of his natural heir, the Duke of Oldenburg, in order to simplify the question of succession, but this news was without foundation.
[240] Count Beust became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Dresden Cabinet in 1849, a post he had already held in 1841, and at the same time became responsible for the Ministry of Public Worship. He took an active part in the alliance of the Three Kings and attempted, with the concurrence of Austria, to bring about an alliance of the four Sovereigns.
[241] King Louis Philippe died on August 26.
[242] Popular feeling had been greatly aroused against General Haynau, on account of the repressive methods which he had used in the Italian and Hungarian wars in 1848 and 1849. In September 1850 he made a journey to London, and as he was visiting the brewery of Barclay and Perkins the workmen hooted him, mobbed him, tore out his moustaches, and threatened to throw him into their barrels.
[243] Queen Louise died at Ostend on October 11, and was buried on the 16th at the Church of Laeken.
[244] The struggle between Austria and Prussia had reached a critical point and provided the Emperor Nicholas with the opportunity of arbitrating between these two Powers, under pretext of preventing war. He went to Warsaw and there summoned conferences between the young Emperor of Austria and Prince Schwarzenberg, the President of the Austrian Council and the Count of Brandenburg representing Prussia. All eyes were turned in this direction, and assurances were given that every question which then disturbed Germany, the problems of Hesse, Schleswig, and of Austrian or Prussian supremacy, would be decided. The exasperation which the Count of Brandenburg experienced in consequence of the concessions then made by Prussia, was believed to be the cause of his death which occurred at the beginning of November.
[245] The Prussian and Austro-Bavarian troops had in fact come into conflict on the road of Fulda, near the village of Brounzell, and five Austrian soldiers had been wounded in this outpost struggle.
[246] Extract from a letter.
[247] The conferences were held at Dresden in the greatest secrecy and were prolonged throughout the winter. They ended in a second Olmütz in May 1851.