On the Use of Natural Law 63 this, and so was Samuel von Pufendorf. A large part of his account of Swedish policy in Poland concerned the crucial connection with the Great Elector. According to Pufendorf, it was not possible for Frederick Williamto be unconcerned about the plans of Charles Gustavus for Poland. Frederick was forced to seek out different alliances. The King of Sweden was also eager to have good relations with Brandenburg. In 1654 he sent an ambassador there with the authority to make a formal agreement. When the plans on Poland started to be carried out in 1655, it was natural for Brandenburg in various ways to investigate Sweden’s intentions. Both princes probably wished to make an agreement. When the elector learned about the king’s actual plans in Poland, he explicitly offered a treaty. One crucial question in all this was Prussia, which the elector did not want to continue to hold as a fief of Poland.^^ But there was mutual distrust, which showed in the elector’s negotiations with the Netherlands against Sweden. The situation as a whole was uncertain and the cause of the vacillitating attitude in Berlin was an unjustified distrust of Sweden. In the negotiations with Sweden the elector’s delegates did not engage in earnest discussion, but they did make observations. At the same time the elector conducted secret negotiations with Poland.^- When the fortunes of war changed in favour of Sweden, Frederick William was forced into a formal agreement and friendship. In the negotiations the fealty of Prussia was a main question. It was necessary for the elector to accept a lower offer than he had wished.^^ Pufendorf states that the elector did not make the treaty either on his own will or through friendship to Sweden, but was forced into it in order to avoid attack. But he kept his word in 1656, when Sweden’s position was weakened. In order to make the ties closer, Brandenburg did, however, obtain a new and more favourable treaty. The two princes marched together against Warsaw, although there was some hesitation on the part of Brandenburg.^^ The friendship between the two states nevertheless started to waver. There were several causes for this. The elector still held Prussia only as a fief, but nowfrom Sweden; it might be unwise to follow Charles Gustavus, Samuel Pufendorf, De rebus a Carolo Gustavo Sveciae rege gestls commentatorionem libri septem elegantissimus tabulis venis exorrati cum triplici indicie, Norrlngbergae 1696. I §§ 57—58, 54—55. 52 Ibid. II §§ 55—57. 53 ibid. II § 65. 5-' ibid. Ill §§ 19, 24. 55 ibid. Ill §§ 33—34. 55 ibid. Ill 36—39.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=