Historica Olomucensia

This article explores English-language prints concerning the early days of Frederick V of the Palatinate’s reign in Bohemia, with a particular focus on propaganda strategies. Taking John Harrison’s A Short Relation of the Departure of the High and Mightie Prince Frederick as a central material, it examines how English readers were encouraged to support Frederick and his wife, Elizabeth Stuart, during the turbulent early stages of the Thirty Years’ War. The study situates Harrison’s work within broader debates about early modern print culture and literacy, mentioning both the limits and the potential of pamphlet literature as a tool of political mobilisation. Harrison’s account combines emotional appeals with militant Protestant imagery, drawing heavily on English national identity, biblical analogies, and the memory of Elizabeth I. The study also contrasts Harrison’s narrative with an account by Martin Opitz. Ultimately, the article points out that Harrison’s text exemplifies a distinctly English type of Protestant propaganda rooted in hopes for a pan-European religious alliance. However, despite public enthusiasm, this propaganda failed to influence James I’s foreign policy, highlighting the disconnect between print-driven popular sentiment and royal decision-making.

Keywords: Frederick V of the Palatinate; Elizabeth Stuart; Prague; Heidelberg; Estates' Uprising; Coronation; Royal tour; Protestantism; Propaganda