A centre of Protestant power was established in the North--i.e., Prussia.
After centuries of struggle the Germans had succeeded in driving back the Slavs, who poured in from the East, in wrestling large tracts from them, and in completely Germanizing them.

This struggle, like that with the niggard soil, produced a sturdy race, conscious of its strength, which extended its power to the coasts of the Baltic, and successfully planted Germanic culture in the far North.

The German nation was finally victorious also against Swedes, who disputed the command of the Baltic.
In that war the Great Elector had laid the foundations of a strong political power, which, under his successors, gradually grew into an influential force in Germany.

The headship of Protestant Germany devolved more and more on this state, and a counterpoise to Catholic Austria grew up.

This latter State had developed out of Germany into an independent great Power, resting its supremacy not only on a German population, but also on Hungarians and Slavs.