In November of the same year he made an alliance with Paul III, receiving 200,000 ducats in support of his effort to extirpate the heresy.
Other considerations impelled him to attack at once.

The secession of Cologne and the Palatinate from the Catholic communion gave the Protestants a majority in the Electoral College.

Still more decisive was it that Charles was able at this time by playing upon the jealousies and ambitions of the states, to secure important allies within the Empire, including some of the Protestant faith.

First, Catholic Bavaria forgot her hatred of Austria far enough to make common cause against the heretics.

Then, two great Protestant princes, Maurice of Albertine Saxony and John von Kuestrin--a brother of Joachim II, Elector of Brandenburg--abandoned their coreligionists and bartered support to the emperor in return for promises of aggrandizement.
[Sidenote: January 1546] A final religious conference held at Ratisbon demonstrated more clearly than ever the hopelessness of conciliation.