ABSTRACT
In Germany the extent of Habsburg and imperial authority declined markedly. As new forces were brought into play which tilted the balance of power yet further towards the princes, Ferdinand's regency became increasingly embattled. In the early years of Ferdinand's rule, the indications were that imperial authority was at least to be maintained in Germany in an undiminished form and perhaps even reasserted with new vigour. The Regency Council, as established at the 'Diet of Worms', was of a particularly ambiguous nature. Although a useful instrument from the Habsburg point of view, the Regency Council suffered from one crucial defect: it could not enforce its commands, as one complainant put it, 'except by sending letters'. The Regency Council also provided a convenient instrument for expressing Habsburg policy. In this way, Charles's scheme of working with the estates and through the agencies of the reform movement prospered.
