Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
| Maximilian II | |
|---|---|
| Holy Roman Emperor (Imperator Romanorum) | |
| Holy Roman Emperor Archduke of Austria | |
| Reign | 25 July 1564 – 12 October 1576 |
| Predecessor | Ferdinand I |
| Successor | Rudolf II |
| King of Germany King of Bohemia | |
| Reign | 1562 – 1576 |
| Coronation | 14 May 1562, Prague (Bohemia) 24 November 1562 (Election of the King of Germany (the Romans)) |
| Predecessor | Ferdinand I |
| Successor | Rudolf II |
| Co-monarch | Ferdinand I (1562 – 1564) |
| King of Hungary and Croatia | |
| Reign | 1563 – 1576 |
| Coronation | 8 September 1563, Pressburg |
| Predecessor | Ferdinand I |
| Successor | Rudolf II |
| Co-monarch | Ferdinand I (1563 – 1564) |
| Born | 31 July 1527 Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 12 October 1576 (aged 49) Imperial City of Regensburg, Holy Roman Empire |
| Spouse | Maria of Austria (m. 1548) |
| Issue | These are all his 16 children:
|
| House | Habsburg (Maximilian II Habsburg) |
| Father | Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor |
| Mother | Anne of Bohemia and Hungary |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
Maximilian II (31 July 1527 – 12 October 1576) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death. A member of the House of Habsburg, he became King of Bohemia in 1562, King of Germany in 1562, and King of Hungary and King of Croatia in 1563. He succeeded his father Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor in 1564.[1] Maximilian's reign was shaped by religious tensions following the Peace of Augsburg in 1555, as he tried to ease conflicts between Catholic and Lutheran groups but ultimately failed.[2] He also dealt with ongoing threats from the Ottoman Empire and faced conflicts with his Spanish relatives.[3]
Born in Vienna, Maximilian was the son of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anne of Bohemia and Hungary. Educated by humanist scholars, he gained military experience in the Italian War of 1542–46 and the Schmalkaldic War. In 1548, he married Maria of Spain, strengthening ties with Spain. Despite his Catholic background, Maximilian had Lutheran influences, causing concerns within the Catholic Church.[4] He focused on defending his lands and developing Vienna, overseeing the construction of important buildings like the Hofburg Palace and Neugebäude Palace.[1]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Encyclopædia, Britannica (2009). "Maximilian-II,-Holy-Roman-Emperor". www.britannica.com.
- ↑ Fichtner, Paula Sutter. Emperor Maximilian II. Yale University Press, 2001.
- ↑ "Maximilian II: caught between the competing priorities of Vienna, Prague and Madrid". Die Welt der Habsburger. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
- ↑ Marshall, Peter. The Mercurial Emperor: The Magic Circle of Rudolf II in Renaissance Prague. Yale University Press, 2013, pp. 10–12.