Description:
(Holy Roman Emperor)
Ferdinand II was a member of the House of Habsburg and served as the Holy Roman Emperor (1619–1637), the king of Bohemia (1617–1619 and 1620–1637), and the king of Hungary (1618–1637). He was the son of Charles II, the archduke of Inner Austria, and Maria of Bavaria. His primary conflict began when the Protestant Bohemians overthrew him and elected Frederick V as their new king in 1619. This marked the beginning of a long battle known as the Thirty Years’ War. He was supported by the forces of Count of Tilly Johann Tserclaes; Maximilian I, duke of Bavaria; and Bohemian general Albrecht von Wallenstein. In 1629, he introduced the ‘Edict of Restitution,’ forcing Protestants to return all church property acquired since the 1552 ‘Peace of Passau.’ Though the Protestants gathered the support of the king of Sweden, Gustavus II Adolphus, the Catholics won the Battle of Nördlingen. Ferdinand II then signed the ‘Peace of Prague’ in 1635 and elected his son, Ferdinand III, as his successor. He died at the age of 58 and remains buried in Graz, Austria. His heart was buried separately in the ‘Augustinian Church.’
Birthday
July 9, 0 (Cancer)
Born In
Austria
Alternative names
Ferdinand II
City
Graz, Austria
Died on
February 15, 0
Spouse/Ex-
Eleonora Gonzaga, Maria Anna of Bavaria
Parents
Charles II, Archduke of Austria
Maria Anna of Bavaria
Children
Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, Archduke John Charles of Austria, Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, Cecilia Renata of Austria, Christine von Habsburg, Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, Jan Karel Habsburský, Karl von Habsburg
Relatives
Anne of Austria, Archduchess Catherine Renata of Austria, Archduchess Eleanor of Austria, Archduchess Gregoria Maximiliana of Austria, Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria, Archduchess Maria Maddalena of Austria, Archduke Maximilian Ernest of Austria, Archduke of Austria, Bishop of Wroclaw, Charles of Austria, Constance of Austria, Leopold V, Margaret of Austria, Queen of Poland, Queen of Spain
What was the Defenestration of Prague and its connection to Ferdinand II?
The Defenestration of Prague was an event in 1618, where Protestant nobles threw two Catholic officials out of a window, sparking the Thirty Years' War, which was fueled by Ferdinand II's policies.
How did Ferdinand II consolidate his power as Holy Roman Emperor?
Ferdinand II consolidated his power by centralizing authority, promoting Catholicism, and suppressing Protestantism in the Holy Roman Empire, often through military force.
