Glimpse of European History Thread #197

Religion and politics are often interlinked sides of the same coin.

But when they don't mix well, it can get messy.

The unlikely ruler who was the centre of Europe's worst war over religion.

Story in the evening … https://t.co/2g7Y6w31Eo

— Ranjith Kollannur (@Arby_K) May 13, 2022

Religion and politics are often interlinked sides of the same coin.

But when they don't mix well, it can get messy.

The unlikely ruler who was the centre of Europe's worst war over religion.

Ferdinand was born in 1578 to Karl, Archduke of Inner Austria and his niece, Maria Anna of Bavaria. Archduke Karl was the youngest son of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand and was the younger brother of Emperor Maximilian and Ferdinand, Archduke of Further Austria. 1/10

Inner Austria was one of the divisions of Austria to which the Habsburgs divided it in 14th century. Different branches of the Habsburgs ruled in these divisions. Ferdinand succeeded in Inner Austria in 1590, along with his 3 brothers (in theory, since they joined clergy). 2/10

Emperor Maximilian died in 1576 and his eldest son, Rudolf, was elected as his successor. Rudolf also had a long list of younger brothers. Eldest among them, Ernst, became the Stadtholder of Netherlands, ruled by the senior Habsburg branch of Spain. Ernst died in 1595. 3/10

Next was Matthias who received Further Austria after his uncle's death in 1595. Ernst's death made Matthias the most senior Habsburg in the Austrian line, after the Emperor. This brought the brothers into conflict, when Emperor Rudolf faced bouts of mental instability. 4/10

Archduke Ferdinand tacitly backed his cousin Matthias against the Emperor and it was ultimately Matthias who prevailed. In 1611, Matthias was crowned King of Bohemia and the next year got elected Emperor after the death of Emperor Rudolf. 5/10

But Emperor Matthias soon lost support within his family. Already in his 50s, he lacked a male heir and was seen more supportive of Protestants in the Habsburg domain, much to the chagrin of the other Habsburgs, who were Catholic, with some, like Ferdinand, fiercely so. 6/10

The divisions between the Protestants and the Catholics had increased after rioting in Donauwörth in 1606. In exchange for territory, Archduke Ferdinand received support from Felipe, King of Spain, in becoming King of Bohemia and (Royal) Hungary. 7/10

King Ferdinand doubled down on religion imposing Catholicism over his domains. But the Protestants resisted, especially the Hussites in Bohemia, who deposed him as king and elected a new king. But with Spanish and Bavarian help, Ferdinand managed to retain his crowns. 8/10

By this time Emperor Matthias had died and Ferdinand was elected in his place. The victory in Bohemia led the new Emperor to take his war into the imperial provinces, but it soon cascaded into a continental war involving the Dutch, the Danes, the Swedes and the French. 9/10

Supported by his cousin, Maximilian of Bavaria, and his general, Albrecht von Wallenstein, Ferdinand gained some initial victories, but at a great cost of life. The war continued long after Ferdinand died and he was unable to impose his religious views across his Empire. 10/10

Originally tweeted by Ranjith Kollannur (@Arby_K) on May 13, 2022.

Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria (1619-1637), Archduke of Inner Austria (1590-1637), Archduke of Further Austria (1619-1623), King of Bohemia (1617-1619), (1620-1637), King of Hungary & Croatia (1618-1637), Holy Roman Emperor (1618-1637) – Though the Peace of Augsburg of 1555 allowed for Lutherans and Catholics to co-exist within the Empire, other Protestant religions like the Calvinists and the Hussites were not allowed. For a while, it was a watchful coexistence, until Ferdinand chose to reimpose Catholicism in the Habsburg domains and later in the Empire, after his election as Emperor. The Thirty Years War followed which would go on to redefine religion and borders across Europe.