Austrian Habsburg Brothers' Conflict, 1606-1612




In the early 17th century, Emperor Rudolf II. lost his capability to govern. Archduke Matthias, who as commander in the Habsburg-Ottoman War 1592-1606, as commander of the Austrian troops (1594-1595, 1598-1601) had proven himself, and who in the negotiations leading to the peace with Transylvania 1604 had made concessions to the protestant communities, challenged Emperor Rudolf. The peace treaties with Transylvania (1604) and with the Ottoman Empire (1606) were Matthias' accomplishment.
In defiance of Rudolf, the Estates of Hungary, Austria and Moravia opted for Matthias in 1608, in return for concessions to the territories' protestant communities. In the same year, Matthias was crowned King of Hungary (Royal Hungary that is); in 1611 King of Bohemia, again in return for concessions to the Protestant communities.
Emperor Rudolf II. died in 1612 and was succeeded by his brother Matthias.



EXTERNAL
FILES 		Articles Matthias, Rudolf II., from aeiou
DOCUMENTS Allegorie auf die Regierung des Kaisers Matthias, Nach Egidius Sadeler, 1614/15, from DHM
REFERENCE Gustav Engel, Politische Geschichte Westfalens (Political History of Westphalia), Köln : Grote 1968



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted on June 10th 2003, last revised on November 19th 2004

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