Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor

From Freepedia

Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor (March 10, 1503 – July 27, 1564) was one of the Habsburg emperors that at various periods during his life ruled over Austria, Germany, Bohemia and Hungary.

Ferdinand was born in Madrid, the son of Philip von Habsburg (1478–1506) and his wife Juana of Castile (1479–1555).

Ferdinand was the younger brother of Charles who became the Emperor, and was instead given control of the Habsburg Hereditary Lands (roughly modern-day Austria and Slovenia). On May 25, 1521 in Linz, Austria, he married Anne of Bohemia (1503–1547), daughter of King Ladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his wife Anne de Foix. He generally ruled the Empire during his brother's absence, and in 1531 was elected King of the Romans, making him his brother's designated heir.

After Suleiman the Magnificent defeated Louis II the king of Bohemia and Hungary and Ferdinand's brother-in-law on August 29 1526, Ferdinand was elected king of Bohemia on October 24, while the Kingdom of Hungary became subject to a dynastic dispute between the Habsburgs and the Zapolyas, who were headed by John Zápolya, prince of Transylvania. Each was supported by a certain amount of the nobility from the Hungarian kingdom, while Ferdinand also had the support of his brother Charles. Yet in 1526 Ferdinand won the battle of Tokaj but it was not enough to gain controll over all Hungary.

In 1529, his forces successfully repelled Suleiman's assault on his capital at Vienna (First Battle of Vienna), although Ferdinand had notably already fled for Bohemia. Finally, in 1533 Ferdinand signed a peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire, splitting the Kingdom of Hungary between the Habsburg part in the west and John Zápolya's domain in the east.

Starting with Ferdinand in 1527, Habsburgs would eventually convert the elected crowns of both Bohemia and Hungary into their hereditary possession. In 1538, by the Treaty of Nagyvárad/Grosswardein, Ferdinand became Zápolya's successor, but was unable to enforce this agreement during his lifetime.

In 1540 John Sigismund Zápolya, son of John and Isabell Jagiellonica, was elected new king of Hungary. He was initially supported by king Sigismud II Augustus of Poland and Lithuania, brother of Isabell, but soon in 1549 a treaty was signed between the Habsburgs and the polish ruler. Poland became neutral in the conflict and Sigismund Augustus married Elisabeth Habsburg, doughter of Ferdinand.

As the ruler of Austria, Bohemia and Hungary, Ferdinand tended to centralization and building a modern absolute monarchy. In 1527 he issued a consitution for his hereditary domains (Hofstaatsordnung) nad established austrian-styled institutions in Pressburg for Hungary, in Prague for Bohemia and in Wroclaw (Breslau) for Silesia. A strong nobles opposition forced him to annouce these institutions independent from the supervision of austrian government in Vienna in 1559.

In 1547 a bohemian estates rebelled against Ferdinand when he ordered to sent bohemian army against german protestants. Ferdinand took over Prague with the help of hs brother's Spanish forces. Then he limited the privileges of bohemian cities and establish a new kind of royal officials to controll urban authorities. In 1551 Ferdinand invited the Jesuits to Vienna and in 1556 to Prague. He supported the counterreformation. In 1561 Ferdinand reactivated the archibishopric in Prague.

After the abdication of his brother, Charles V, Ferdinand assumed the title of the Holy Roman Emperor. Charles also agreed to exclude his son Philip from the German succession, which instead passed to Ferdinand's eldest son Maximilian (1527–1576).

Other children of Ferdinand and Anne included:

• Ferdinand (1529–1595)
• Marie (1531–1581). Consort of William III, Duke of Cleves.
• Johanna (1547–1578)
• Anna (1528 – circa 1590)
• Karl (1540–1590)
• Elisabeth – In 1549 she was married king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland and Lithuania.
• Catharine – In 1553 she was married king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland and Lithuania.

He died in Vienna and is buried in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.

Names in other languages: German, Czech, Slovak, Croatian: Ferdinand I.; Hungarian: I. Ferdinánd

Preceded by: Louis II	King of Hungary King of Bohemia	Succeeded by: Maximilian II
Preceded by: Charles V	King of Germany Also Holy Roman Emperor-Elect Archduke of Austria
	Regent of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola	Succeeded by: Archduke Charles II
	Regent of Tyrol and Further Austria	Succeeded by: Archduke Ferdinand II