Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor
Matthias (24 February 1557 – 20 March 1619) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1612 to 1619, Archduke of Austria from 1608 to 1619, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1608 to 1618 and King of Bohemia from 1611 to 1617. His personal motto was Concordia lumine maior ("Unity is stronger in the light").
| Matthias | |
|---|---|
Portrait by Lucas van Valckenborch, 1583 | |
| Holy Roman Emperor | |
| Reign | 13 June 1612 – 20 March 1619 |
| Coronation | 26 June 1612 Frankfurt Cathedral |
| Predecessor | Rudolf II |
| Successor | Ferdinand II |
| Born | 24 February 1557 Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 20 March 1619 (aged 62) Vienna, Austria, Holy Roman Empire |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | |
| House | Habsburg |
| Father | Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor |
| Mother | Maria of Austria |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature | |
Matthias played a significant role in the familial opposition of the Habsburgs against his brother Emperor Rudolf II. After gaining power, he showed little political initiative of his own. The course of his politics was determined by Cardinal Melchior Klesl until his fall in 1618. As a consequence of his failed religious and administrative policies, the Bohemian Revolt, the initial theatre of the Thirty Years' War, began during the final year of Matthias' reign.