Leopold I of Habsburg
Leopold I was Holy Roman Emperor for nearly half a century, from 1658 to 1705, making his reign one of the longest in the empire's history. A deeply devout Catholic of diffident personal manner but considerable political tenacity, Leopold presided over the Habsburg dynasty at a moment of extraordinary external pressure from both the Ottoman Empire in the east and Bourbon France under Louis XIV in the west. The most dramatic moment of Leopold's reign came in 1683, when a massive Ottoman army besieged Vienna. Leopold fled the city as the Ottomans approached, but his diplomatic efforts secured a relief army under King John III Sobieski of Poland, which defeated the Ottomans at the Battle of Vienna on September 12, 1683 in one of the decisive engagements of European history. This victory launched the Great Turkish War, ultimately resulting in the Peace of Karlowitz in 1699, by which the Habsburgs acquired Hungary, Transylvania, and other territories. Leopold's reign established the Habsburg monarchy as the dominant power in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Lived: 1640 CE – 1705 CE
- Nationality: austrian
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state, military_leader
