Matthias of Habsburg
Matthias was the younger brother of Emperor Rudolf II who systematically dismantled his brother's authority during the final years of Rudolf's reign and ultimately replaced him as Holy Roman Emperor. He forced Rudolf to cede control of Hungary, Austria, and Moravia in 1608, and finally Bohemia in 1611. Rudolf died in 1612 and Matthias succeeded him as emperor. Matthias relied heavily on his chief minister Cardinal Melchior Klesl, who pursued a policy of cautious confessional compromise, but this moderate approach satisfied neither Catholic hardliners nor Protestant militants. Matthias eventually designated his cousin Ferdinand of Styria - the future Ferdinand II - as his successor, a choice that proved fateful. Ferdinand's aggressive Catholic politics helped trigger the Bohemian revolt of 1618 that began the Thirty Years War, which was already underway when Matthias died in March 1619.
- Lived: 1557 CE – 1619 CE
- Nationality: austrian
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state
