Ferdinand II, Counter-Reformation Emperor, 1578–1637

This book is the first biography of Emperor Ferdinand II (1619–37) in English.

Robert Bireley (Author)

9781107674400, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 16 March 2017

340 pages, 12 b/w illus. 2 maps 1 table
23 x 15 x 1.8 cm, 0.5 kg

'In this well-written biography, Robert Bireley ably retells Ferdinand's story: his efforts shoring up the family, prosecuting a war, and reviving Catholicism's flagging fortunes. Bireley's Ferdinand II, Counter-Reformation Emperor, 1578–1637 is the culmination of a long and prolific career dedicated primarily to the study of early-modern religion and politics.' Howard Louthan, The Catholic Historical Review

Emperor Ferdinand II (1619–37) stands out as a crucial figure in the Counter-Reformation in central Europe, a leading player in the Thirty Years War, the most important ruler in the consolidation of the Habsburg monarchy, and the emperor who reinvigorated the office after its decline under his two predecessors. This is the first biography since a long-outdated one written in German in 1978, and the first ever in English. It looks at his reign as territorial ruler of Inner Austria from 1598 until his election as emperor and especially at the influence of his mother, the formidable Archduchess Maria, in order to understand his later policies as emperor. This book focuses on the consistency of his policies and the profound influence of religion throughout his career, and follows the contest at court between those who favored consolidation of the Habsburg lands and those who aimed for expansion in the empire.

1. Boyhood and youth, 1578–98
2. Early years in Inner Austria, 1598–1608
3. Toward the succession, 1608–18
4. The Bohemian Rebellion, 1618–21
5. Consolidation and expansion, 1621–8
6. Overreach, 1627–30
7. Setback, 1631–2
8. Recovery, 1632–4
9. Settlement and death, 1635–7
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Church history [HRCC2], Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH], European history [HBJD]