Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor

Maximilian II (31 July 1527 – 12 October 1576) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death. A member of the House of Habsburg, he became King of Bohemia in 1562, King of Germany in 1562, and King of Hungary and King of Croatia in 1563. He succeeded his father Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor in 1564.^[1] Maximilian's reign was shaped by religious tensions following the Peace of Augsburg in 1555, as he tried to ease conflicts between Catholic and Lutheran groups but ultimately failed.^[2] He also dealt with ongoing threats from the Ottoman Empire and faced conflicts with his Spanish relatives.^[3]

Maximilian II
Holy Roman Emperor (Imperator Romanorum)
Holy Roman Emperor Archduke of Austria
Reign	25 July 1564 – 12 October 1576
Predecessor	Ferdinand I
Successor	Rudolf II
King of Germany King of Bohemia
Reign	1562 – 1576
Coronation	14 May 1562, Prague (Bohemia) 24 November 1562 (Election of the King of Germany (the Romans))
Predecessor	Ferdinand I
Successor	Rudolf II
Co-monarch	Ferdinand I (1562 – 1564)
King of Hungary and Croatia
Reign	1563 – 1576
Coronation	8 September 1563, Pressburg
Predecessor	Ferdinand I
Successor	Rudolf II
Co-monarch	Ferdinand I (1563 – 1564)
Born	31 July 1527 Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire
Died	12 October 1576 (aged 49) Imperial City of Regensburg, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Maria of Austria (m. 1548)
Issue	These are all his 16 children: Anna, Queen of Spain Ferdinand Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor Archduke Ernest Elisabeth, Queen of France Marie Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor A stillborn Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria Albert VII, Archduke of Austria Archduke Wenceslaus Frederick Marie Charles Archduchess Margaret Eleanor
House	Habsburg (Maximilian II Habsburg)
Father	Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Anne of Bohemia and Hungary
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature

Maximilian as a archduke

Born in Vienna, Maximilian was the son of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anne of Bohemia and Hungary. Educated by humanist scholars, he gained military experience in the Italian War of 1542–46 and the Schmalkaldic War. In 1548, he married Maria of Spain, strengthening ties with Spain. Despite his Catholic background, Maximilian had Lutheran influences, causing concerns within the Catholic Church.^[4] He focused on defending his lands and developing Vienna, overseeing the construction of important buildings like the Hofburg Palace and Neugebäude Palace.^[1]