Status Updates From The Habsburgs: To Rule the ...

Philip II. reign was based on two foundations, preservation of the purity of religion and family. He tried with all his might to show himself and act as the most Catholic ruler in Europe. He did not spare Protestants, Jews, Muslims and all other infidels and carried out a thorough cleansing. In order to maintain purity Habsburgs carried out incestuous marriages which will have catastrophic consequences in the future.

Ferdinand inherited the imperial title from his brother, but he was more concerned with expanding his influence in the East. All this time, Bohemia, Croatia and part of Hungary, were being attacked by the Turkish army and its allies. The author of the book shows his bias here, denigrating the Croatian Parliament for not offering any resistance and writing with judgment about the compromises the emperor had to make.

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Charles V. gathered so many territories during his reign that he became the first ruler to rule the world. This did not go to his head and he practiced restraint and a desire for compromise and agreement among Christian rulers. He did not succeed in suppressing Luther. As for others religions, the method of fire and sword was applied. With his abdication, the peak of the family was there, but the line was leveled.

Maximilian duly succeeded his father and, with two risky moves, managed to secure world power for his heirs. The marriages of his grandchildren to the heirs of Hungary and Spain made this possible, but they also increased their rivalry with the French and the Turks. Maximilian was so particular and eager for praise that he wanted to become pope. His administration pacified the empire by maintaining the status quo.

last chapter was perhaps the most fascinating yet imo purely from a political history standpoint. The way religious and political issues and conflicts were intertwined (religious domination = political loyalty; autonomy vs absolute power and territorial consolidation) and how the bohemian revolt triggers the first true annexation, which would define the empire for the next two or three centuries…interesting stuff!

In Austria, some branches of the family became extinct, but not that of Frederick III. who became first emperor from the family. He did not let himself be fooled and was called sleepy by his contemporaries, but was guided by the maxim "still waters break through". He managed to secure for himself all the Austria and to establish the inheritance of all the numerous lands, and the Turks also appeared.