Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor

Reign: 1564 – 1576
Life: 1527–1576

On 8 September 1563, he was crowned King of Hungary and Croatia in the Hungarian capital Pressburg (Pozsony in Hungarian; now Bratislava, Slovakia). Maximilian's rule was shaped by the confessionalisation process after the 1555 Peace of Augsburg. Though a Habsburg and a Catholic, he approached the Lutheran Imperial estates with a view to overcome the denominational schism, which ultimately failed. According to Marshall, through his religious tolerance as well as his encouragement of arts and sciences, he succeeded in maintaining a precarious peace.

During Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor's reign, Elizabeth I of England ruled England, Akbar ruled Mughal Empire, and John III of Sweden ruled Sweden.

Want to learn more? Further reading

Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire by Peter H. Wilson

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

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