Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor

Maximilian II
Portrait by Nicolas Neufchâtel, c. 1566
Holy Roman Emperor (more...)
Reign	25 July 1564 – 12 October 1576
Predecessor	Ferdinand I
Successor	Rudolf II
Born	31 July 1527 Vienna, Austria, Holy Roman Empire
Died	12 October 1576(1576-10-12) (aged 49) Regensburg, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Maria of Austria ​ (m. 1548)​
Issue	Anna, Queen of Spain Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor Archduke Ernest Elisabeth, Queen of France Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria Albert VII, Archduke of Austria Archduke Wenceslaus Archduchess Margaret
House	Habsburgs of Austria
Father	Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Burial	Prague, St. Vitus Cathedral
Signature

Maximilian II (31 July 1527 – 12 October 1576) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death in 1576. A member of the Austrian House of Habsburg, he was crowned King of Bohemia in Prague on 14 May 1562 and elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) on 24 November 1562. On 8 September 1563 he was crowned King of Hungary and of Croatia (Habsburg)|Croatia]] in the Hungarian capital Pressburg (Pozsony in Hungarian; now Bratislava, Slovakia). On 25 July 1564 he succeeded his father Ferdinand I as Holy Roman Emperor.

Marriage

On 13 September 1548, Maximilian married his first cousin Maria of Spain, daughter of Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal.

Issue

1. Archduchess Anna of Austria (1 November 1549 – 26 October 1580). Married Philip II of Spain, her uncle. She became the mother of Philip III of Spain.
2. Archduke Ferdinand of Austria (28 March 1551 – 25 June 1552).
3. Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor (18 July 1552 – 20 January 1612).
4. Archduke Ernest of Austria, (15 July 1553 – 12 February 1595) served as Governor of the Low Countries.
5. Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria (5 July 1554 – 22 January 1592) married Charles IX of France.
6. Archduchess Marie of Austria (27 July 1555 – 25 June 1556).
7. Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor (24 February 1557 – 20 March 1619).
8. A stillborn son (20 October 1557).
9. Archduke Maximilian of Austria (12 October 1558 – 2 November 1618). Elected king of Poland, but never crowned. He served as grandmaster of the Teutonic Order and Administrator of Prussia.
10. Archduke Albert of Austria (15 November 1559 – 13 July 1621) served as Governor of the Low Countries.
11. Archduke Wenceslaus of Austria (9 March 1561 – 22 September 1578).
12. Archduke Frederick of Austria (21 June 1562 – 16 January 1563).
13. Archduchess Marie of Austria (19 February 1564 – 26 March 1564). Named after her deceased older sister.
14. Archduke Charles of Austria (26 September 1565 – 23 May 1566).
15. Archduchess Margaret of Austria (25 January 1567 – 5 July 1633). A nun.
16. Archduchess Eleonore of Austria (4 November 1568 – 12 March 1580).