Maximilian II. (31st 7th 1527 - 12. 10. 1576) - Czech and Hungarian King, Holy Roman Emperor of the Habsburg dynasty.

Maximilian II. Born in Vienna as the first son of Emperor Ferdinand I and Anna Jagiellonian. In his youth tended to Protestantism, which the Habsburg relatives worry. In particular, his father and uncle, the Spanish king Charles V. To the young successor switched back to Catholicism, married him in 1548 with Charles's daughter Mary of Spain, with whom he fathered sixteen Maximilian offspring. Marriage also strengthened the link between the Spanish and the Austrian Habsburgs. The transformation of the future Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia and Hungary was complete in February 1562 when Maximilian in Prague, was sworn fidelity to the Catholic Church. May 14 the same year he was crowned as King of Bohemia and November 24 became king ��mskon�meck�m. The coronation as king of Hungary took place on July 16, 1563 in Pressburg, today Bratislava.

Maximilian II. Even after his return to Catholicism, especially initially, appeared to be religiously tolerant, as evidenced, for example, permits non-Catholic faiths Lower Austrian nobility. Czech Protestants in 1575 verbally approved the Czech confession, for which non-Catholic nobility promised the succession of his son Rudolf II.

In contrast, a warrior Maximilian did not work. Campaign against the Ottoman Empire, which threatened mainly Hungary, ended ignominiously. Yet possessed numerous army, in whose ranks he fought under the leadership of Wilhelm von Rosenberg and t��tis�cov� Czech contingent. The army was exhausted untactical demanding siege city Raba, while the Turks conquered the strategically more significant strength Siget. Maximilian was forced to sign peace with the Turks obligation to pay an annuity of 30 thousand ducats.

Period Maximilian's government is sometimes called a compromise Catholicism, because in order to maintain stability in a country trying to come out with representatives of the Catholic and non-Catholic nobility. At the end of his life, when Reichstag in Regensburg in 1575, but has issued several mandates directed against Protestants and banned the activities of the United Brethren in royal cities.

Maximilian II. tried unsuccessfully to gain control over Poland. Part of the local nobility even elected him their king, but another part enforce Stephen Bathory. The situation would probably come up to the invasion Maxmili�nov�ch troops into Poland. This has occurred, however, because the emperor at the Reichstag in Regensburg in 1576, died. His body was placed in the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.