Joseph II vs Matthias

Joseph II attempted to exchange the Austrian Netherlands for Bavaria, triggering the War of the Bavarian Succession against Prussia. The conflict, known as the 'Potato War,' ended with the Treaty of Teschen in 1779, which prevented the exchange and left Joseph's ambitions unfulfilled.

Joseph II issued the Serfdom Patent, abolishing serfdom in the Habsburg hereditary lands. Peasants were granted personal freedom, the right to marry without seigneurial permission, and the ability to move freely, though they still owed labor obligations to landlords.

Joseph II issued the Edict of Toleration, granting religious freedom to non-Catholic Christians, including Protestants and Orthodox, in the Habsburg monarchy. Jews also received limited civil rights. This was a major step toward religious pluralism in a Catholic state.

Joseph II dissolved over 700 monasteries that were deemed non-contributory to society, using their wealth to fund education, hospitals, and other state institutions. This secularization policy provoked strong opposition from the Catholic Church and conservative nobles.

Matthias, as the representative of the Habsburgs, negotiated the Peace of Zsitvatorok with the Ottoman Empire, ending the Long Turkish War. The treaty was a compromise, with the Habsburgs ceasing to pay tribute to the Ottomans but recognizing Ottoman control over much of Hungary. This peace was a diplomatic achievement for Matthias.

Matthias led a revolt of the Habsburg family and the Bohemian estates against his brother Rudolf II, forcing him to cede the crowns of Bohemia, Hungary, and Austria. Matthias was crowned King of Bohemia in 1611 and later became Holy Roman Emperor in 1612. This internal conflict weakened the Habsburg dynasty.

Matthias was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Frankfurt, succeeding his brother Rudolf II. His reign was marked by attempts to maintain religious peace and centralize authority, but he faced opposition from both Catholic and Protestant factions. His policies ultimately failed to prevent the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War.

During Matthias's reign, Protestant nobles in Bohemia threw two Catholic imperial governors out of a window in Prague Castle, an event known as the Second Defenestration of Prague. This act was a direct challenge to Matthias's authority and sparked the Bohemian Revolt, which escalated into the Thirty Years' War. Matthias died shortly after.