# Fame.am profile — machine-readable export
# Canonical URL: https://fame.am/person/ferdinand-ii-holy-roman-emperor
# Generated: 2026-08-31T17:47:37.644Z

schema: https://schema.org/Person
url: "https://fame.am/person/ferdinand-ii-holy-roman-emperor"
name: "Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor"
slug: "ferdinand-ii-holy-roman-emperor"
description: "The emperor whose religious absolutism turned a regional rebellion into the Thirty Years' War — three decades that killed a third of the German-speaking population and left the Holy Roman Empire a husk."
tagline: "Holy Roman Emperor"
image: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Kaiser_Ferdinand_II._1614.jpg"
gender: "male"
country:
  name: "Austria"
  isoCode: "AT"
category:
  name: "Historical Figures"
  slug: "historical-figures"
profileType:
  name: "Historical Figure"
  slug: "historical-figure"
  entityType: "https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2798645"
birthDate: "1578-07-09"
deathDate: "1637-02-15"
livingStatus: "DECEASED"
scores:
  popularity:           62.36
  momentum:             15.4910588456359
  historical:           24.53929733333334
  currentAttention:     5.107142857142858
  sourceConfidence:     60
  profileCompleteness:  70
  trendDirection:       "RISING"
ranks:
  global:   null
  country:  98
  category: null
tags:
  - name: "Politicians"
    slug: "politicians"
  - name: "Politician"
    slug: "politician"
  - name: "Politics"
    slug: "politics"
  - name: "Early Modern Era"
    slug: "early-modern-era"
sources:
  - url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor"
    title: "Wikipedia"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q150599"
    title: "Wikidata"
    type:  "WIKIDATA"
  - url: "https://pantheon.world/profile/person/Ferdinand%20II%2C%20Holy%20Roman%20Emperor"
    title: "Pantheon 2.0"
    type:  "DATABASE"
  - url: "https://azb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AC%DB%8C_%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF_(%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1)"
    title: "ایکینجی فردیناند (ایمپیراتور)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/II_Ferdinand_(M%C3%BCq%C9%99dd%C9%99s_Roma_imperatoru)"
    title: "II Ferdinand (Müqəddəs Roma imperatoru)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B4%D1%8B%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4_II_%D0%93%D0%B0%D0%B1%D1%81%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3"
    title: "Фердынанд II Габсбург"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4_II_(%D0%A1%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%89%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%A0%D0%B8%D0%BC%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F)"
    title: "Фердинанд II (Свещена Римска империя)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC_%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A1%2C_%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8_%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9F"
    title: "দ্বিতীয় ফের্ডিনান্ড, পবিত্র রোমান সম্রাট"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://br.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II_an_Impalaeriezh_Santel"
    title: "Ferdinand II an Impalaeriezh Santel"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://bs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II%2C_car_Svetog_Rimskog_Carstva"
    title: "Ferdinand II, car Svetog Rimskog Carstva"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferran_II_del_Sacre_Imperi_Romanogerm%C3%A0nic"
    title: "Ferran II del Sacre Imperi Romanogermànic"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II._%C5%A0t%C3%BDrsk%C3%BD"
    title: "Ferdinand II. Štýrský"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://cv.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4_II_(%D0%A2%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B0_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%C4%95)"
    title: "Фердинанд II (Таса Роман империн императорĕ)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II%2C_Ymerawdwr_Gl%C3%A2n_Rhufeinig"
    title: "Ferdinand II, Ymerawdwr Glân Rhufeinig"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_2._(Tysk-romerske_rige)"
    title: "Ferdinand 2. (Tysk-romerske rige)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II._(HRR)"
    title: "Ferdinand II. (HRR)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A6%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BD%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%B4%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%92%CE%84_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%91%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82_%CE%A1%CF%89%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%8A%CE%BA%CE%AE%CF%82_%CE%91%CF%85%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82"
    title: "Φερδινάνδος Β΄ της Αγίας Ρωμαϊκής Αυτοκρατορίας"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor"
    title: "Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinando_la_2-a_(Sankta_Romia_Imperio)"
    title: "Ferdinando la 2-a (Sankta Romia Imperio)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_II_del_Sacro_Imperio_Romano_Germ%C3%A1nico"
    title: "Fernando II del Sacro Imperio Romano Germánico"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II"
    title: "Ferdinand II"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_II.a_Germaniako_Erromatar_Inperio_Santukoa"
    title: "Fernando II.a Germaniako Erromatar Inperio Santukoa"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF_%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%85%D8%8C_%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1_%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3_%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%85"
    title: "فردیناند دوم، امپراتور مقدس روم"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II_(keisari)"
    title: "Ferdinand II (keisari)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II_(empereur_du_Saint-Empire)"
    title: "Ferdinand II (empereur du Saint-Empire)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II_fan_it_Hillich_Roomske_Ryk"
    title: "Ferdinand II fan it Hillich Roomske Ryk"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://eo.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ferdinando_la_2-a_(Sankta_Romia_imperio)"
    title: "Wikiquote"
    type:  "WEBSITE"
  - url: "https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A_(%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%88%D8%B1_%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A_%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3)"
    title: "فرديناند الثاني (إمبراطور روماني مقدس)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A_(%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%88%D8%B1_%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%89_%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3)"
    title: "فرديناند التاني (امبراطور رومانى مقدس)"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"

# bio (long form, separated for readability)
bio: |
  Ferdinand was born in 1578 to devout Catholic parents who sent him to the Jesuits at eleven to keep him clear of Lutheran nobles. He inherited Inner Austria months later when his father died, and by 1596 he was installed as its actual ruler. From 1598 he enforced hard Counter-Reformation policy: Protestant pastors expelled, special commissions sent to restore Catholic parishes, religious regulation treated as royal prerogative. Matthias died in March 1619; Ferdinand was elected emperor in Frankfurt on 28 August, two days after the Protestant Bohemian Estates had deposed him as their king. News of the deposition reached Frankfurt the same day he was crowned, but he didn't leave until the ceremony was done. What began in 1618 as the Bohemian revolt became, through Ferdinand's campaign to restore Catholicism as the empire's sole faith, a general war that swallowed the continent. It ended seventeen years after his death in 1637, and the empire's population didn't recover until 1710.