| Peter II | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrait of Peter II, 1600 | |
| Duke of Habsburg | |
| Reign | 5 January 1601 - 16 October 1604 |
| Coronation | 20 January 1601 in Strasbourg |
| Predecessor | Leopold III |
| Successor | Leopold IV |
| Born | 30 June 1565 Strasbourg, Habsburg, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 16 October 1604 Frankfurt, Holy Roman Empire |
| Father | Leopold III |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Peter II (30 June 1565 - 16 October 1604) was Duke of Habsburg from 1601 until his death. He succeeded his father, Leopold III, after his death from leprosy. Leopold had been one of the masterminds of the Catholic League and a commander in the Forty Years' War, a position that Peter II attempted to fill himself.
Raised a devout Catholic and with military training, Peter II was a staunch soldier for the Catholic alliance, however, he lacked the administrative and diplomatic tact of his father. Peter took an active part in the affairs of the Catholic alliance in the Frankfurt War, and after the abdication of Joktan of Hesse, Peter II supported the harsh edicts of restitution imposed by Frederick V, Holy Roman Emperor. This proved a mistake and only exacerbated the conflict, leading to the Danish Intervention soon after.
Without Leopold III's leadership infighting began to arise in the Catholic leadership at Frankfurt. Peter II fought for the position of High Steward in order to gain increased influence in the imperial government, but his bid failed. At the same time the Duchy of Habsburg faced insurrection from the neighboring population, which weakened Peter's holdings. In 1603 Peter's brother Rudolf, an imperial guard, would be killed in action while attempting to arrest Saumon Meise. By 1604 Peter had lost control over the politics of the imperial court and was assassinated as part of a conspiracy involving Meise, the High Steward, and other rivals of the House of Habsburg. Peter II's untimely death crippled the dynasty, a situation made worse under the tenure of his son Leopold IV.
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