Ferdinand I of Habsburg

The son of Philip I of Habsburg (1478-1506) and of Joanna I of Castile (1479-1555), Ferdinand I (1503-1564) became Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1556, after the abdication of his elder brother Charles V (1550-1558). Even before his coronation, Ferdinand had successfully administered the possessions of the Habsburgs in Austria, undertaking the reforms initiated by his grandfather Maximilian I. In addition, thanks to his marriage with the sister of King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia, he inherited both kingdoms upon the death of his childless brother-in-law (1526). In Hungary, however, he often clashed, with mixed results, with the strong expansionary thrust of the Ottoman Empire. At his death, three different branches of the Habsburg family arose, dividing the territory among his three sons, the Emperor Maximilian II, Ferdinand Count of Tyrol and Charles of Styria.