Germany enjoyed a
time of relative quiet between the Peace of Augsburg, signed
in 1555, and the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War in 1618.
The empire functioned in a more regular way than previously,
and its federal nature was more evident than in the past.
The Reichstag met frequently to deal with public matters,
and the emperors Ferdinand I (r. 1556-64) and Maximilian II
(r. 1564-76) were cautious rulers concerned mostly with
strengthening their family's hold on Austria and adjacent
areas. Rudolf II (r. 1576-1612) was an indolent and
capricious ruler who generally followed his advisers'
counsel. As a result, some German states were able to expand
their territories by annexing smaller neighbors in the
absence of an engaged and attentive emperor. Local rivalries
engendered tensions that often were based on religious
affiliation.
Library of Congress Country Study
Library of Congress Country Study
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