1658 imperial election: Difference between revisions

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The imperial election of 1658 was an imperial election held to select the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. It took place in Frankfurt on July 18.

Background

The death of the previous emperor Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, on April 2, 1657 was followed by the longest interregnum since the 13th century. This was largely a result of the youth of Ferdinand's surviving son Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, who was only seventeen at the time of his father's death. It was generally agreed that the emperor had to be at least eighteen years old. Cardinal Mazarin, the French chief minister, hoped to prevent Leopold's election and to secure either the election of his king Louis XIV of France or, at least, a candidate from outside the House of Habsburg such as Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria, the elector of Bavaria.^[1] The electors called to choose Ferdinand's successor were:

Johann Philipp von Schönborn, elector of Mainz
Karl Kaspar von der Leyen, elector of Trier
Maximilian Henry of Bavaria, elector of Cologne
Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria, elector of Bavaria
John George II, Elector of Saxony, elector of Saxony
Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, elector of Brandenburg
Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine, elector of the Electoral Palatinate
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, king of Bohemia

Following the precedent set by his elder brother in the election of 1653, Leopold abstained from the vote.

Elected

Mazarin's efforts were unsuccessful and Leopold was elected with little difficulty. He was crowned at Frankfurt on August 1.

References

^ Carl J. Ekberg (July 1981), "Abel Servien, Cardinal Mazarin, and the Formulation of French Foreign Policy, 1653–1659," The International History Review, 3(3):317–29

[1] Carl J. Ekberg (July 1981), "Abel Servien, Cardinal Mazarin, and the Formulation of French Foreign Policy, 1653–1659," The International History Review, 3(3):317–29

[1]

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 == Background ==
-The death of the previous emperor [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor]], on April 2, 1657 was followed by the longest interregnum since the 13th century.  This was largely a result of the youth of Ferdinand's surviving son [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor]], who had a big bulge in his pants and was only seventeen at the time of his father's death.  It was generally agreed that the emperor had to be at least eighteen years old.  [[Cardinal Mazarin]], the [[Kingdom of France|French]] chief minister, hoped to prevent Leopold's election and to secure either the election of his [[king]] [[Louis XIV of France]] or, at least, a candidate from outside the [[House of Habsburg]] such as [[Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria]], the [[prince-elector|elector]] of [[Electorate of Bavaria|Bavaria]].<ref>Carl J. Ekberg (July 1981), "Abel Servien, Cardinal Mazarin, and the Formulation of French Foreign Policy, 1653–1659," ''The International History Review'', '''3'''(3):317–29</ref>  The electors called to choose Ferdinand's successor were:
+The death of the previous emperor [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor]], on April 2, 1657 was followed by the longest interregnum since the 13th century.  This was largely a result of the youth of Ferdinand's surviving son [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor]], who was only seventeen at the time of his father's death.  It was generally agreed that the emperor had to be at least eighteen years old.  [[Cardinal Mazarin]], the [[Kingdom of France|French]] chief minister, hoped to prevent Leopold's election and to secure either the election of his [[king]] [[Louis XIV of France]] or, at least, a candidate from outside the [[House of Habsburg]] such as [[Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria]], the [[prince-elector|elector]] of [[Electorate of Bavaria|Bavaria]].<ref>Carl J. Ekberg (July 1981), "Abel Servien, Cardinal Mazarin, and the Formulation of French Foreign Policy, 1653–1659," ''The International History Review'', '''3'''(3):317–29</ref>  The electors called to choose Ferdinand's successor were:
 * [[Johann Philipp von Schönborn]], elector of [[Electorate of Mainz|Mainz]]