Abstrakt
The Czech coronation of Maximilian II in 1562 was from the beginning to the end the work of his father Ferdinand I, who from 1526 sought to ensure the continuity of the reign of the Habsburg dynasty in the lands of the Czech Crown. In this direction, he purposefully led his struggle with the Czech states.
The long period of 12 years that passed from the proclamation of his eldest son by the Czech king (1549) to the date of the coronation was filled with uncertainty as to whether he would also be able to obtain an imperial title for Maximilian II. For the Habsburgs, his loss would jeopardize their conquered positions in Europe and, as a result, could undermine the hard-won stability in their own countries.
After securing the imperial title for Maximilian II, it only took a few months to prepare for the Czech coronation. Emperor Ferdinand I not only used the experience of his coronations in 1527, 1531 and 1558, but also used his knowledge of Czech conditions and at the same time a functioning system of state administration, which he built over more than 30 years of his rule.
However, he also had to respect the historical traditions associated with the coronations of Czech kings, which were guarded by Czech estates. The cities of Prague also took part in organizing the festivities.
The coronation in Prague in 1562 thus became a political act in which the founder of the Habsburg dynasty in Bohemia demonstrated that despite all the domestic and foreign problems he had struggled with all his life, he had achieved his goal.