!!!Leopold I., geb. 1640

b. Vienna, June 9, 1640, 
d. Vienna, May 5, 1705, Emperor 1658-1705, 2nd son of Emperor  
Ferdinand III. Originally intended for the Church, had to take 
control over the lands he inherited after the death of his brother  
Ferdinand IV in 1654 and 1658 became Emperor despite France's 
intrigues. Led several wars against France, (1673-1679, 1688-1697) but 
could not stop her advance towards the River Rhine. R. Count  
Montecuccoli won a battle against the Turks in 1664 near the village 
of Mogersdorf -St. Gotthard, but the Peace of Vasvár which 
followed and attempts to bring about a counter-reformation outraged 
the Hungarians and led to the  Magnates' Conspiracy (a plot) in 1671 
and war with the Kuruc rebels lead by E.  Thoekoely von Kesmark. 1683 
the Turks started a war ( Turkish Wars) in support of the Hungarians 
but were unsuccessful, which led to the Habsburg occupation of almost 
all Hungary by 1699 ( Peace of Karlowitz). In 1703 towards the end of 
L.'s reign war with the Kuruc rebels broke out, led by G.  
Rákóczi II.

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In 1700 when the main line of the Habsburg family in Spain died out, 
L. claimed the heritage lands there; in accordance with the "Pactum 
mutuae successionis" (pact of mutual succession) of 1703 his younger 
son Karl was entitled to succeed to the lands in the  War of the 
Spanish Succession which followed. L. lived long enough to see the 
victory at Hoechstaedt in 1704 and the occupation of Bavaria. L. 
strengthened absolutism in his empire, chose his counsellors from the 
aristocracy, saw himself as head of dynasty, loved music and was a 
good composer as well. (Church music, numerous arias for operas, 
serenades, oratories etc.) From his 3rd marriage with  Eleonore 
Magdalena von Pfalz-Neuburg he had two sons, who became emperors,  
Joseph I and  Karl VI.

!Literature
J. P. Spielman, L. Not Born for Power, 1967 (original 
English version), (German: Zur Macht nicht geboren, 1981); NDB.



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