FER'DINAND I. (1503-64). Holy Roman Emperor from 1556 to 1564. He was horn at Ale:dd. Spain, March 10. 1503. and was the second son of Philip of Austria and the younger brother of Charles V. of Germany (Charles I. of Spain), who soon after his accession to the Im perial throne transferred the hereditary Aus trian possessions of the Hapsburgs to Ferdinand. In 1521 be married Anna, sister of King Louis II. of Hungary and Bohemia. When Louis fell at Moblies in 1526 in battle with the Turks, leaving no issue, the crown of Hungary was claimed by Ferdinand in right of his wife, and part of the nobles chose him King. He was at the same time placed by election upon the Bohemian throne. In Hungary Ferdinand became involved in a long struggle with a rival. John Ziipolya, the Way wode of Transylvania, who laid claim to Hun gary. and who was supported by the Turks. The question was at last settled in 1538 by a division of the kingdom between the rivals. with the un derstanding that the Austrian line should have the succession to the whole. But in 1540, at the death of John Zilpolya, the agreement was not kept, and the Turks carried on the war on behalf of his son Sigistmind, while they themselves ap propriated a large part of the kingdom. In 1547 peace was purchased by means of a yearly tribute to the Turks. but the war was again renewed in 1552 and ended in the retention of their conquests by the Turks. Meanwhile Ferdinand had acted
as regent in Germany (hiring the frequent ab sences of Charles V.. and in 1531 had been chosen King of the Romans. In 1552 be acted as mediator between Charles V: and Maurice. Elec tor of Saxony, and concluded the Peace of Passau with the Protestants. In 1556, on the abdication of Charles V.. Ferdinand mounted the Imperial throne. The concessions he had made to the Protes tants caused Pope Paul 1V. to refuse to acknowl edge him. successor. Pius IV.. was more com plaisant ; but the Elector's resolved that for the future the consent of the Pope should not be asked; and this was carried out. Ferdinand made several attempts to reconcile the Protes tants and Catholics, and fruitlessly urged upon the Council of Trent the reformation of abuses. Ile effected institutional reforms, notably in con nection with the Anne Connell (q.v.), and he roformed the German eur•ency. lie died in 1564. leaving the reputation of a prudent and enlightened ruler, and was succeeded by his son, 11. The most elnhoratc work on his reign is lIneholtz, G irh tr der R Fcrdinands 1. (Vienna, 1831-3S) ; consult also: tlestcrreichs Finunzrn and Hernecsen linter Ferdinand /. (Vienna, 1559) ; Rosenthal, Die BehOrdcnoryanisation Kaiser Ferdinands I. ( Vienna, 1887). See AUSTRIA-HUNGARY; GER MANY.