Eccentric Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Whose Occult Interest And Mistakes Led To The Thirty Years’ War

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Some people are destined to rule, and some are obliged to follow in their family's footsteps.

Being an emperor was a nightmare to Rudolf II, and he hated every minute on the throne. He missed his privacy and could not stand people who always wanted something from him. He was more interested in great minds, art, culture, and the occult than in exercising his power. Instead of performing his duties as an emperor, he invited alchemists to his castle in Prague.  To him, the duty of ruling was demanding, tiresome, and utterly dull.

Everyone expected Rudolf II to decide about uninteresting events, places, and people. With such an indifferent attitude, it is no wonder his mistakes led to the Thirty Years' War, which remains one of the longest and most brutal wars in human history, with more than 8 million casualties.

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