1658 imperial election

Elections for the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 1658 imperial election Holy Roman Empire presidential no 1653 imperial election 1653 1690 imperial election 1690 18 July 1658 7 Prince-electorsOne elector, Leopold I, holding the Bohemian electoral vote, abstained from the ballot. 5 Pietro_Liberi_or_Guido_Cagnacci_(attr.)_-_Emperor_Leopold_I_in_coronation_armor.jpg Leopold I House Habsburg 7 100% Emperor Ferdinand III House of Habsburg Leopold I House of Habsburg May 2026 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 18 July. Background The death of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, on 2 April 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, 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 or, at least, a candidate from outside the House of Habsburg such as Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria.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 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 John George II, elector of Saxony Frederick William, elector of Brandenburg Charles I Louis, elector of the Electoral Palatinate Leopold I, King of Bohemia Following the precedent set by his elder brother in the election of 1653, Leopold abstained from the vote. Election results Mazarin's efforts were unsuccessful and Leopold was elected with little difficulty. He was crowned at Frankfurt on August 1. References Notes Category:Imperial election (Holy Roman Empire) Category:1658 in the Holy Roman Empire Category:17th-century elections in Europe Category:Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor