User:Baileyofaragon/sandbox5

= Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor =

Ferdinand II (29 January 1545 - 30 July 1627) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1566 until 1596, King of Spain from 1572 until 1596 as well as King of France and Duke of Burgundy from 1578 until 1596. He was also head and founder of the House of Valois-Luxemburg during the later half of the 16th century, his dominions in Europe included the Holy Roman Empire, extending from Germany to northern Italy with direct rule over the Austrian hereditary lands and the Burgundian Low Countries, and a unified Spain with its southern Italian kingdoms of Naples, Sicily, and Sardinia. Furthermore, he was also King of France and ruler of the French, Spanish & German colonies in the New World.

Ferdinand was born in the Duchy of Burgundy to Francis, Dauphin of France (later Francis II of France) and Spanish Princess Isabella of Austria (daughter of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor & Edmund Tudor). His full name was Francis Ferdinand de Valois but he preferred to be referred to as Ferdinand. Ferdinand wasn't expected to inherit all that he did and was only expected to inherit the Kingdom of France but his great uncle's decision to change the succession and his uncle's death placed him in an interesting position to become the single most biggest inheritor in all of Europe. Like his grandfather Charles he named himself as another Charlemagne.

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