Back from temporary ban, good to see y’all again 🫡 

Leopold I reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 1658 to 1705 and presided over one of the most important periods in Habsburg history. His reign was dominated by wars against both Ottoman Empire and Louis XIV’s France, as the Austrian Habsburgs struggled to defend and expand their position in Europe.

Initially, Leopold faced repeated Ottoman invasions, culminating in the famous Battle of Vienna. The Battle was a pivotal moment in halting Ottoman expansion, and broke Ottoman momentum in Europe. After the Ottoman defeat, Habsburg forces pushed deep into Hungary, securing major victories and bringing most of Hungary under Austrian rule. At the same time, Leopold resisted French expansion along the Rhine, helping to build coalitions against Louis XIV.

By the end of his reign, Austria had emerged as a major European great power. Leopold also laid the foundations for Habsburg involvement in the War of the Spanish Succession, seeking to place his dynasty on the Spanish throne after the extinction of the Spanish Habsburg line.

Though often overshadowed by his military commanders, Leopold’s long reign transformed the Habsburg monarchy from a state focused on survival into one of the dominant powers of eighteenth-century Europe.

1695 Austria Leopold I (“Hogmouth”) Thaler