Philip II, Margrave of Baden-Baden

Margrave Philip II of Baden ( born February 19, 1559 Baden -Baden, † June 7, 1588 in Baden- Baden) was 1571-1588 Regent of the Margraviate of Baden -Baden.

Philip was the son of the Protestant Margrave Philibert of Baden and the Catholic Mechthild of Bavaria. Philip's father Philibert fell early in October 1569 at the Battle of Moncontour. As a result, the 10 -year-old Philip was raised along with his older sister Jakobi one years of Baden by his uncle Albrecht V of Bavaria. Albrecht V of Bavaria had to educate the guardianship of the future Marquis and let Philip strictly Catholic. At the University of Ingolstadt him an education in the spirit of the Counter-Reformation was given.

His father had his subjects guaranteed religious freedom, but after the death of the Margrave Philibert this freedom has been increasingly limited by the widow and his son, who was strongly influenced by his Catholic upbringing. Already during the regency of his uncle and guardian Duke Albrecht V of the Catholic rite in the Margraviate of Baden -Baden was introduced in the years 1570/71 again.

After the commencement of his affairs, the new Markgraf ruled first that all Baden-Baden citizens had to attend church, offenses were under severe punishment.

Philip had the New Castle erode first and erected in 1579 at the same location, a new more magnificent palace in the style of the High Renaissance, but he multiplied his debt considerably. A survey in 1582 brought next 218 instruments a debt of 200,000 florins days. These debts he tried to mitigate by a rearrangement of the commercial system and increased taxes. So it was that the economy is more and more resembled a planned economy.

A little glorious chapter in the history books, the persecution of witches among the young Marquis dar. Already under the tutelage of Bavaria came to it first witch burnings, but this took the regency of the young Philip too strong. The last witch hunts under Philip II, there were in 1580. In this witch burning 18 women came into the offices Rastatt, Baden -Baden and Kuppenheim for their lives.

When Philip died at the age of 29, he had no children, so his cousin Eduard Fortunat was his successor, and he inherited the side line of the Rodemacher. His body is buried in the collegiate church in Baden -Baden.

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