Adel und Religion in der fruhneuzeitlichen Habsburgermonarchie: Annaherung an ein gesamtosterreichisches Thema

The nobility in the Habsburg monarchy was forced to reorganize due to the early modern consolidation of rule. Its identity was no longer determined by a country of origin, but rather this new Habsburg nobility defined itself through its rural estate in several countries of the combined Habsburg monarchy. The denomination of the nobility was of particular importance, especially since the Counter-Reformation created different denominational framework conditions in the Austrian countries than in Bohemia / Moravia or Hungary, for example. Not only church ordinances, aristocratic foundations and hospitals, cavalier journeys, but also the nobility’s understanding of piety changed fundamentally in the early modern period. Conversions were frequent, but aristocratic intolerance towards other denominations also changed, as the 15 contributors from a total of eight countries make clear in their texts.nderte sich, wie die 15 Beitrager aus insgesamt acht Landern in ihren Texten verdeutlichen.