Otto IX, Rudolphine Protector
| Otto IX | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Otto IX (portrait by Cantidio Pellegrini, 1652) | |||||||||
Rudolphine Protector (more...)
| |||||||||
| Reign | 15 July 1632 – 25 June 1687 | ||||||||
| Coronation | 7 September 1632, Westbrücken | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Karl V | ||||||||
| Successor | Franz Joseph | ||||||||
| Born | 7 February 1624 Wiesstadt, Cislania | ||||||||
| Died | 25 June 1687 (aged 63) Wiesstadt, Cislania | ||||||||
| Burial | Royal Crypt | ||||||||
| Spouse | tba | ||||||||
| Issue Detail |
| ||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Schwarzollen | ||||||||
| Father | Karl V | ||||||||
| Mother | tba | ||||||||
| Religion | Solarian Catholicism | ||||||||
Otto IX (full name: Ferdinand Franz Otto Viktor Leopold; 7 February 1624-25 June 1687, aged 63) was the Rudolphine Protector, Duke of Upper and Lower Cislania and Prince of the Neeves from 1632 to his death. The son of Protector Karl V Otto IX was elected as Protector following his fathers death in 1632 and would go on to become the longest reigning Protector of the Confederation reigning for 54 years and 11 months.
In the early part of his reign Otto IX was under the influence of reich-chancellor Prince Franz Ludwig of Oppolzer and largely continued the period of "golden liberty" that started under the reign of his father overseeing religious tolerance and autonomy for the nobles through the Rudolphine parliament, the Reichsrat. In 1645 Otto dismissed Franz Ludwig and took control of government.
Otto attempted to revive the power of the Confederation after it had internally and externally weakened following the Amendist Wars. In reviving the power of the confederation Otto sought to restore the divine right of kings centralising power around the monarchy and entrenching absolutism and reducing the power of feudal lords. To this end he routinely undermined the Reichsrat, eventually dismissing it in 1664 and never reconvening the body. This triggered the Azmaran revolt which would be temporarily suppressed by Otto's forces but would sow the seeds of the Ten Years' War. Additionally Otto IX launched religious persecution against the Amendist population in the confederation, particularly in Cislania. Otto launched the dragonaden policy against Amendists which resulted in the Witterite expulsion from upper Cislania.
In his repositioning the confederation as a major power Otto's reign saw a series of aggressive wars with his neighbours. He inherited the First Neevish War with Estmere which saw the confederation forced to cede large parts of modern day Alsland to Estmere at its conclusion in 1634. The next war he waged, the Kireno-Rudolphine War of 1647-1651 saw the confederation emerge victorious against Kireania annexing the majority of the so-called "Eastern Marches". The Second Neevish War with Estmere fought from 1669-1672 saw much of the territory lost in the first Neevish war returned to the confederation, alongside Longwood. The 1652-1657 Rudolphine-Scovern war was a failure however with Ottos aim to restore Rudolphine holdings on the island being dashed. Otto firmly believed in the use of war as an instrument of foreign policy. During his reign he promoted cordial ties with Gaullica due to his alienation of his neighbours. Relations with Soravia were compromised due to his support of annexing Wittislich. Outside Euclea Otto supported the ideal of creating a Rudolphine colonial empire equal to Estmere, Soravia and Gaullica - although this ambition was never realised his support for colonial companies in Kuthina would serve as the nucleus of the later Weranian Southeast Coian colonies.
Otto IX is one of the most well known and controversial Rudolphine protectors. His reign saw the Rudolphine Confederation become a stronger, more centralised entity that reached its territorial and political zenith. His patronage of the arts saw Wiesstadt emerge as a centre of arts and culture whilst his centralisation would serve as the nucleus of a Weranian state. However Ottos wars of expansion substantially weakened the confederation politically, demographically and financially whilst his religious intolerance and centralising reforms alienated many that would almost destroy the confederation in the Ten Years' War. In modern day Werania he is seen as a more positive influence whilst in Azmara he is widely seen as a malicious force.