Charles VI vs John III of Sweden

Charles VI issued the Pragmatic Sanction, a legal instrument to ensure that the Habsburg hereditary lands could be inherited by a female heir (his daughter Maria Theresa) in the absence of a male son. He spent decades securing recognition from European powers, but it failed to prevent the War of the Austrian Succession.

Charles VI's forces, after a disastrous war with the Ottoman Empire, signed the Treaty of Belgrade. The treaty ceded Belgrade and northern Serbia to the Ottomans, reversing the gains of the Treaty of Passarowitz and weakening Habsburg influence in the Balkans.

Charles VI's death in 1740 triggered the War of the Austrian Succession, as Prussia, France, and Bavaria challenged Maria Theresa's inheritance. The war, lasting until 1748, resulted in the loss of Silesia to Prussia but confirmed Maria Theresa's rule in most Habsburg lands.

John III was crowned King of Sweden after deposing his half-brother Eric XIV. His reign focused on religious reconciliation and cultural patronage, including the introduction of the Red Book liturgy.

John III ordered the continued imprisonment of his deposed half-brother Eric XIV, who was held at various castles until his death in 1577. This secured John's throne but created a lasting stain on his reign.

John III continued Sweden's involvement in the Livonian War against Russia, seeking control over Estonia and Livonia. The war ended inconclusively in 1583 with the Treaty of Plussa, ceding some territories to Sweden.

John III invited Jesuit priests to Sweden to promote Catholic-Lutheran dialogue and secretly negotiated with the Papacy about a possible reunion. The mission failed due to Protestant opposition and the Jesuits' expulsion in 1580.

John III issued the Red Book (Liturgy of 1576), a new church liturgy that incorporated Catholic elements into Lutheran worship. This attempt to reconcile Catholicism and Lutheranism caused conflict with the Swedish clergy and nobility.