John III of Sweden vs Joseph II

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.

Joseph II attempted to exchange the Austrian Netherlands for Bavaria, triggering the War of the Bavarian Succession against Prussia. The conflict, known as the 'Potato War,' ended with the Treaty of Teschen in 1779, which prevented the exchange and left Joseph's ambitions unfulfilled.

Joseph II issued the Serfdom Patent, abolishing serfdom in the Habsburg hereditary lands. Peasants were granted personal freedom, the right to marry without seigneurial permission, and the ability to move freely, though they still owed labor obligations to landlords.

Joseph II issued the Edict of Toleration, granting religious freedom to non-Catholic Christians, including Protestants and Orthodox, in the Habsburg monarchy. Jews also received limited civil rights. This was a major step toward religious pluralism in a Catholic state.

Joseph II dissolved over 700 monasteries that were deemed non-contributory to society, using their wealth to fund education, hospitals, and other state institutions. This secularization policy provoked strong opposition from the Catholic Church and conservative nobles.