Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria: Bavarian Imperial Politics during the Interregnum

The death of Emperor Ferdinand III in April 1657 left the Holy Roman Empire with a long interregnum that lasted until July 1658. The two main issues that Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria faced at this time were his own potential imperial candidacy and his desire to succeed in the dispute with the Elector of the Palatinate over the lucrative position of Imperial Vicar for the Bavarian, Rhenish, Swabian and Franconian Imperial Circles.

As regards the imperial throne, the choice of a Habsburg candidate was not immediately clear in April 1657 and, under Cardinal Mazarin's influence, France used this opportunity to sway the election by proposing several candidates, including Elector Ferdinand Maria. The pro-French Bavarian Electress, Henriette Adelaide, acted as Mazarin's agent and, as a member of the House of Savoy, tried to draw Bavaria into the imperial vicariate dispute in Imperial Italy. However, through procrastination, manipulation and influence the Bavarian Electorate demonstrated itself a competent player in both the imperial and European political arenas during the interregnum.