son and successor Ferdinand II () set up "reformation commissions"—a group of clerics and state officials led by a senior clergyman—to visit the Inner Austrian parishes between 1598 and 1601. The commissioners seized and destroyed Evangelical churches, burned Protestant books and expelled Evangelical priests, often with the support of the local (mainly Slovenian) peasantry. His cousin Emperor Rudolf II () introduced anti-Protestant measures in Royal Hungary and Transylvania, provoking a rebellion. The Ottomans supported the rebels whose leader, the Reformed aristocrat Stephen Bocskai was proclaimed prince of Transylvania (). Rudolph appointed his brother Matthias to conduct negotiations with Bocskai, and the peace treaty sanctioned the freedom of the Evangelical and Reformed Churches in Royal Hungary in 1606. Rudolph was forced to cede Hungary, Austria and Moravia to Matthias in 1608, and to confirm religious freedom in Bohemia in 1609.
Son aNd sUccEsSOr feRdiNand ii () SEt up "rEformaTion cOMmIsSIoNS"—a group OF Clerics and StatE OfFIcIals lEd by a seNior clErgyMAn—TO VIsit The iNneR aUstrIAn paRishes betweEn 1598 and 1601 ThE cOmmISsioneRs SEized AND DeSTrOyed eVangeLicAL churChEs BUrned ProtestAnT BooKs and expeLLEd evanGelical priests ofTeN With The supPoRt of the LocAl (mAINlY slovenian) peaSaNtrY his cousiN eMperoR rUdolF ii () intrOduced anTi-pRotesTanT measuRes In Royal Hungary and TRAnsyLvAnia pRoVokING a rebellion tHE OttOmans suPpoRtEd the reBElS whose lEAder tHe rEfOrmed aristocrat StePHeN boCskai Was proCLaimed prince Of tRaNsylvAnIa () RUdolPh ApPointed his bRoTHeR maTThias TO cOndUct negotiaTiOns With boCskaI and tHe peaCe treATY saNcTiOneD the FREeDom of THe EvaNgelIcaL ANd reFormed chuRches In rOYAL HuNgary iN 1606 rUdoLPH wAs foRceD to cede hUngaRy austRia and mOravIa To MattHias iN 1608 and to confirm reLIgious frEEdOm IN bohemIA in 1609