Rudolf II of the Habsburg dynasty, King of Bohemia and Hungary and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was a generous patron rather than a good politician. The issuing of what is called Rudolf's Imperial Charter (1609), which legalized religious freedom in Bohemia, was a relative success for the Czech estates. In 1583 Rudolf moved his seat to Prague and the subsequent almost thirty-year presence of the imperial court in the city was an important economic and cultural contribution to its development. A fanatic collector of works of art, Rudolf II managed to build one of the largest art collections of his day at Prague Castle. Renowned artists and scientists, including G. Arcimboldo, T. Brahe and J. Kepler, worked at his court. Rudolf was, however, also attracted by mysticism, astrology and alchemy.
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