Matthias was born in the Austrian capital of Vienna as the fourth son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria of Spain. His brothers were Rudolf (who became Emperor Rudolf II), Ernest of Austria, Maximilian (from 1585 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order), Albrecht (archbishop of Toledo, later governor of the Netherlands) and Wenceslaus (Grand Prior of the Order of Malta in Castile). He also had six sisters. Through the marriage of his sister Anna, he was related to Philip II of Spain and his sister Elisabeth to King Charles IX of France.[5][6] Almost nothing is known about his upbringings. One of his teachers was the writer and historian Ogier Ghislain de Busbecq.[7] Upon Maximilian II's death the royal estates and property were completely transferred to Rudolf, his brothers - including Matthias - received compensations, like cash pensions and appointments of church or state positions. Matthias married Archduchess Anna of Austria, daughter of his uncle Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria, whose successor in Further Austria Matthias became in 1595. Their marriage did not produce surviving children.