Ernest (1553 - 1595) was the governor of the Netherlands from 1594 until his death in 1595. Ernest was the second son of Emperor Maximilian II. Ernest was intended to be the heir of his elder brother, the Emperor Rudolph II, but Ernest eventually predeceased him. In 1590 Ernest was made the regent of the infant Archduke Ferdinand of Inner Austria. In 1592 Ernest was defeated in a war against the Turks. In 1594 Ernest became the governor of the Netherlands, but he died soon after on 20 February 1595 in Brussels.