 His parents were devout Catholics, and in 1590, they sent him to study at the Jesuits' college in Ingolstadt, because they wanted to isolate him from the Lutheran nobles.In July that same year (1590), when Ferdinand was 12 years old, his father died, and he inherited Inner AustriaStyria, Carinthia, Carniola and smaller provinces.His cousin, the childless Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, who was the head of the Habsburg family, appointed regents to administer these lands.