 In his own possessions, he built a tax system that, though imperfect, would continue to be used by his successors.His handling of the Protestant Reformation proved more flexible and more effective than that of his brother and he played a key part in the settlement of 1555, which started an era of peace in Germany.His statesmanship, overall, was cautious and effective, well-suited to a medium-sized collection of territories facing dangerous threats.