Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria

Maximilian III
Maximilian III
Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
	Portrait by Hans Henseiller, 1590s, National Museum in Warsaw
Archduke of Further Austria
Reign	26 June 1612 – 2 November 1618
Predecessor	Matthias
Successor	Matthias
King of Poland; Grand Duke of Lithuania; (contested)
Reign	27 September 1587 – 9 March 1589
Predecessor	Stephen Báthory
Successor	Sigismund III Vasa
Born	12 October 1558; Wiener Neustadt, Archduchy of Austria
Died	2 November 1618 (aged 60); Vienna, Archduchy of Austria
Burial	Innsbruck Cathedral
House	Habsburg
Father	Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Maria of Spain
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature

Maximilian III of Austria (12 October 1558 – 2 November 1618), was a member of the House of Habsburg and the Archduke of Further Austria from 1612 until his death. He was also briefly known as Maximilian of Poland during his claim for the Polish throne. He would try to be elected as King of Poland he was defeated. He was also Grand Master of the Teutonic Order

Biography

Portrait of Archduke Maximilian by Martino Rota, c. 1580

Anonymous Netherlands, *Portrait of Maximilian, Archduke of Austria*, 17th century, engraving

Born in Wiener Neustadt, Maximilian was the fourth son of the Emperor Maximilian II and Maria of Spain. He was a grandson of Anna of Bohemia and Hungary, daughter and heiress of Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary, who himself was the eldest son of Casimir IV of Poland from the Jagiellonian dynasty.

In 1585, Maximilian became the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; thanks to this he was known by the epithet der Deutschmeister ("the German Master") for much of his later life.^[1]

In the 1587 Polish–Lithuanian royal election Maximilian stood as a candidate for the throne of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, following the death of the previous king, Stephen Báthory. Nonetheless, a portion of the Polish nobility elected Maximilian king, but another faction elected Prince Sigismund of Sweden, grandson of Sigismund I the Old, as Sigismund III Vasa. However, he faced considerable opposition as well due to same reasons as before. Maximilian then invaded Poland, starting the War of the Polish Succession (1587–1588). He had considerable support in Poland, but fewer Poles flocked to his army than to that of his rival. In late 1587, he tried and failed to storm Kraków. At Pitschen in Silesia, he met Sigismund's army, commanded by Polish hetman Jan Zamojski. In the Battle of Byczyna (24 January 1588), Maximilian was defeated and captured. He was released a year and half later after the intervention of Pope Sixtus V in the aftermath of the Treaty of Bytom and Będzin. In 1598, he formally renounced his claim to the Polish crown.^[2] The inactivity of his brother, Emperor Rudolf II, in this matter contributed to Rudolf's poor reputation.^{[citation needed]}

From 1593 to 1595, Maximilian served as regent for his young cousin, the future Emperor Ferdinand II as Archduke of Inner Austria. In 1595, Maximilian succeeded to the territories of their uncle Ferdinand II, Archduke of Further Austria, including Tyrol, where he proved to be a solid proponent of the Counter-Reformation. He also worked to depose Melchior Khlesl, and to ensure that Ferdinand succeeded as Holy Roman Emperor.

Today, Maximilian is perhaps best remembered for his baroque archducal hat, exhibited in the treasury of the monastery of Klosterneuburg and was used for ceremonial purposes as late as 1835.

He died at Vienna in 1618, and is buried in the canopied tomb in Innsbruck Cathedral.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria

8. Philip I of Castile^[5]

4. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor^[3]

9. Joanna I of Castile^[6]

2. Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor

10. Vladislas II of Bohemia and Hungary^[7]

5. Anne of Bohemia and Hungary^[3]

11. Anne of Foix-Candale^[7]

1. Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria

12. Philip I of Castile^[8] (= 8)

6. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor^[4]

13. Joanna I of Castile^[8] (= 9)

3. Maria of Austria

14. Manuel I of Portugal^[9]

7. Isabella of Portugal^[4]

15. Maria of Aragon^[9]

Male-line family tree

House of Habsburg^{[n 1]}

Original line

Albert
Count of Habsburg
c. 1188–1239

Rudolf I
of Germany
c. 1218–1291

Albert I
of Germany
1255–1308

Hartmann
1263–1281

Rudolf II
Duke of Austria
1270–1290

Rudolf I
of Bohemia
1281–1307

Frederick
the Fair
c. 1289–1330

Leopold I
Duke of Austria
1290–1326

Albert II
Duke of Austria
1298–1358

Henry
the Friendly
1299–1327

Otto
Duke of Austria
1301–1339

John
Parricida
c. 1290–1312/1313

Albertinian line

Leopoldian line

Rudolf IV
Duke of Austria
1339–1365

Frederick III
1347–1362

Albert III
Duke of Austria
1349–1395

Leopold III
Duke of Austria
1351–1386

Frederick II
Duke of Austria
1327–1344

Leopold II
Duke of Austria
1328–1344

Albert IV
Duke of Austria
1377–1404

William
Duke of Austria
c. 1370–1406

Leopold IV
Duke of Austria
1371–1411

Ernest
Duke of Austria
1377–1424

Frederick IV
Duke of Austria
1382–1439

Albert II
of Germany
1397–1439

Frederick III
HRE
1415–1493

Albert VI
Archduke of Austria
1418–1463

Sigismund
Archduke of Austria
1427–1496

Ladislaus
the Posthumous
1440–1457

Maximilian I
HRE
1459–1519

Philip I
of Castile
1478–1506

Spanish / Iberian line

Austrian / HRE line

Charles V
HRE
1500–1558

Ferdinand I
HRE
1503–1564

Philip II
of Spain
1527–1598

Maximilian II
HRE
1527–1576

Ferdinand II
Archduke of Austria
1529–1595

Charles II
Archduke of Austria
1540–1590

Carlos
Prince of Asturias
1545–1568

Philip III
of Spain
1578–1621

Rudolf II
HRE
1552–1612

Ernest
of Austria
1553–1595

Matthias
HRE
1557–1619

Maximilian III
Archduke of Austria
1558–1618

Albert VII
Archduke of Austria
1559–1621

Wenceslaus
Archduke of Austria
1561–1578

Andrew
Margrave of Burgau
1558–1600

Charles
Margrave of Burgau
1560–1618

Ferdinand II
HRE
1578–1637

Maximilian Ernest
of Austria
1583–1616

Leopold V
Archduke of Austria
1586–1632

Charles
of Austria
1590–1624

Philip IV
of Spain
1605–1665

Charles
of Austria
1607–1632

Ferdinand
of Austria
1609–1641

John-Charles
of Austria
1605–1619

Ferdinand III
HRE
1608–1657

Leopold Wilhelm
of Austria
1614–1662

Ferdinand Charles
Archduke of Austria
1628–1662

Sigismund Francis
Archduke of Austria
1630–1665

Balthasar Charles
Prince of Asturias
1629–1646

Charles II
of Spain
1661–1700

Ferdinand IV
King of the Romans
1633–1654

Leopold I
HRE
1640–1705

Charles Joseph
of Austria
1649–1664

Joseph I
HRE
1678–1711

Charles VI
HRE
1685–1740

Notes:

^ "Habsburg family tree". Habsburg family website. 28 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.

References

^ The Deutschmeister ("German Master") was the Order's third-highest officer, who administered its bailiwicks in the Holy Roman Empire. The State of the Teutonic Order in Prussia and Livonia was administered by the Grand Master. But after 1525, the Order had only its German holdings, and after 1561, these offices were united and the Grand Master was also German Master.
^ Sławomir Leśniewski (January 2008). Jan Zamoyski – hetman i polityk (in Polish). Bellona. pp. 111–118. GGKEY:RRA1L0T4Y81.
^ ^a ^b Press, Volker (1990), "Maximilian II.", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 16, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 471–475; (full text online)
^ ^a ^b Wurzbach, Constantin von, ed. (1861). "Habsburg, Maria von Spanien" . Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich [Biographical Encyclopedia of the Austrian Empire] (in German). Vol. 7. p. 19 – via Wikisource.
^ Wurzbach, Constantin von, ed. (1861). "Habsburg, Philipp I. der Schöne von Oesterreich" . Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich [Biographical Encyclopedia of the Austrian Empire] (in German). Vol. 7. p. 112 – via Wikisource.
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Joanna" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
^ ^a ^b Priebatsch, Felix (1908), "Wladislaw II.", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 54, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 688–696
^ ^a ^b Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor at the Encyclopædia Britannica
^ ^a ^b Stephens, Henry Morse (1903). The story of Portugal. G.P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 125, 139, 279. ISBN 9780722224731. Retrieved 11 July 2018.

Preceded by Ferdinand II, Archduke of Further Austria Archduke Mathias, his elder brother	Governor of Tirol Archduke of Further Austria 1612–1618	Succeeded by Leopold V, Archduke of Further Austria, his first cousin
Preceded by Charles II, Archduke of Inner Austria	Regent of Styria 1593–1595	Succeeded by Ferdinand III, Archduke of Inner Austria
Preceded by Heinrich von Bobenhausen	Grand Master of the Teutonic Order 1590–1618	Succeeded by Archduke Charles III of Austria

[Chart-10] "Habsburg family tree". Habsburg family website. 28 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.

[1] The Deutschmeister ("German Master") was the Order's third-highest officer, who administered its bailiwicks in the Holy Roman Empire. The State of the Teutonic Order in Prussia and Livonia was administered by the Grand Master. But after 1525, the Order had only its German holdings, and after 1561, these offices were united and the Grand Master was also German Master.

[Leśniewski2008-111-118-2] Sławomir Leśniewski (January 2008). Jan Zamoyski – hetman i polityk (in Polish). Bellona. pp. 111–118. GGKEY:RRA1L0T4Y81.

[NDB-Maximilian_II-3] Press, Volker (1990), "Maximilian II.", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 16, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 471–475; (full text online)

[BLKO-Maria_von_Spanien-4] Wurzbach, Constantin von, ed. (1861). "Habsburg, Maria von Spanien" . Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich [Biographical Encyclopedia of the Austrian Empire] (in German). Vol. 7. p. 19 – via Wikisource.

[BLKO-Philip-5] Wurzbach, Constantin von, ed. (1861). "Habsburg, Philipp I. der Schöne von Oesterreich" . Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich [Biographical Encyclopedia of the Austrian Empire] (in German). Vol. 7. p. 112 – via Wikisource.

[1911-Joanna-6] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Joanna" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

[ADB-Wladislaw_II-7] Priebatsch, Felix (1908), "Wladislaw II.", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 54, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 688–696

[EB-Charles_V-8] Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor at the Encyclopædia Britannica

[Stephens1903-9] Stephens, Henry Morse (1903). The story of Portugal. G.P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 125, 139, 279. ISBN 9780722224731. Retrieved 11 July 2018.

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Maximilian III
Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
Portrait by Hans Henseiller, 1590s, National Museum in Warsaw
Archduke of Further Austria
Reign	26 June 1612 – 2 November 1618
Predecessor	Matthias
Successor	Matthias
King of Poland Grand Duke of Lithuania (contested)
Reign	27 September 1587 – 9 March 1589
Predecessor	Stephen Báthory
Successor	Sigismund III Vasa

Born	(1558-10-12)12 October 1558 Wiener Neustadt, Archduchy of Austria
Died	2 November 1618(1618-11-02) (aged 60) Vienna, Archduchy of Austria
Burial	Innsbruck Cathedral
House	Habsburg
Father	Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Maria of Spain
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature