Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria

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. After trying and failing to be elected as King of Poland, he launched the War of the Polish Succession and was defeated by the winner, Sigismund III Vasa. He was also Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.

Biography

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.

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. A portion of the Polish nobility supported Maximilian, but the larger faction elected Prince Sigismund of Sweden, grandson of Sigismund I the Old, as Sigismund III Vasa. 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. 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 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 Castile4. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor9. Joanna I of Castile2. Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor10. Vladislas II of Bohemia and Hungary5. Anne of Bohemia and Hungary11. Anne of Foix-Candale1. Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria12. Philip I of Castile (= 8)6. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor13. Joanna I of Castile (= 9)3. Maria of Austria14. Manuel I of Portugal7. Isabella of Portugal15. Maria of Aragon
		8. Philip I of Castile



	4. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor



	9. Joanna I of Castile



	2. Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor



	10. Vladislas II of Bohemia and Hungary



	5. Anne of Bohemia and Hungary



	11. Anne of Foix-Candale



	1. Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria



	12. Philip I of Castile (= 8)



	6. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor



	13. Joanna I of Castile (= 9)



	3. Maria of Austria



	14. Manuel I of Portugal



	7. Isabella of Portugal



	15. Maria of Aragon

Male-line family tree

vteHouse of Habsburg
Original line Albert Count of Habsburg c.1188–1239 Rudolf I of Germany c.1218–1291 Albert I of Germany 1255–1308Hartmann 1263–1281Rudolf II Duke of Austria 1270–1290 Rudolf I of Bohemia 1281–1307Frederick the Fair c.1289–1330Leopold I Duke of Austria 1290–1326Albert II Duke of Austria 1298–1358Henry the Friendly 1299–1327Otto Duke of Austria 1301–1339John Parricida c.1290–1312/1313 Albertinian line Leopoldian line Rudolf IV Duke of Austria 1339–1365Frederick III 1347–1362Albert III Duke of Austria 1349–1395Leopold III Duke of Austria 1351–1386Frederick II Duke of Austria 1327–1344Leopold II Duke of Austria 1328–1344 Albert IV Duke of Austria 1377–1404William Duke of Austria c.1370–1406Leopold IV Duke of Austria 1371–1411Ernest Duke of Austria 1377–1424Frederick IV Duke of Austria 1382–1439 Albert II of Germany 1397–1439Frederick III HRE 1415–1493Albert VI Archduke of Austria 1418–1463Sigismund Archduke of Austria 1427–1496 Ladislaus the Posthumous 1440–1457Maximilian I HRE 1459–1519 Philip I of Castile 1478–1506 Spanish / Iberian line Austrian / HRE line Charles V HRE 1500–1558Ferdinand I HRE 1503–1564 Philip II of Spain 1527–1598Maximilian II HRE 1527–1576Ferdinand II Archduke of Austria 1529–1595Charles II Archduke of Austria 1540–1590 Carlos Prince of Asturias 1545–1568Philip III of Spain 1578–1621Rudolf II HRE 1552–1612Ernest of Austria 1553–1595Matthias HRE 1557–1619Maximilian III Archduke of Austria 1558–1618Albert VII Archduke of Austria 1559–1621Wenceslaus Archduke of Austria 1561–1578Andrew Margrave of Burgau 1558–1600Charles Margrave of Burgau 1560–1618Ferdinand II HRE 1578–1637Maximilian Ernest of Austria 1583–1616Leopold V Archduke of Austria 1586–1632Charles of Austria 1590–1624 Philip IV of Spain 1605–1665Charles of Austria 1607–1632Ferdinand of Austria 1609–1641John-Charles of Austria 1605–1619Ferdinand III HRE 1608–1657Leopold Wilhelm of Austria 1614–1662Ferdinand Charles Archduke of Austria 1628–1662Sigismund Francis Archduke of Austria 1630–1665 Balthasar Charles Prince of Asturias 1629–1646Charles II of Spain 1661–1700Ferdinand IV King of the Romans 1633–1654Leopold I HRE 1640–1705Charles Joseph of Austria 1649–1664 Joseph I HRE 1678–1711Charles VI HRE 1685–1740 Lorraine Maria Theresa HRE 1740–1780Francis I HRE 1745–1765 Habsburg-Lorraine Joseph II HRE 1765–1790Leopold II HRE 1790–1792 Francis II HRE 1792–1806
												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
																									Lorraine
																						Maria Theresa HRE 1740–1780	Francis I HRE 1745–1765

																							Habsburg-Lorraine


																						Joseph II HRE 1765–1790	Leopold II HRE 1790–1792

																								Francis II HRE 1792–1806
Notes:

Preceded byFerdinand II, Archduke of Further Austria Archduke Mathias, his elder brother	Governor of Tirol Archduke of Further Austria 1612–1618	Succeeded byLeopold V, Archduke of Further Austria, his first cousin
Preceded byCharles II, Archduke of Inner Austria	Regent of Styria 1593–1595	Succeeded byFerdinand III, Archduke of Inner Austria
Preceded byHeinrich von Bobenhausen	Grand Master of the Teutonic Order 1590–1618	Succeeded byArchduke Charles III of Austria