| Maximilian I | |
|---|---|
 Portrait byJoachim von Sandrart (1643) | |
| Duke of Bavaria | |
| Reign | 15 October 1597 – 25 February 1623 |
| Predecessor | William V |
| Elector Palatine | |
| Reign | 23 February 1623 – 24 October 1648 |
| Predecessor | Frederick V |
| Successor | Charles I Louis |
| Elector of Bavaria | |
| Reign | 25 February 1623 – 27 September 1651 |
| Successor | Ferdinand Maria |
| Born | 17 April 1573 Munich,Duchy of Bavaria,Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 27 September 1651(1651-09-27) (aged 78) Ingolstadt,Electorate of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire |
| Burial | |
| Spouses | |
| Issue | Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria Duke Maximilian Philipp Hieronymus |
| House | Wittelsbach |
| Father | William V, Duke of Bavaria |
| Mother | Renata of Lorraine |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
Maximilian I (17 April 1573 – 27 September 1651), occasionally calledthe Great, a member of theHouse of Wittelsbach, ruled asDuke of Bavaria from 1597. His reign was marked by theThirty Years' War during which he obtained the title of aprince-elector of theHoly Roman Empire at the 1623Diet of Regensburg.
Maximilian was a capable monarch who, by overcoming the feudal rights of the local estates (Landstände), laid the foundations forabsolutist rule inBavaria. A devoutCatholic, he was one of the leading proponents of theCounter-Reformation and founder of theCatholic League ofImperial Princes. In the Thirty Years' War, he was able to conquer theUpper Palatinate region, as well as theElectoral Palatinate affiliated with the electoral dignity of his Wittelsbach cousin, the "Winter King"Frederick V. The 1648Peace of Westphalia affirmed his possession of Upper Palatinate and the hereditary electoral title, though it returned the Electoral Palatinate to Frederick's heir and created an eighth electoral dignity for them.
Maximilian I was born inMunich, the eldest son ofWilliam V, Duke of Bavaria andRenata of Lorraine to survive infancy. He was educated by theJesuits, and following his father's increasing difficulties in ruling the country, began to take part in the government round 1591, but latest 1594. In 1595 he married his cousin, Elisabeth Renata (also known asElizabeth of Lorraine), daughter ofCharles III, Duke of Lorraine, and becameDuke of Bavaria upon his father's abdication in 1597.[1]
His first marriage to Elisabeth Renata was childless. A few months after the death of Elisabeth Renata, Maximilian married, on 15 July 1635 inVienna, his 25-year-old nieceMaria Anna of Austria (1610–1665), the daughter ofFerdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor and Maximilian's sister,Maria Anna of Bavaria (1574–1616). The main motivation for this swift remarriage was not so much political grounds as the hope of producing a prince to inherit. In contrast to the Elector's first wife, Maria Anna was very interested in politics and well instructed about developments. She was not bound to theHabsburgs, but rather completely advocated the Bavarian standpoint. Additionally, she conducted lively exchanges of opinion with high officials of the Munich court and took part in meetings of the cabinet. By her he left two sons,Ferdinand Maria, who succeeded him, andMaximilian Philip.[1]
As the ablest prince of his age he sought to prevent Germany from becoming the battleground of Europe, and although a rigid adherent of theCatholic faith, was not always subservient to thechurch. Weak in health and feeble in frame, Maximilian had high ambitions both for himself and his duchy, and was tenacious and resourceful in prosecuting his designs.[1]
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Maximilian refrained from any interference in German politics until 1607, when he was entrusted with the duty ofexecuting theimperial ban against the free city ofDonauwörth, aProtestant stronghold. In December 1607 his troops occupied the city, and vigorous steps were taken to restore the supremacy ofCatholicism. Some Protestant princes, alarmed at this action, formed theProtestant Union to defend their interests, which was answered in 1609 by the establishment of theCatholic League, in the formation of which Maximilian took an important part. Under his leadership an army was set on foot, but his policy was strictly defensive and he refused to allow the League to become a tool in the hands of theHouse of Habsburg. Dissensions among his colleagues led the duke to resign his office in 1616, but the approach of trouble brought about his return to the League about two years later.[1]
Having refused to become a candidate for theimperial throne in the1619 imperial election, Maximilian was faced with the complications arising from theBohemian Revolt. After some delay he made a treaty withFerdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor in October 1619, and in return for large concessions placed the forces of the League at the emperor's service. Anxious to curtail the area of the struggle, he made a treaty of neutrality with the Protestant Union, and occupiedUpper Austria as security for the expenses of the campaign. On 8 November 1620 his troops underJohann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly defeated the forces ofFrederick, King of Bohemia andCount Palatine of the Rhine, at theBattle of White Mountain nearPrague.[1] Subsequently Ferdinand II released Upper Austria as a pawn for Maximilian until 1628.[citation needed]
In spite of the arrangement with the Union, Tilly then devastated theRhenish Palatinate, and in February 1623 Maximilian was formally invested with theelectoral dignity and the attendant office of Arch-Steward, which had been enjoyed since 1356 by the Counts Palatine of the Rhine. After receiving theUpper Palatinate and restoring Upper Austria to Ferdinand, Maximilian became leader of the party which sought to bring aboutAlbrecht von Wallenstein's dismissal from the imperial service. At theDiet of Regensburg (1630) Ferdinand was compelled to assent to this demand, but the sequel was disastrous both for Bavaria and its ruler.[1] Attempting to remain neutral during the war, Maximilian signed the secretTreaty of Fontainebleau (1631) with theKingdom of France, but this proved worthless.[citation needed]
Early in 1632Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden marched into the electorate and occupied Munich, and Maximilian could only obtain the assistance of the Imperial troops by placing himself under the orders of Wallenstein, now restored to the command of the emperor's forces. The ravages of the Swedes and their French allies induced the elector to enter into negotiations for peace with the Swedes andCardinal Richelieu of France. He also wooed the Protestants by proposing modifications to theEdict of Restitution of 1629, but these efforts were abortive.[1]
In September 1638 BaronFranz von Mercy was made master-general of ordnance in the army of Bavaria, then the second largest army in the Holy Roman Empire. Mercy andJohann von Werth as lieutenant field-marshal fought with varying success France and Sweden.[citation needed]
In March 1647 Maximilian concluded theTruce of Ulm (1647) with France and Sweden, but the entreaties ofFerdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor led him to disregard his undertaking. Bavaria was again ravaged, and the elector's forces were defeated in May 1648 at theBattle of Zusmarshausen. ThePeace of Westphalia soon put an end to the struggle. By this treaty it was agreed that Maximilian would retain the electoral dignity, which was made hereditary in his family along with the Upper Palatinate.[1] Maximilian had to give up the Lower Palatinate, which was restored toCharles Louis, Frederick V's son and heir.
Maximilian rehabilitated the Bavarian state finances, reorganised the Bavarian administration and army, and introducedmercantilist measures as well as a new corpus juris, theCodex Maximilianeus.In 1610 Maximilian ordered to enlarge theMunich Residenz and to upgrade theHofgarten. The original buildings ofSchleissheim Palace were extended between 1617 and 1623 byHeinrich Schön andHans Krumpper to the so-calledOld Palace. Maximilian acquired numerous paintings ofAlbrecht Dürer,Peter Paul Rubens and additional artists for theWittelsbach collection. In 1616 for example Maximilian I commissioned four hunt paintings from Peter Paul Rubens.[2] He even obtained Dürer'sThe Four Apostles in the year 1627 due to pressure on theNuremberg city fathers. Among his court artists werePeter Candid,Friedrich Sustris,Hubert Gerhard,Hans Krumpper,Adrian de Vries andGeorg Petel.
The Duke died atIngolstadt on 27 September 1651. He is buried inSt. Michael's Church, Munich. In 1839 a statue was erected to his memory at Munich by KingLudwig I of Bavaria.[1]
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On 6 February 1595, Maximilian married his first cousin princessElisabeth (1574–1635), daughter ofCharles III, Duke of Lorraine andClaudia of France, daughter ofHenry II of France, in Nancy. They had no issue.
On 15 July 1635, Maximilian married his nieceMaria Anna of Austria (1610–1665), daughter ofFerdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor andMaria Anna of Bavaria (1574–1616), in Vienna. They had two sons:
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Maximilian I.".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 920–921.Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria Born: 17 April 1573 Died: 27 September 1651 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | DukelaterElector of Bavaria 1597–1651 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Elector Palatine 1623–1648 | Succeeded by |
