Maximilien III Joseph de Bavière

## Kurfürst von Bayern

The Elector of Bavaria, portrait by Georg Desmarées.

Herzog von München

The Fantastic War (1762-63)

Maria Anna, Margravine of Baden-Baden

Maria Josepha, Herzogin von Bayern

**Maximilian III Joseph** (28th March 1727 - Présent) is a Prussian nobleman, statesman and the current heir to the Electorate of Bavaria as the *Duke and Prince of Bavaria*. The eldest son of seven children born to Elector Karl VII and Maria Amalie von Österreich, Maximilian Joseph was born into one of Germany's wealthiest and most influential dynasties.

Born into the illustrious name of the Wittelsbach dynasty, Maximilian Joseph was the most attractive son of Prince-Elector Karl VII. He possessed a strong resemblance to his grandfather and namesake -Maximilian II Emanuel. Styled as Prince of Bavaria from birth, Maximilian Joseph was  equally as intelligent and renowned for his looks, physique, enlightened character and the Wittelsbach spirit. An adept hunter and shooter, he enjoyed the great outdoors, often taking walks in the gardens of Bavaria's palaces, and eventually the lush and beautiful scenery of Prussia's court.

## Early Years

### **Birth**

The birth of Maximilian III Joseph of Bavaria took place on the morning of the 28th March 1727 in the royal chambers of Schloß Nymphenburg in Munich. Witnesses to the birth were his father Prince-Elector Karl VII, his grandmother the Dowager-Electress Therese Kunigunde, his uncles, and aunts. The entire palace was filled by members of the Bavarian court, as well as representatives of nearby principalities. His birth was greeted with much celebration, as with his birth, he became the safeguard of Wittelsbach succession on the Bavarian throne. His birth secured the line of Maximilian II Emanuel, while also adding strength to the Wittelsbach dynasty in German politics. Upon the moment of his birth, his father dawned the titles of *Duke, and Prince of Bavaria,* as he would later be joined by other siblings. Whilst not the first Wittelsbach child of Karl VII, he was the firstborn male of his siblings.

Immediately following the birth, the infant Duke was taken to be put in the care of a multitude of wet nurses, governesses, and several governors. At the age of 6 months, the child was officialy baptised in Munich at the x. The event was presided by his uncle, Clemens August von Bayern who held the title *Fürsterzbischof von Köln.* Albeit the child being semi uhappy during the ceremony- as was expected of most children during such time, it was joyous and celebrated with a grand-scale ball in Schloß Nymphenburg.

### **Childhood & Early Education**

During his childhood, Maximilian III Joseph would enjoy the pleasures of being outside, spending time with his father and playing with his siblings. Karl VII often spent time to show his son military strategies, playing with toy soldiers and even had the young Duke ride in-front of him on his horses during reviews of the Bavarian army. It was noted by many that the bond between father-and-son excelled during lessons of swordmanship and fencing, a subject of which Maximilian Joseph was fond of. The abundance of time spent in the company of his own father at their electoral abode was spent drilling in the techniques of fencing, riding, and hunting. On top of such matters was his educational career.

Born to a large and happy family, Maximilian was educated with his close-in-age siblings; Maria Antonia Walpurgis, Theresa Benedicta, Maria Anna Josepha, and Maria Josepha. Of these four, he was reportedly the closest with Maria Antonia Walpurgis. Educated in the castle of his birth, Schloß Nymphenburg, Elector Karl VII personally oversaw his children's education. Maximilian's lessons were primarily presided by his tutor, his uncle *Johann Theodor* whom at the time was Prince-Archbishop of the dioceses of *Regensburg, Freising,* and *Liège*. He, along with his siblings were taught a multitude of subjects in their early education such as *German, French, Italian, Latin, History, Poetry, Literature, Geometry* and several notable subjects. Music was considerably noted on their daily schedule, and Maximilian's status as the only boy permitted him some privy lessons in military strategy with his father, his other uncle *Ferdinand Maria Innocenz*, who was later promoted to Field Marshal and Imperial *Feldzeugmeister* of the Holy Roman Empire's *Reichsarmee.*

### **Bavaria's Succession & Inheritance**

From his moment of birth, Maximilian III Joseph was destined to become the next Wittelsbacher ruler of Bavaria. His family had held the Bavarian land since 1180 and acquired the Palatinate in 1214. In the family's illustrious history, they had provided two Holy Roman Emperors- *Ludwig IV (Reigned 1314-1347)* and now his own father who had sought to continue the old family issue of rivalry with the corruptness and abuse of Hapsburg Austria who had dominated the Roman Crown for so many centuries since the days of Charlemagne. Bavaria's right of succession were challenged by Austrian ambitions, and Maximilian was in the midst of all but his succession issue from his day of birth.

The Wittelsbach's since their earliest ambitions as a family of great influence have looked to their neighbours for support. Maximilian's own great-grandfather, the then elector Ferdinand Maria had politically married *Henriette Adelaide of Savoy*, daughter of *Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy* and *Christine Marie of France.* On the flip side, there was several marriages - such as that of his very own father to improve Hapsburg relations, but also increase Hapsburg influence on the subject of Bavarian Succession. His own mother was an Archduchess of Austria. The fate of Bavaria precipitating to Maximilian III Joseph's eventual succession were destined to shape Bavaria's destiny for the next 130 years, in looming of German Unification.

### **Adolescence**

In the spring of 1735, when Maximilian was only 8, Karl VII had arranged by political means byways of Vienna, to gain access to the court of Prussia's august but devout Soldatenkönig *Friedrich Wilhelm I.* At such tender age of youth, Maximilian III Joseph was deemed ready to take on the role of a page at the court of the illustriously renowned Prussian monarch. It was during this time at the Berliner court where he would learn the art of being a true and virtuous Prussian, like so many other children of his age.

Regarded early on for his good looks, Maximilian Joseph had a wit, countenance, persistence and iron will which made him particularily among the circles of the Soldatenkönig, but also several Austrian envoys keeping close watch over the Prussian state in this crucial time. It wouldn't be until the summer of 1735, when the Bavarian heir, met the Prussian heir -the future *Friedrich II* at his *''Young Court''* which presided in great secrecy at Schloß Rheinsberg some 3 hours north of Berlin, away from the bustling streets, columns of parading soldiers and the temperamental, sometimes violent anger bursts of the Prussian king. Capable, diligent and intelligent, Choiseul was well known at the court of Friedrich Wilhelm I, for he provided witty greetings and displayed the Prussian Virtues well in the presence of his severely autocratic monarch.

This diligent court service would later provide Bavaria the backing it needed to challenge the Hapsburgs. More of this would, however, be mentioned later on. During his time as a court page, despite his young age Maximilian Joseph often found himself being in the presence of crowned prince Friedrich; he would sometimes earn the invitation of joining the prince at his libertine oasis of Rheinsberg with crown princess Elisabeth, the Duchess of Brunswick and several other courtiers of the future regime who would earn themselves security. As was expected of a future courtier in the coming reign of Friedrich II, Maximilian was taught the art of conversation and flattery, and also took several music lessons with the astounding prince Friedrich. The pair often would be seen with the *Prince of Prussia* on the flute, and the *Prince of Bavaria* on the violin, or clavard.

#### **Prinz** **Eugen von Savoyen & Military Lessons; War of Polish Succession**

Naturally for the status of the Wittelsbachs presiding over one of the Holy Roman Empire's most influential Imperial Electorates, the Electors between Maximilian III Joseph's grandfather to his own father had come to be acqainted with several notable figures of the politically robust court of Vienna. Amongst these famed courtiers was the world-renowned Eugene of Savoy. The famed man who liberated Belgrade, the man who made the mighty Turks crumble, and he who swayed his baton indifferently to the manner of a sabre to the roar of his lion-like cannons; this man was no ordinary caesarian general.

Eugene of Savoy had been present at every major battle, of every major war until his death in 1736. During the War of Spanish Succession, he nominally fought at Blenheim with John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough against Louis XIV. At the siegs and battles of Turin and Toulon, the great Savoyard fought against the Duc de Vendome to protect his native Savoy. He went on to finally join the augustly militant Soldatenkönig Friedrich Wilhelm I and his victorious Prussian Army at Malplaquet.

In 1733 the Polish King and Elector of Saxony, *Augustus the Strong*, died. There were two candidates for his successor: first, *Stanisław Leszczyński*, the father-in-law of Louis XV; second, the Elector of Saxony's son, *Augustus*, supported by *Russia, Austria*, and *Prussia*. The Polish succession had afforded Louis XV's chief minister, Cardinal Fleury, the opportunity to attack Austria and take *Lorraine* from the husband of Maria Theresa-- Franz Stephen. In order to gain Spanish support, France backed the succession of Queen *Elisabeth Farnese's* sons to further Italian lands.

Eugene took command on the *Rhine* in April 1734, but vastly outnumbered he was forced onto the defensive. In June Eugene set out to relieve *Philippsburg*, yet his former drive and energy were now gone partially due to himself being in his mid-70s. Accompanying Eugene was a young *Frédéric le Grand*, sent by his father to learn the art of war. Friedrich gained considerable knowledge from Eugene, recalling in later life his great debt to his Austrian mentor, but the Prussian prince was aghast at Eugene's condition, writing later, *"his body was still there but his soul had gone."* Amongst the Prince of Prussia's retinue of officers, was the young Maximilian III Joseph, who too earned some valuable lessons from the great *Prinz Eugen.*

 A preliminary peace was finally concluded in October 1735 and ratified in the *Treaty of Vienna* in November 1738. Augustus was officially confirmed as king of Poland, Stanisław was compensated with Lorraine (which would pass on his death, through his daughter, to the French), while the former Duke of Lorraine, *Franz Stephen*, was made heir to the *Grand Duchy of Tuscany*.