Maximilian II of Germany

**Maximilian II** (*Maximilian Joseph Augustus Karl Viktor Alexander Ludwig*; born 13 August 1969) is Emperor of Austria and Germany. He is the son of Princess Amalie and Prince Frederick of Germany. He succeeded to the Imperial throne upon the death of his great uncle, George I.

## Emperor of Germany

### coronation

7 February 1998
Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, Germany

## Emperor of Austria

### coronation

20 June 1998
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Linz, Austria

### born

Prince Maximilian of Hanover
13 August 1969 (age 54)
Royal Palace of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

### issue

Princess Elisabeth
Charlotte, Imperial Princess of Germany
Princess Adelaide
Princess Eleonore
Princess Sophia Amalia

### names

German: *Maximilian Joseph Augustus Karl Viktor Alexander Ludwig*
English: *Maximilian Joseph Augustus Charles Victor Alexander Louis*

### religion

Roman Catholicism

Maximilian was born in Berlin, as the first son of Amalie, Duchess of Bavaria and her husband Prince Frederick. He was born during his great uncle's reign, during which George I's lack of an heir threatened the succession. Advised by the Bundestag to choose between the infant Maximilian, oldest grandson of Prince Louis, and his younger brother, Prince Wilhelm, George named Maximilian heir presumptive to the Imperial throne.

Maximilian received a private education and became a prominent figure in Emperor George's court. He attended Technical University of Munich from 1988 to 1992. In 1993, he married Alice Lindeberg, together they have five daughters: Elisabeth, Charlotte, Adelaide, Eleonore, and Sophia Amalia.

On the death of his great uncle in 1997, Maximilian became Emperor of Austria and Germany. Having no sons in a succession that preferred males, he began pushing reformations to the succession immediately after his accession. His efforts proved successful in 2000, with the introduction of the Royal Act of Succession of 2000. Being still young, the event of a future son being born to him was addressed with favour to his older daughters above any future sons. His current heir, following the abdication of his eldest daughter, is his second daughter Charlotte.

## Early life

Maximilian was born on 13 August 1969, the third child and first son of Princess Amalie, Duchess of Bavaria and her husband Prince Frederick. His mother was the only child of Prince Louis, eldest son and child of Emperor Henry I, and Princess Sophie of the Netherlands. His father was the only son of Henry I's younger brother Prince Charles, making his parents first cousins once removed. He was delivered at 09:33 (CEST) at the Royal Palace of Berlin. He was baptised by the Archbishop of Cologne at the Royal Palace of Berlin on 13 September and was named Maximilian Joseph Augustus Karl Viktor Alexander Ludwig. His family call him "Max", and his siblings affectionately called him "Maxie". Having no children of his own, Emperor George, took great interest in spending time with Maximilian and his siblings, treating them as his own.

Maximilian had two older sisters at the time of his birth, Victoria Louise and Marie Therese. He had four more younger siblings, three brothers named Wilhelm, George and Charles, and one sister named Alexandra.