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Maximilian I, Duke/Elector of Bavaria (17 April 1573 – 27 September 1651), called "the Great", was a Wittelsbach ruler of Bavaria and a prince-elector (Kurfürst) of the Holy Roman Empire. His reign was marked by the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648).
Maximilian I in 1632[]
At the time of Grantville's arrival in the past, Maximilian I had brought Bavaria into the German Catholic League, and was Count Tilly's primary employer.
After Tilly was killed at the Battle of Rain, Maximilian personally took control of Tilly's army. He continued to lead until the Siege of Nürnberg.
Like many monarchs in Europe, Maximilian I was able to obtain history books from Grantville, and so had an idea of what the years would bring. He even learned that his wife, Elisabeth Renata, was to die in 1635 of cancer, a fact which both accepted.
However, Grantville's arrival changed the flow of events on the micro-level as well the macro. Elisabeth unexpectedly died in 1634 of pneumonia. Distraught and increasingly paranoid, Maximilian took an oath, written in his own blood, to abdicate and spend the remainder of his life in a monastery. His privy council convinced him to hold his throne and take a new wife. After considering all factors (including the present political situation and the Grantville history books), the council chose Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, the daughter of his long time ally Ferdinand II. Maria Anna was also Maximilian's second wife in the OTL. However, Maximilian took no interest in the preparations and seemed indifferent to the marriage, insisting that if the council wanted him to marry Maria Anna, they could bring her to him, as he saw no reason to go to Vienna. He only went to the border region of Passau to meet her procession because the entire council pressured him to do so, but once there, he took no interest in the event, or in his intended bride.
Maria Anna had also had access to the Grantville histories, and learned of some of the problems her OTL version experienced. She soon concluded that she did not want this destiny. Making matters worse was her meeting with two revered American women of the United States of Europe—Veronica Dreeson and Mary Simpson. The "Bavarian Crisis" saw Maria Anna escape first to Switzerland, then on to the territory ruled by her cousin, Don Fernando, whom she'd grown smitten with from afar.
Following Maria Anna's escape, Maximilian grew increasingly paranoid. He became convinced that Ferdinand II had intended to make a fool of him, and had the members of Maria Anna's household who remained in Munich executed. He also initiated a reign of terror in Bavaria as he searched for traitors. His sister-in-law, Duchess Mechthilde, was killed while fleeing Bavaria, when she charged her horse at him and impaled herself on his lance; and his brother Albrecht went into exile in Bohemia.
In March of 1636, a recovered Gustavus Adolphus decided he had had enough of Maximilian, and ordered the Third Division of the USE Army, under Mike Stearns, to "crush him like a bug".
As of March 1636, Maximilian had not remarried, and it appeared that he never would.
| Regnal titles (OTL) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William V |
Duke of Bavaria 1597–1651 |
Succeeded by Ferdinand Maria |
| Preceded by Frederick V |
Elector of Bavaria 1623–1651 | |