Maximilian Ernest of Austria (17 November 1583 – 18 February 1616), was an Austrian prince member of the
House of Habsburg and by birth
Archduke of Austria.
Born in
Graz, little is known about his first years of life. His first notable presence was in 1592, when Maximilian Ernest and his mother accompanied his older sister
Anna to marry King
Sigismund III of Poland.[1]
Together with his brother Ferdinand and his cousins
Maximilian III and
Matthias, Maximilian Ernest signed a document dated 25 April 1606 in
Vienna, under which his cousin, Emperor
Rudolf II, was declared incapable of governing because of his mental illness and Matthias could assume the headship of the
Habsburg territories as regent.[2][3]
His cousin Maximilian III, called the German Grand Master (der Deutschmeister), allowed Maximiliam Ernest to join the
Teutonic Knights in 1615,[4] and one year later, in 1616,[5] he appointed him
Landkomtur of the
Bailiwick of Austria.[6] Already named Coadjutor of the Teutonic Order was determined that Maximilian Ernest would succeed his cousin in the office of Grand Master, but he died unexpectedly aged thirty-two, unmarried and childless (however he left an illegitimate son, Don Carlos d'Austria, who died in 1638[7][better source needed]). He was buried in the
Seckau Abbey.[8]
Ancestors
Ancestors of Archduke Maximilian Ernest of Austria
Generations are numbered by male-line descent from the first archdukes. Later generations are included although Austrian titles of nobility were abolished in 1919.