Maximilian I, (born April 17, 1573, Munich—died Sept. 27, 1651, Ingolstadt, Bavaria), Duke of Bavaria (1597–1651) and elector from 1623. Succeeding his father as duke, he restored the duchy to solvency, revised the law code, and built an effective army. Opposed to the Protestant cause, he established the Catholic League (1610). In the Thirty Years’ War he gave military aid to Austria against the Palatine elector Frederick V and, with military victories by count von Tilly, obtained both territory and the electorship of Bavaria (1623). Threatened by an independent army under Albrecht W.E. von Wallenstein, he forced the general’s dismissal in 1630. Maximilian later fought unsuccessfully against France and Sweden and made a separate peace to retain the electorship.
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duke Summary
Duke, Duke and Duchess equivalentsa European title of nobility, having ordinarily the highest rank below a prince or king (except in countries having such titles as archduke or grand duke). It is one of the five ranks of British nobility and peerage, which, in descending order, are duke, marquess,
Bavaria Summary
Bavaria, largest Land (state) of Germany, comprising the entire southeastern portion of the country. Bavaria is bounded to the north by the states of Thuringia and Saxony, to the east by the Czech Republic, to the south and southeast by Austria, and to the west by the states of Baden-Württemberg
government Summary
Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated. Most of the key words commonly used to describe governments—words such as monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy—are of Greek or Roman origin. They have been current for more than 2,000 years and have not