Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria

✶December 8, 1756

†July 27, 1801

1 candle burning, 6 lit in all

About their life

Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria was Elector of Cologne and Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights from 1780 until his death. Influenced by Enlightenment ideals, he sought to implement reforms in various political fields. During the First Coalition War, his territories on the left bank of the Rhine were occupied and later annexed by France. He was the youngest child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. He was the last fully functioning Elector of Cologne and the second employer and patron of the young Ludwig van Beethoven.

Austrian archduke, archbishop of Cologne

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Biography from the article Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria on the English Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.