Researchers working on our current exhibition/project The Unvarnished Truth identified the man in one painting as Maximilian III. Read about that research here.

Who was Maximilian?

Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria, was a member of the Austrian house of Hapsburg, a family of emperors and other nobility that ruled great areas of Europe over several hundred years. He was the 4th son of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II and Maria of Spain. As the 4th son, he did not succeed his father to become Holy Roman Emperor. His place in the line of succession meant that he ascended to the archduchy of Austria in 1595.

A decade prior to his succession, conflict arose between factions of Sigismund III Vasa and Maximilian III over who would be king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was the War of Polish Succession. Maximilian was defeated in January 1588, and taken captive for a year and a half. By this time, his elder brother Rudolf had succeeded to their father’s position of Holy Roman Emperor. Rudolf did not help to release Maximilian from his captivity; an inaction that contributed to Rudolf’s poor reputation as Emperor.

Maximilian is perhaps best known today for his archducal hat. This hat was used for ceremonial purposes until the 19th century, and features on the heraldry of some of the Archdukes of Austria.

Our portrait of Maximilian could have hung in governmental buildings, akin to portraits of the Queen that we display today in governmental and official buildings.

– Teresa Gregorio

Teresa Gregorio is Information Officer at the McMaster Museum of Art