MAXIMILIAN II. (1811-1864) , king of Bavaria, son of king Louis I. and of Theresa of Saxe-Hildburghausen, was born on Nov. 28, 181i. After studying at Gottingen and Berlin and travel ling in Germany, Italy and-Greece, he was introduced by his father into the council of State (1836). As crown prince, in the château of Hohenschwangau near Fussen, he gathered about him an inti mate society of artists and men of learning, and devoted his time to scientific and historical study. When the abdication of Louis I. (March 28, 1848) called him suddenly to the throne, his choice of ministers promised a liberal regime. But he strenuously opposed the unionist plans of the Frankfort parliament, refused to recog nize the imperial constitution devised by it, and assisted Austria in restoring the federal diet and in carrying out the federal exe cution in Hesse and Holstein. Although, however, from 185o on wards his government tended in the direction of absolutism, he refused to become the tool of the clerical reaction, and even in curred the bitter criticism of the Ultramontanes by inviting men of learning and science (e.g., Liebig and Sybel) to Munich, regard less of their religious views. Finally, in 1859, he dismissed the
reactionary ministry of von der Pfordten, in favour of a moderate constitutional Government. In his German policy he hoped to attain the union of the princes against the perilous rivalry of Austria and Prussia by the creation of a league of the "middle" and small states—the so-called Trias. In 1863, however, he sup ported the project of reform proposed by Austria at the Diet of Princes at Frankfort. The failure of this proposal, and the atti tude of Austria towards the Confederation and in the Schleswig Holstein question, undeceived him; but before the outbreak of the war with Denmark he died suddenly at Munich on March io, 1864. By his wife, Maria Hedwig, daughter of Prince William of Prussia, Maximilian had two sons, Louis II., king of Bavaria, and Otto, king of Bavaria, both of whom lost their reason.
See J. M. Soltl, Max der Zweite, Konig von Bayern (Munich, 1865) ; biography by G. K. Heigel in Allgem. Deutsche Biographie, vol. xxi. (Leipzig, 1885). Maximilian's correspondence with Schlegel was pub lished at Stuttgart in 189o.