MAXIMILIAN, emperor of Mexico, known in earlier life as Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph, Archduke of Austria: b. Vienna, 6 July 1832; d. Queretaro, Mexico, 19 June 1867. He was the younger brother of Francis Joseph I, emperor of Austria (q.v.). He entered the Austrian navy in 1846, and in 1854 obtained the rank of rear-admiral and was placed at the head of the Austrian marine. He was viceroy of the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom in 1857-59, and in 1857 married Princess Charlotte of Bel gium, daughter of King Leopold I. On his return from a voyage made to Brazil for scien tific purposes he fixed his residence at Miramar in the vicinity of Trieste, and there, 3 Oct. 1863, received a deputation from the Mexican Assembly of Notables, who offered him the crown of their country. He officially announced his acceptance 10 April 1864. He landed a Vera Cruz on 28 May and entered Mexico ca 12 June. He set himself energetically to con solidate and develop his dominions, granted an amnesty to political offenders and exhibited great interest in religious worship and educa tion. But he failed to conciliate the Republi can party, and as he did not restore to the clergy their confiscated estates they pronounced him a traitor. Meanwhile there were incessant conflicts between the partisans of President Juarez and the allied French and imperial troops; and the decree of 2 Oct. 1865, by which the members of the Juarist bands and those who abetted them were to be regarded as bandits and shot, alienated the party of the Liberals. Juarez raised the standard of inde pendence. Complications and misfortunes
thickening around Maximilian rendered his position critical in the extreme. The empress in vain undertook a mission to Europe to en list support for her husband, and grief and dis appointment overthrew her reason. The French troops, largely by reason of the repre sentations of the United States government, were withdrawn by Napoleon in March 1867; but Maximilian decided to remain in the hope of being able to maintain the empire. While bravely defending Queretaro against a Liberal force under Escobedo, he was betrayed by General Lopez on the night of 14 May 1867. Tried by court-martial, he was sentenced, with his principal officers, to be shot. The sen tence was carried into effect on the morning of 19 July. Maximilian's body was after some delay surrendered to his relatives, and his funeral was celebrated with great pomp in the cathedral of Vienna on 18 Jan. 1868. Maxi milian was a man of eminent abilities and high and varied culture. His collected writings are contained in a posthumous publication entitled 'Atm meinem Leben: Reiseskizzen, Aphorismen, Marinebilder' (1867), which gives ample testi mony to the vigor of his intellect and the variety of his attainments. (See MEXICO, His tory). Consult Bancroft, H. H., 'History of Mexico' (6 vols., San Francisco 1883-88); 'Cambridge Modern History' (Vol. II, New York 1909); Kemper, J., 'Maximilian in Mexico' (Chicago 1911); Martin, P. F., 'Max imilian in Mexico) (London 1914).