The fact is that he technically was born the second son of Franz Karl (the archduke who renounced his rights in favor of his sons): since both he and his older brother survived to adulthood, he grew up as the *spare*.
Since Emperor Franz Josef I's dynastic line ended with the suicide of his only son (who left no son of his own), Maximilian would have become his successor -- HAD he lived (assuming that there were no potential complications involving his assumption of the imperial throne of Mexico, which in any way got deposed).
To be sure, his own marriage to Princess Charlotte of Belgium was childless; so the Habsburg succession would have eventually devolved upon his brother Karl Ludwig and his issue. The latter was never really a *spare* in the Austrian succession: he became second in line to the throne after the execution of his second brother (the disgraced Maximilian), and moved into first place as heir-presumptive to Franz Josef after the Mayerling incident.
Indeed he, too, predeceased the emperor -- and therefore was destined to serve only as a conduit in the imperial succession. His position was similar to that of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria, third son of King Ludwig I: he was heir-presumptive to his nephew Otto (not to be confused with his brother by the same name who assumed the Greek throne) for the last 26 years of his life. Although first in line to the throne, not likely to get displaced, he wasn't destined to succeed -- notwithstanding his long life (dying in 1912 at the age of 91).
So he left the royal throne to his eldest son, who was destined to reign as the last king: Ludwig III actually succeeded after deposing his cousin -- the day after the Bavarian constitution got amended to pass a law thus enabling him.
ADk Franz Karl of Habsburg was a spare that might have succeed- Instead he left the crown to his son Emperor Franz Josef I
ADk Otto was the spare who did not outlive his elder brother Franz Ferdinand, paving the way for his son Emperor Karl I.
Pr.Philippe of Belgium count of Flanders, was Leopold II's younger brother and heir but did not outlived him, so L.II was succeeded by nephew Albert I
August Wilhelm of Prussia, next brother of the childless Friederich II the Great, did not outlive his brother either.
Jaime de Borbon, duke of Segovia and Anjou, a second son who was forced to renounce his rights.
Message Thread
« Back to index