Archduke Maximilian of Polonge

Maximilian of Polonge
Prince of Bastenaken
Maximilian in 2091
Prince consort of Beliany
Tenure	August 24, 2084 — present
Born	Maximilian Francis Xavier Joseph September 10, 2056 (age 35) Bledapestra, Polonge
Spouse	Leopold of Beliany (m.2084)
House	Ungarberg-Lorraine (by birth) Coudenburg (by marriage)
Father	Eugene, Grand Duke of Lorraine
Mother	Josephine, Empress of Polonge
Religion	Roman Catholic

Archduke Maximilian of Polonge (born September 10, 2056) is the current Prince consort of Beliany as the husband of King Leopold of Beliany. He is orginially an Archduke of Polonge as a child of a reigning Polongain monarch. As of 2091, he is the longest-serving consort in Beliany.

He belongs, by birth to the imperial House of Ungarberg-Lorraine as the youngest son and child of Empress Josephine of Polonge. He is the youngest brother of former Empress Maria Anna of Polonge and is the maternal uncle of the current Empress Maria Christina of Polonge. His older sister Antoinette of Polonge was Queen of Beliany from 2077 till her divorce from Leopold in 2084. Maximilian was the secret lover of King Leopold from 2082 to 2084, and he married the king six months after his divorce. Upon his marriage he became the prince consort of Beliany.

As his private life was rather controversial, with the public discomforted by his extramarital affair with the king and the age gap between the, Archduke Maximilian still remains a public figure with mixed popular opinion. Maximilian is a major patron of the arts, especially the musical arts, composing several songs, symphonies and full operas himself. Maximilian designed and was patron of the Radegunde Concert Hall in Polonge and is patron of the Belian Royal Opera House.

Early Life

Maximilian was born in the Bleda Palace, Bledapestra. Maximilian was born as the youngest son and child of Empress Josephine and Eugene, Grand Duke of Lorraine. As the youngest child of a reigning monarch, was an imperial archduke from birth. He was placed in the same nursury as that of his similar aged siblings, Ferdinand and the twins Charlotte and Antonia, who out of his fifteen brothers and sisters he would be the closest with. Maximilian became closest with his older brother Ferdinand.

When Maximilian was nine years old, his father the Grand Duke of Lorraine was assassinated by international anarchist terrorist, Sieger Geist, more infamously known as General Geist. At a young age Maximilian showed great interest in the church. Maximilian was sent to attend school at Saint Adalbero's Catholic Preparatory School, a private all boys school that focused on theological studies. While there Maximilian joined the student choir, and whilst not musically talent in performance, he was in composing it.

Education

In 2074 Maximilian left Saint Adalbero's and took a gap year. He spent his gap year touring sights of musical importance and attending operas, studying informally about musical history and styles. Maximilian took great interest in the Classic Period and Genoise operas. Maximilian also began a collection of books on folklore and legends from Polongain history, from which he would later draw inspiration from in the creation of musical pieces.

At the end of his gap year, Maximilian entered into his formal studies. Following in the foot steps of his older siblings, Maximilian enrolled at the University of Bleda, considered one, if not the, most prestigious high level education institutons on the empire. The University was eager to have another imperial enroll at their school. As three of his siblings were already still attending school there, a royal chaperone was selected to watch the quartet of imperials. Selected was a sober and somber man known as Nitzsch. Nitzsch was effective master of the social life of Maximilia.

For his safety, fearing what contact with strangers might have on the young archduke, Nitzsch had Maximilian dorm with his brother Ferdinand. Whilst Ferdinand studied linguistics and was a romantic, Maximilian was an excellent and studious scholar in the major of Theology & Religious Studies. Maximilian was a extreme extrovert who never attended parties and only appeared at social gathers after being dragged there by either Ferdinand or Charlotte. Rumors spread across the campus of Maximilian being a closet homosexua.

In 2076, Maximilian was in school when his sister Maria Anna of Polonge ascended the throne. That same year the new Emperor consort, John of Russlande attempted a coup againsr her. John seized control of the capital and the university was placed under lockdown. Despite this, Maximilian, his sibings and two other students slipped off campus in secret. The group made there way to a square outside the palace. Here they witness John attempt to declare himself emperor, and fire on the crowd when the people rebelled. Maximilian's sister Charlotte was injuried in the shooting and the group had to rush to the hospital to save her.

Charlotte recovered and John,failed in his coup, was soon assassinated. Maximilian returned to his studies at the University of Bleda. Maximilian however soon gave up his dreams of becoming a priest and instead started to study music. Maximilian graduated from the University of Bleda with top marks in 2078. Maximilian took up the role of an imperial patron of the arts and began working with his sister,the Empress in this regard.

Patron of the Musical arts

A keen patron of music, Maximilian maintained a court musical establishment in which Veres Bertalan was a tenor. Popular at this time during his sister's reign was the idea of Maygar Revial. Maximilian was put in charge of developing a myriad of nationalistic songs. Maximilian happily obliged. Maximilian, having studied history turned  his attention to the lomg abandoned Operaz, the national opera house that had been left under mismanagement and neglect at the start of the Nine Years War. Maximilian over saw the complete restoration of the Operaz.

Seeing that the restored Operaz was till small and relatively excusive, Maximilian asked his sister to let him construct a larger concert hall. Maria Anna approved of the project. Maximilian worked closely with the architect and artists over the designs of the concert hall. Maximilian christened the building the Radegunde Concert Hall, naming it after Saint Radegunde, a Queen of Polonge who had been known as a warrior queen. The project however was a massive one, taking longer and cost much more than originally planned. In 2081 when Maria Anna's daughter ascended the throne after an unexpected abdication, Maria Christina balked at the expenses of Maximilian's grand works.

Maria Christina refused to provide Maximilian the funds for his projects, cutting him off from the Imperial treasury. Maximilian, unable to continue his plans attempted to privately fund his projects. This however proved unsustainable. Halted by Maria Christina's austere preferences, Maximilian thus decided to leave Polonge. A talented music composer, he went on to find work abroad.

Maximilian moved to Bleugate, where his sister Antoinette had become Queen of Beliany in 2077. Maximilian found that Antoinette's husband, King Leopold was far more open to Maximilian's musical projects. Leopold, himself a world reknown pianist, held a great love for music. Maximilian quickly developed a celebrity crush on the king, greatly admiring his work. Leopold served as a patron for Maximilian, funding the creation of his first opera, Bátor for which Leopold served as a muse for. At the opening night of the opera at the Lerois Opera House, a terrorist attack took place, though Maximilian and the other royals were saved by Leopold's half-sister Princess Marie Louise of Riessany.

Despite the attack on Lerois, Maximilian was met with great success, becoming a popular musical figure in Beliany. Maximilian's talents and imperial background earndd him many international compensions. He went on to write jubilee songs for figures such as the Empress of the Dutch, Anna Charlotte and Emperor of Derita, Christopher II amongst others. Maximilian sparked a friendship with Emily, Crown Princess of Connuriste as they worked together supposedly to write a song for the Duke of Rothesay during his rebellion in Svots, though the song's existence has never been comfirmed.

Maximilian would also go on to write and advise on the songs created for the King of Makonia and Emperor of Connuriste. In Beliany Maximilian help repair and redesign the Lerois and wrote two more operas, the romance The Masked Duchess and Queens. Upon becoming prince consort of Beliany, Maximilian dedicated much of hid annual income to musicak ventures and programs. He has greatly advocated for the mandating of music lessons for all children.

Court of Leopold

In November of 2077, whilst Maximilian was still attending university, Maximilian's older sister Antoinette married King Leopold of Beliany, who'd become a widpwer a year earlier. Maximilian took time off from school to visit his sister the new Queen. As the favored brother of Queen Antoinette, he visited Bleugate often. When Maximilian was forced out of Polonge by Maria Christina, he was welcomed in Bleugate by his sister. Maximilian accepted and took up residence at the royal palace with the Belian Royal Family. Even before his marriage, Maximilian was able to grant petitions, receive social diplomats and give patronage, and had enormous influence over his future husband to members of the musical world.

Maximilian's great

Titles, styles and honors

Titles

• 10 September 2056 - 21 April 2083: His Imperial Highness Archduke Maximilian of Polonge
• 21 April 2083 - 24 August 2084: His Imperial Highness Archduke Maximilian of Polonge, Prince of Bastenaken
• 24 August 2084 - present: His Imperial & Royal Highness The Prince Consort of Beliany