Maximilian von Ettingen und Steinbach

Maximilian, Prince von Ettingen und Steinbach (1781-1867) was a Braslander nobleman and politician.

He was born in 1781, as the oldest son and heir of Count Luitpold von Ettingen und Steinbach and Countess Sieglinde von Falkenhausen.

Maximilian was educated by tutors and then studied at the University of Markund. Then he received instruction in the Royal Army.

In 1807 he met Princess Theresia, the King's youngest child. They fell in love, but Paul I wanted a grandest marriage for his daughter and forbade them to see each other. It would only be in 1810 when he finally consented to the match. The couple married that same year at the Royal Palace's Chapel. Maximilian was elevated to the rank of Prince and the style of Serene Highness.

The couple had six children: Paul (born 1812), Marianne (born 1813), Olga (born 1815), Mathilde (born 1815), Karl (born 1817) and Gabriele (born 1824; nun).

Maximilian served in Parliament as a Conservative member. He was very well-placed in the party due to his close ties to King George I, his brother-in-law. His position was quite odd: on one side he wanted a strong monarchy, but on the other side he thought it was natural for Parliament to become more powerful and serve as a balance to the Crown's powers. In the end, he decided to resign and give his seat to his son.

After his retirement from political life, he withdrew to his estates, where he lived until his death in 1867.