He was the sixth but third and youngest surviving son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony and Princess Maria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria. Since he was the youngest son of the family, Maximilian initially had little chance to inherit the Electorate of Saxony.
However, by 1800, Maximilian was the third in line to the Electorate, because all the children of his two older brothers, Frederick Augustus and Anthony, died in infancy, except Maria Augusta, Frederick Augustus"s only surviving offspring. After the creation of the Kingdom of Saxony in 1806, Maximilian became a Prince of Saxony. After the death of Frederick Augustus in 1827, Anthony succeeded him as King.
Maximilian became first in line to the Saxon throne as Hereditary Prince (German: Thronfolger).
He died eight years later, aged seventy-nine.
