In 1610 Duke Adam Wenceslaus decided to convert to the Catholicism, and all the Protestant members of his court were dismissed, among them also Exner.

In 1621, Cieszyn was severely destroyed by the Imperial troops stationed here under the command of Colonel Charles Spinelli.

Finally, in 1622 Cieszyn was the battlefield in the fight between the Protestants troops of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, and the Catholics forces led by Charles Hannibal of Dohna.

[1] The beginning of Frederick William's independent rule in 1624 didn't bring any relief to the Duchy; moreover, soon afterwards (in early 1625), he left Cieszyn and went to serve the Emperor in the Spanish Netherlands, where he obtained the post of military commander of the district.

He never married, and only left an illegitimate daughter, Maria Magdalena (b. c. 1624 – d. c. 1661), who was legitimized by Emperor Ferdinand III and created Baroness of Hohenstein by Imperial order at Vienna on 8 May 1640.