He was a senior military officer in the imperial Habsburg service, eventually promoted to the rank of Field Marshal.

His parents were the imperial councilor, Baron Hartmann II of Liechtenstein and Anna Maria (1547–1601), daughter of Count Charles of Ortenburg.

At the age of 19, he married Baroness Catherine Šemberová of Boskovice and Černá Hora.

He served in the Imperial Army and in 1600, he participated in an unsuccessful attempt to relieve the city of Nagykanizsa, which was besieged by the Ottomans.

In 1608, a power struggle broke out between Emperor Rudolf II and his younger brother, Archduke Matthias.

In the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620, he played a big part in the victory of the imperial troops and the Catholic League over the army of the Bohemian Estates.

His opponents had gained strength and made themselves felt while the Imperial troops suffered from supply problems.

The Emperor rewarded him for his services with confiscated possessions of Charles of Kaunitz, plus a gift of 100000guilders, settling the imperial debt to Maximilian for providing troops.

In 1638, he was promoted to field marshal and commander of the Hungarian fortress of Győr and the surrounding area.

He adorned the main hall with paintings of the battles he had fought, and added modern fortification.

During the ongoing Thirty Years' War, the Protestant side took control of the Duchy of Opava.

After Wallenstein had reconquered Opava for the Catholic side, Maximilian was tasked with enforcing Catholicism in the duchy.