House of Eggenberg
Encyclopedia
Eggenberg is the name of an Austrian noble family
from Styria whose last male heir died in 1717 bringing an end to the House of Eggenberg.
of Eggenberg is shrouded in darkness. The Counter-Reformation
with its struggles between the Catholic court of the Habsburgs and the Protestant nobility belongs to those moving times in which the destiny of some families changed abruptly. While old, Protestant minded, nobles lost power and their native lands, families loyal to emperor were raised to new nobility and garnered great wealth. A good example of this is the meteoric rise of the Eggenberger. They had become rich vintners in Radkersburg
and then expanded their operations to be financiers to the nobility and local lords loyal to the emperor.
) line and Balthasar was the patriarch of the main Graz line which then also developed a branch in Augsburg
.
Upon the death of his father, Ulrich, Balthasar Eggenberger
(† 1493) inherited, a stately property and successfully continued the commercial business and coin minting operations. Under Balthasar, the business connections to the Habsburg
imperial court also developed. Emperor Frederick III
, for the most part residing in Graz, appointed Balthasar the mint master of Graz
in the Duchy of Styria
, Laibach (today Ljubljana
) in the Duchy of Carniola
and Sankt Veit an der Glan
in the Duchy of Carinthia
. This narrow connection with the imperial house and Balthasar’s distinctive economic talent led naturally to a substantial increase of the Eggenberger wealth and fortunes. The 15th century was marked by warmongering discussions and threats by Hungarian
and Ottoman Turk
aspirations. In this time of political instability Balthasar, in the way of a true businessman, plied both sides against the middle. Thus, he was also made director of the royal finance chamber of Hungarian
king Matthias Corvinus, archrival of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
. It is believed that this connection with the Hungarian king led to the noble appearance of the family coat of arms (three crowned raven
s baring a crown in their beaks) for the still middle-class family of merchants. Corvinus is Latin for raven and Corvinus’s own coat of arms is a single raven baring a ring in its beak. In 1463, through his accumulated wealth and influence, Balthasar Eggenberger acquired the property to the west of Graz which he developed into the family seat and forms the area on which Eggenberg Palace
sits today. In 1470, the Gothic chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, constructed under Balthasar, was acknowledged in a Papal indulgence
and still today forms the center of the baroque
palace arrangement constructed under the great-grandson of Balthasar, Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg
.
line. His son, Ruprecht von Eggenberg
(† 1611), was not only a successful businessman but also an accomplished soldier. His military accomplishments in the fight against invasions by armies of the Ottoman Empire
, among others, led to the elevation of the whole family into the Barons
Estate providing the second, essential foundation-stone for the rise of others in the family. Ruprecht left his inheritance to his nephew Wolf von Eggenberg
, another one of the rare Eggenbergs who opted for a military career, which cost him his right leg in battle with the Turks
. The next generation saw the end of the male heirs to the Ehrenhausen line with the death of Franz Andrae to Sitzenberg in 1646.
, from the main Graz line who brought the family to their ultimate prominence. Graz was the seat of power for the Habsburg archduke
s of Inner Austria
from 1564-1619. It was during this period that Hans Ulrich, having received a very good Protestant education at the Tübinger Stift
, converted to Catholicism
in order to serve his lord, Archduke Ferdinand. In 1619, at the onset of The Thirty Years War, Archduke Ferdinand was elected Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
and, owing to his own faith and the strong influence of his devoted mother, Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria he prosecuted the Counter-Reformation in the Habsburg hereditary lands and the Holy Roman Empire
which led to the Thirty Years War between Protestant and Catholic Princes in the Empire as well as the House of Habsburg and the House of Bourbon
. Under the influence of Cardinal Richelieu and his anti-Habsburg policy, the Catholic French supported the Protestant, German Princes against the Emperor. Hans Ulrich helped steer Ferdinand II's
policy. Hans Ulrich was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece
(an honor rare outside of the Habsburg Royal Family), appointed Governor of Inner Austria
as well as First Minister of the Emperor and President of the Geheimrat
. He was, with Richelieu, one of the most important and powerful statesmen and diplomats of 17th century in Europe. Due to both his service to the Emperor and his cunning business prowess, Eggenberg amassed a large fortune and, in addition to the family seat in Graz, extensive territorial holdings throughout the southern regions of the Habsburg hereditary lands from Krumau
to Pettau
. It was in 1625, as he was appointed to Governor of Inner Austria, while Ferdinand busied himself with the duties of imperial office in Vienna, that Hans Ulrich had the medieval family seat transformed into a lavish palace of the late Renaissance and early Baroque. Today, this palace, Schloss Eggenberg
stands as a museum and UNESCO
World Cultural Heritage Site
owned by the State of Styria in Austria
and managed by the Universalmuseum Joanneum.
The only son of Hans Ulrich, Johann Anton I von Eggenberg, Holy Roman Prince (1610–1649) enjoyed his education at, among others, the Jesuit University in Graz. In the end, after an extensive gentleman's tour of the whole of Europe he returned to Graz in 1632. At this time he exerted his efforts in a broad renovation of Schloss Eggenberg. Nevertheless, his preferential residences were the Palais Eggenberg on the Sackstrasse in the Graz
Old Town (now Palais Herberstein and home of the Joanneum’s Museum im Palais) and the residence in Krumau
. He also entered into the service of the imperial court and proved himself under Emperor Ferdinand III
. An important goal for Johann Anton I was the acquisition of the Imperial Estate
, which had amazingly eluded his father, Hans Ulrich. However, in 1647, the emperor granted him the possibility to buy the princely shire of Görz
with the town Aquileia
as well as a few other localities. With these acquisitions the Eggenbergs were prosperous not only in Habsburg hereditary lands but also within the Holy Roman Empire
. Thus, the Eggenbergs now had the right to a seat in the Imperial Diet
.
Johann Seyfried focused his primary attention on the splendid arrangement of the Inner Austrian possessions awarded to him, above all, the completion of the accouterments of the Graz residence. Under his regency Schloss Eggenberg
received its first magnificent accouterments and the first garden was established. Most probably Johann Seyfried’s most important task was to provide his residence as host for the imperial bride of Emperor Leopold I
in 1673. During the course of the only imperial wedding to be held in Graz, future Empress, Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Tyrol
resided in the new family residence of the Eggenbergs. Johann Seyfried spared no expense for either his princely patronage or the imperial visit. While his brother, Johann Christian, knew how to increase his wealth with the typical Eggenberg cunning, Johann Seyfried did not seem to have inherited the economic talent of his family. Within a few decades he brought himself to almost complete ruin. Only by the sales of the most the various possessions and by the narrow connections with the imperial house was he able to escape his misfortune time and again. After the death of Johann Christian, Johann Seyfried received the income from the Bohemia
n possessions as the sole heir of the House of Eggenberg at which time his financial position was again comfortable.
After the death Johann Seyfried in 1713 the continuance of the House of Eggenberg was thought to still be secured through male descendants. However, in 1716 his ailing son, Johann Anton II died at the age of 47. Only one year later his only son, the last Prince of Eggenberg, Johann Christian II, died at the age of 13 due to a severe case of appendicitis
. Johann Seyfried’s brother, Johann Christian in Krumau
, left no heirs upon his death in 1710 and in his will stipulated that the profitable Bohemian possessions pass to the nephew of his widow, Adam II Franz Karl a Prince of Schwarzenberg
. Thus with the death of Johann Christian II in 1717, the House of Eggenberg’s male heritage came to an end.
Subsequently the decay of the vast Eggenberg possessions began. One of the two sisters of Johann Christian II, Maria Eleonore, Imperial Princess to Eggenberg, married her third husband, Johann Leopold Count Herberstein. Due to her lack of children, her spouse was named sole heir upon her death in 1774. The Styrian possessions, which included Schloss Eggenberg
in Graz
, thereby passed to a branch of the Herberstein family. Other possessions were sold to payoff debt and Gradisca
, which could not be passed to a female heir, was taken out of Eggenberg possession. Thus by 1774 the arguably most famous noble dynasty of Styria
had become extinct.
It is thought that the coat of arms, which is found already on the tombstone of Balthasar Eggenberger, was granted sometime after 1479 through his relationship with Mathias Corvinus, King of Hungary. What is unusual is the prominent use of this coat of arms on the grave of a middle-class merchant citizen whose family would not achieve noble status until the next generation.
Austrian nobility
Historically, the Austrian nobility was a privileged social class in Austria. The nobility was officially abolished in 1919 after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Former noble families and their descendants are still a part of Austrian society today, but they no longer retain any specific...
from Styria whose last male heir died in 1717 bringing an end to the House of Eggenberg.
History
The origin of the Austrian noble houseAustrian nobility
Historically, the Austrian nobility was a privileged social class in Austria. The nobility was officially abolished in 1919 after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Former noble families and their descendants are still a part of Austrian society today, but they no longer retain any specific...
of Eggenberg is shrouded in darkness. The Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
with its struggles between the Catholic court of the Habsburgs and the Protestant nobility belongs to those moving times in which the destiny of some families changed abruptly. While old, Protestant minded, nobles lost power and their native lands, families loyal to emperor were raised to new nobility and garnered great wealth. A good example of this is the meteoric rise of the Eggenberger. They had become rich vintners in Radkersburg
Bad Radkersburg
Bad Radkersburg is a city in the southeast of the Austrian state of Styria and capital of the district of Radkersburg. It is located at an elevation of 208 m and covers an area of 2.17 km². Its population amounts to about 1,940 people...
and then expanded their operations to be financiers to the nobility and local lords loyal to the emperor.
Ascendancy of a Merchant Family
Ulrich Eggenberger († 1448) is the first documented member of the family who is mentioned in his function as a Graz municipal judge for the first time 1432. Two sons of Ulrich, Hans and Balthasar, then divided the family into two lines. Hans founded the Radkersburg (later EhrenhausenEhrenhausen
Ehrenhausen is a municipality in the district of Leibnitz in Styria, Austria. The district was at one time the seat of a branch of the Eggenberg dynasty and the Schlossberg to Ehrenhausen features the mausoleum of Ruprecht von Eggenberg and his nephew Wolf von Eggenberg which was designed by...
) line and Balthasar was the patriarch of the main Graz line which then also developed a branch in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
.
Upon the death of his father, Ulrich, Balthasar Eggenberger
Balthasar Eggenberger
Balthasar Eggenberger , was an Austrian entrepreneur in the early days of mercantilism. He was master of the imperial mint at Graz in the Duchy of Styria and financier to Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor...
(† 1493) inherited, a stately property and successfully continued the commercial business and coin minting operations. Under Balthasar, the business connections to the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
imperial court also developed. Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
, for the most part residing in Graz, appointed Balthasar the mint master of Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
in the Duchy of Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
, Laibach (today Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
) in the Duchy of Carniola
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
and Sankt Veit an der Glan
Sankt Veit an der Glan
Sankt Veit an der Glan is a town in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is the capital of a district with the same name.-Location:This town is a major point on the Glan River in the north of the Zollfeld Valley....
in the Duchy of Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
. This narrow connection with the imperial house and Balthasar’s distinctive economic talent led naturally to a substantial increase of the Eggenberger wealth and fortunes. The 15th century was marked by warmongering discussions and threats by Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Ottoman Turk
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
aspirations. In this time of political instability Balthasar, in the way of a true businessman, plied both sides against the middle. Thus, he was also made director of the royal finance chamber of Hungarian
Kingdom of Hungary in the Middle Ages
The Kingdom of Hungary was formed from the previous Principality of Hungarywith the coronation of Stephen I in AD 1000. This was a result of the conversion of Géza of Hungary to the Western Church in the 970s....
king Matthias Corvinus, archrival of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
. It is believed that this connection with the Hungarian king led to the noble appearance of the family coat of arms (three crowned raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s baring a crown in their beaks) for the still middle-class family of merchants. Corvinus is Latin for raven and Corvinus’s own coat of arms is a single raven baring a ring in its beak. In 1463, through his accumulated wealth and influence, Balthasar Eggenberger acquired the property to the west of Graz which he developed into the family seat and forms the area on which Eggenberg Palace
Schloss Eggenberg (Graz)
Eggenberg Palace in Graz is the most significant Baroque palace complex in Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens as well as some additional collections from the Universalmuseum Joanneum housed in the palace and park, Schloss Eggenberg counts among the most valuable...
sits today. In 1470, the Gothic chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, constructed under Balthasar, was acknowledged in a Papal indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
and still today forms the center of the baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
palace arrangement constructed under the great-grandson of Balthasar, Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg
Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg
Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg was an Austrian statesman, a son of Seyfried von Eggenberg and great-grandson of Balthasar Eggenberger of the House of Eggenberg.- Biography :...
.
The Augsburg Branch
A son of Balthasar's from his first marriage to Radegunde Seidennater († before 1480), Christoph Eggenberger († 1520), moved to Augsburg with his youngest sister, Radegund († after 1508) where business opportunities appeared more favorable and competition with children of Balthasar's second marriage to Barbara von Pain († 1518), who developed the main lineage in Graz, wouldn't be a factor. The Augsburg line died out in the 17th century.The Ehrenhausen Lineage
The House of Eggenberg remained one of the most significant patrician families of Styria till 17th century. Hans Eggenberger († 1481) a brother of Balthasar who remained in Radkersburg was the father of the EhrenhausenEhrenhausen
Ehrenhausen is a municipality in the district of Leibnitz in Styria, Austria. The district was at one time the seat of a branch of the Eggenberg dynasty and the Schlossberg to Ehrenhausen features the mausoleum of Ruprecht von Eggenberg and his nephew Wolf von Eggenberg which was designed by...
line. His son, Ruprecht von Eggenberg
Ruprecht von Eggenberg
Ruprecht von Eggenberg was an Austrian colonel-general from the Duchy of Styria in Inner Austria, part of the Holy Roman Empire. He was a member of the Eggenberger family and cousin to Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg.-Military career:He chose a military career early on in his life...
(† 1611), was not only a successful businessman but also an accomplished soldier. His military accomplishments in the fight against invasions by armies of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, among others, led to the elevation of the whole family into the Barons
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
Estate providing the second, essential foundation-stone for the rise of others in the family. Ruprecht left his inheritance to his nephew Wolf von Eggenberg
Wolff von Eggenberg
Wolff von Eggenberg was an Austrian military officer and Freiherr of the House of Eggenberg.He was the nephew and sole heir of Ruprecht von Eggenberg. Like his uncle, Wolff von Eggenberg chose a military career and received the command of Imperial Forces as General-Obrist on the border to Croatia...
, another one of the rare Eggenbergs who opted for a military career, which cost him his right leg in battle with the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The next generation saw the end of the male heirs to the Ehrenhausen line with the death of Franz Andrae to Sitzenberg in 1646.
The Zenith of the Main Lineage in the 17th Century
It was the younger cousin of Ruprecht, Hans Ulrich von EggenbergHans Ulrich von Eggenberg
Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg was an Austrian statesman, a son of Seyfried von Eggenberg and great-grandson of Balthasar Eggenberger of the House of Eggenberg.- Biography :...
, from the main Graz line who brought the family to their ultimate prominence. Graz was the seat of power for the Habsburg archduke
Archduke
The title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
s of Inner Austria
Inner Austria
Inner Austria was a term used from the late 14th to the early 17th century for the Habsburg hereditary lands south of the Semmering Pass, referring to the duchies of Styria, Carinthia, Carniola and the Windic March, the County of Gorizia , the city of Trieste and assorted smaller possessions...
from 1564-1619. It was during this period that Hans Ulrich, having received a very good Protestant education at the Tübinger Stift
Tübinger Stift
The Tübinger Stift is a hall of residence and teaching; it is owned and supported by the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg, and located in the university city of Tübingen, in South West Germany. The Stift was originally founded as an Augustinian monastery in the Middle Ages...
, converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
in order to serve his lord, Archduke Ferdinand. In 1619, at the onset of The Thirty Years War, Archduke Ferdinand was elected Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
and, owing to his own faith and the strong influence of his devoted mother, Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria he prosecuted the Counter-Reformation in the Habsburg hereditary lands and the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
which led to the Thirty Years War between Protestant and Catholic Princes in the Empire as well as the House of Habsburg and the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
. Under the influence of Cardinal Richelieu and his anti-Habsburg policy, the Catholic French supported the Protestant, German Princes against the Emperor. Hans Ulrich helped steer Ferdinand II's
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
policy. Hans Ulrich was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
(an honor rare outside of the Habsburg Royal Family), appointed Governor of Inner Austria
Inner Austria
Inner Austria was a term used from the late 14th to the early 17th century for the Habsburg hereditary lands south of the Semmering Pass, referring to the duchies of Styria, Carinthia, Carniola and the Windic March, the County of Gorizia , the city of Trieste and assorted smaller possessions...
as well as First Minister of the Emperor and President of the Geheimrat
Geheimrat
Geheimrat was the title of the highest advising officials at the Imperial, royal or principal courts of the Holy Roman Empire, who jointly formed the Geheimer Rat reporting to the ruler...
. He was, with Richelieu, one of the most important and powerful statesmen and diplomats of 17th century in Europe. Due to both his service to the Emperor and his cunning business prowess, Eggenberg amassed a large fortune and, in addition to the family seat in Graz, extensive territorial holdings throughout the southern regions of the Habsburg hereditary lands from Krumau
Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle...
to Pettau
Ptuj
Ptuj is a city and one of 11 urban municipalities in Slovenia. Traditionally the area was part of the Lower Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Podravje statistical region...
. It was in 1625, as he was appointed to Governor of Inner Austria, while Ferdinand busied himself with the duties of imperial office in Vienna, that Hans Ulrich had the medieval family seat transformed into a lavish palace of the late Renaissance and early Baroque. Today, this palace, Schloss Eggenberg
Schloss Eggenberg (Graz)
Eggenberg Palace in Graz is the most significant Baroque palace complex in Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens as well as some additional collections from the Universalmuseum Joanneum housed in the palace and park, Schloss Eggenberg counts among the most valuable...
stands as a museum and UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Cultural Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
owned by the State of Styria in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and managed by the Universalmuseum Joanneum.
The only son of Hans Ulrich, Johann Anton I von Eggenberg, Holy Roman Prince (1610–1649) enjoyed his education at, among others, the Jesuit University in Graz. In the end, after an extensive gentleman's tour of the whole of Europe he returned to Graz in 1632. At this time he exerted his efforts in a broad renovation of Schloss Eggenberg. Nevertheless, his preferential residences were the Palais Eggenberg on the Sackstrasse in the Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
Old Town (now Palais Herberstein and home of the Joanneum’s Museum im Palais) and the residence in Krumau
Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle...
. He also entered into the service of the imperial court and proved himself under Emperor Ferdinand III
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
. An important goal for Johann Anton I was the acquisition of the Imperial Estate
Imperial State
An Imperial State or Imperial Estate was an entity in the Holy Roman Empire with a vote in the Imperial Diet assemblies. Several territories of the Empire were not represented, while some officials were non-voting members; neither qualified as Imperial States.Rulers of Imperial States were...
, which had amazingly eluded his father, Hans Ulrich. However, in 1647, the emperor granted him the possibility to buy the princely shire of Görz
Gorizia and Gradisca
The County of Gorizia and Gradisca was a Habsburg county in Central Europe, in what is now a multilingual border area of Italy and Slovenia. It was named for its two major urban centers, Gorizia and Gradisca d'Isonzo.-Province of the Habsburg Empire:...
with the town Aquileia
Aquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
as well as a few other localities. With these acquisitions the Eggenbergs were prosperous not only in Habsburg hereditary lands but also within the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. Thus, the Eggenbergs now had the right to a seat in the Imperial Diet
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
.
The Decline of a Dynasty
After the unexpected death of Johann Anton I and on account of the absence of a valid last will, division of the Eggenberg holdings led to conflict among his two sons, Johann Christian and Johann Seyfried. They agreed on an equivalent division of the inheritance. Johann Christian received the Bohemian possessions and Johann Seyfried decided on the Inner Austrian possessions. The real quarrel broken out over Gradisca, because, the seat in the Imperial Diet was tied to this possession. The quarrel would last until 1672, when they could finally agree on a new contract of inheritance. The division of properties remained as it was with Johann Seyfried receiving a larger capital. Johann Christian meanwhile would administer Gradisca, however, he would do so in the name of both brothers.Johann Seyfried focused his primary attention on the splendid arrangement of the Inner Austrian possessions awarded to him, above all, the completion of the accouterments of the Graz residence. Under his regency Schloss Eggenberg
Schloss Eggenberg (Graz)
Eggenberg Palace in Graz is the most significant Baroque palace complex in Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens as well as some additional collections from the Universalmuseum Joanneum housed in the palace and park, Schloss Eggenberg counts among the most valuable...
received its first magnificent accouterments and the first garden was established. Most probably Johann Seyfried’s most important task was to provide his residence as host for the imperial bride of Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
in 1673. During the course of the only imperial wedding to be held in Graz, future Empress, Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
resided in the new family residence of the Eggenbergs. Johann Seyfried spared no expense for either his princely patronage or the imperial visit. While his brother, Johann Christian, knew how to increase his wealth with the typical Eggenberg cunning, Johann Seyfried did not seem to have inherited the economic talent of his family. Within a few decades he brought himself to almost complete ruin. Only by the sales of the most the various possessions and by the narrow connections with the imperial house was he able to escape his misfortune time and again. After the death of Johann Christian, Johann Seyfried received the income from the Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n possessions as the sole heir of the House of Eggenberg at which time his financial position was again comfortable.
After the death Johann Seyfried in 1713 the continuance of the House of Eggenberg was thought to still be secured through male descendants. However, in 1716 his ailing son, Johann Anton II died at the age of 47. Only one year later his only son, the last Prince of Eggenberg, Johann Christian II, died at the age of 13 due to a severe case of appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
. Johann Seyfried’s brother, Johann Christian in Krumau
Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle...
, left no heirs upon his death in 1710 and in his will stipulated that the profitable Bohemian possessions pass to the nephew of his widow, Adam II Franz Karl a Prince of Schwarzenberg
House of Schwarzenberg
-History:The family was first mentioned in 1172. A branch of the Seinsheim family was created when Erkinger I of Seinsheim acquired the Franconian barony of Schwarzenberg, the castle Schwarzenberg and the title Baron of Schwarzenberg, in 1405–21. At this time, they also possessed some fiefdoms in...
. Thus with the death of Johann Christian II in 1717, the House of Eggenberg’s male heritage came to an end.
Subsequently the decay of the vast Eggenberg possessions began. One of the two sisters of Johann Christian II, Maria Eleonore, Imperial Princess to Eggenberg, married her third husband, Johann Leopold Count Herberstein. Due to her lack of children, her spouse was named sole heir upon her death in 1774. The Styrian possessions, which included Schloss Eggenberg
Schloss Eggenberg (Graz)
Eggenberg Palace in Graz is the most significant Baroque palace complex in Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens as well as some additional collections from the Universalmuseum Joanneum housed in the palace and park, Schloss Eggenberg counts among the most valuable...
in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, thereby passed to a branch of the Herberstein family. Other possessions were sold to payoff debt and Gradisca
Gradisca
Gradisca d'Isonzo is a town and comune of 6,600 inhabitants in the province of Gorizia, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, north-eastern Italy...
, which could not be passed to a female heir, was taken out of Eggenberg possession. Thus by 1774 the arguably most famous noble dynasty of Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
had become extinct.
Coat of Arms
Blazon: In the middle of a silver field a golden helmet-crown, trefoil shaped, accompanied by three golden-crowned, black-highlighted, red-tongued ravens, in the posture of a normal heraldic eagle each with head to crown. On the crowned helmet with black-silver coverings a golden-crowned, black-highlighted and red-tongued raven, flying up, already in the posture of a spread-eagle.It is thought that the coat of arms, which is found already on the tombstone of Balthasar Eggenberger, was granted sometime after 1479 through his relationship with Mathias Corvinus, King of Hungary. What is unusual is the prominent use of this coat of arms on the grave of a middle-class merchant citizen whose family would not achieve noble status until the next generation.
Important Personages
- Christoph von Eggenberg to Ehrenhausen († 1553)
- Helena von Eggenberg to Ehrenhausen († vor 1568), born Fueger, wife of 1st
- Hans Christoph von Eggenberg to Ehrenhausen († 1581), son of 1st
- Maria von Eggenberg to Ehrenhausen, born Galler, wife of 3rd
- Bartholomaeus von Eggenberg to Ehrenhausen († 1583), son of 1st
- Justina von Eggenberg, born von Breuner, wife of 5th
- FreiherrFreiherrThe German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
Ruprecht von Eggenberg to EhrenhausenRuprecht von EggenbergRuprecht von Eggenberg was an Austrian colonel-general from the Duchy of Styria in Inner Austria, part of the Holy Roman Empire. He was a member of the Eggenberger family and cousin to Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg.-Military career:He chose a military career early on in his life...
(† 1611), Field Colonel General of the Artillery - FreiherrFreiherrThe German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
Wolf von Eggenberg to EhrenhausenWolff von EggenbergWolff von Eggenberg was an Austrian military officer and Freiherr of the House of Eggenberg.He was the nephew and sole heir of Ruprecht von Eggenberg. Like his uncle, Wolff von Eggenberg chose a military career and received the command of Imperial Forces as General-Obrist on the border to Croatia...
(† 1615), Colonel General and nephew of 7th - FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
Hans Ulrich von EggenbergHans Ulrich von EggenbergHans Ulrich von Eggenberg was an Austrian statesman, a son of Seyfried von Eggenberg and great-grandson of Balthasar Eggenberger of the House of Eggenberg.- Biography :...
(†1634), President of the GeheimratGeheimratGeheimrat was the title of the highest advising officials at the Imperial, royal or principal courts of the Holy Roman Empire, who jointly formed the Geheimer Rat reporting to the ruler...
of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman EmperorFerdinand II, Holy Roman EmperorFerdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :... - FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
Johann Anton (I) († 1649), son of 9th, first Eggenberg in the ReichstagReichstag (Holy Roman Empire)The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm... - FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
in Anna Maria von Eggenberg, née Brandenburg-BayreuthAnna Maria von Eggenberg, née Brandenburg-BayreuthAnna Maria Princess of Eggenberg, née Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and, by marriage Johann Anton I von Eggenberg, a Fürstin of Eggenberg.- Life :...
(† 1680), wife of 10th - FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
Johann Christian (I) von Eggenberg († 1710), first son of 10th & 11th - FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg († 1713), second son of 10th & 11th - FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
in Maria Charlotte von Eggenberg († 1755), wife of the last prince of Eggenberg - FürstFürstFürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
in Maria Theresia von Eggenberg († 1774), daughter of 13th, married as the Countess of Leslie
Fürsten (Princes) of Eggenberg
- Hans Ulrich von EggenbergHans Ulrich von EggenbergHans Ulrich von Eggenberg was an Austrian statesman, a son of Seyfried von Eggenberg and great-grandson of Balthasar Eggenberger of the House of Eggenberg.- Biography :...
(1568–1634), 1598 Baron, 1623 Prince von Eggenberg 1623, 1628 Duke of Krumau; ∞ Baroness Maria Sidonia von Thannhausen, daughter of the Baron Konrad von Thannhausen and Dorothea von Teuffenbach - Johann Anton I (1610–1649), son of Hans Ulrich, Prince of Eggenberg, Duke of Krumau, Royal Count of Gradisca; ∞ Margravine Anna Maria von Eggenberg, née Brandenburg-BayreuthAnna Maria von Eggenberg, née Brandenburg-BayreuthAnna Maria Princess of Eggenberg, née Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and, by marriage Johann Anton I von Eggenberg, a Fürstin of Eggenberg.- Life :...
, daughter of MargraveMargraveA margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
Christian von Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach .... - Johann Christian I (1641–1710), son of Johann Anton I, Prince of Eggenberg ∞ Princess Maria Ernestina to SchwarzenbergHouse of Schwarzenberg-History:The family was first mentioned in 1172. A branch of the Seinsheim family was created when Erkinger I of Seinsheim acquired the Franconian barony of Schwarzenberg, the castle Schwarzenberg and the title Baron of Schwarzenberg, in 1405–21. At this time, they also possessed some fiefdoms in...
, daughter of Prince Johann Adolf I, Prince of Schwarzenberg - Johann Seyfried (1644–1713), brother of Johann Christian I, Prince of Eggenberg; ∞ 1st Maria Eleonore Rosalia, Princess to Liechtenstein-Nikolsburg; ∞ 2nd Maria Josepha Antonia, Countess Orsini-Rosenberg
- Johann Anton II Josef (1669–1716), nephew of Johann Christian I, Prince of Eggenberg; ∞ Countess Maria Karolina ze Šternberka, daughter of Oldřich Adolf Vratislav, Count of Sternberg 1661,
- Johann Christian II Seyfried (1704–1717), son of Johann Anton II, Prince of Eggenberg
Sources
- Schloss Eggenberg. By Barbara Kaiser. Graz: Christian Brandstätter Verlag, 2006. ISBN 3-902510-80-3 (English Edition) or ISBN 3-902510-96-X (German Edition)
- Hans Ulrich Fürst von Eggenberg: Freund und erster Minister Kaiser Ferdinand II. By Hans von Zwiedineck-Südenhorst. Charleston, SC: BiblioBazaar, 2009. (new edition of digitally preserved original German text printed in Vienna in 1880, printed in Leipzig by Amazon Distribution GmbH) ISBN 1-113027-82-7
- Ein Staat in Alt-Österreich: Besitzungen der Eggenberger. By Franz Kammerhofer. Graz: Franz Kammerhofer, 1998. ISBN 3-9500808-1-3
- Die Fürsten und Freiherren zu Eggenberg und ihre Vorfahren. By Walther Ernest Heydendorff. Graz: Verlag Styria, 1965.
- Schloss Eggenberg: Lernbehelf für Guides. By Barbara Kaiser. Graz: Landesmuseum Joanneum, 2001.
- Inaugural-Dissertation. Die Fürsten zu Eggenberg. By Gerhard Bernd Marauschek. Graz: 1968. (dissertation available at the university library of Karl-Franzens University in Graz)
- Eggenberg. By Franz von Krones. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 5. Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, 1877.
- ŽUPANIČ, Jan; STELLNER, František; FIALA, Michal. Encyklopedie knížecích rodů zemí Koruny české. Praha : Aleš Skřivan ml., 2001. 340 s. ISBN 80-86493-00-8.
- "I Principi di Eggenberg sovrani di Gradisca 1647-1717" (Comune di Gradisca d'Isonzo - Assessorato alla Cultura)
- M. Masau Dan - "Fortezza di Gradisca" (Consorzio per la salvaguardia dei castelli storici del Friuli-Venezia Giulia)