Mathias Franz Graf von Chorinsky Freiherr von Ledske

Family history and biography

Mathias Franz is descendant from an eminent and ancient Bohemian-Moravian-Silesian noble house well known in this region since the 15th century, with earlier origins leading into the Piast dynasty of Poland and a Chorynski branch of the "Abdank szlachta" nobility, in 1293 two noble Knight’s Babeslaus de Chorinsky and his son Laticus de Chorinsky served at the court of Henry V, Duke of Legnica and Duke of Silesia, seated in the Duchy of Silesia.

The earliest known ancestral seat or dominion, among many others later acquired across the Bohemian-Moravian-Silesian lands, was Chorin (Choryně) with its dominion in the Zlin region (Zlínský kraj) and Fortress Ledske with its dominion in the Königgrätz region (Hradec Králové Region) where today only remnants of the fortification can be found, today the municipality is named Velká Ledská (Great Ledska) in present-day Czech Republic.

Already established and recognized for centuries earlier with high esteem within the Holy Roman Empire, Mathias Franz together with his equally eminent brothers were each venerated for their own exceptional services to the Bohemian Crown and exalted to first Counts of Chorinsky in Vienne on 12 December 1761 by Empress of the Holy Roman Empire and Archduchess Maria Theresia in her sovereignty as Queen regnant of Bohemia.

On 3 April 1798 the House of Chorinsky-Ledske were bestowed chief banner-bearer (German Oberst-Erblandpanier-Träger) of the peerage of Bohemia.

Career

Mathias Franz studied in Olmütz (Olomouc), on 5 April 1743 he was ordained Priest, later that same year he became Canon of the collegiate chapter of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Brünn (Brno) and in 1752 the Dean. On 16 October 1769 Mathias Franz received episcopal consecration as Titular Bishop of Samaria and Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Königgrätz (Hradec Králové), in 1776 Auxiliary Bishop of Olmütz (Olomouc). Sponsored and nominated for Bishop of Brünn (Brno) on 18 May 1777 by then Empress regnant Maria Theresia of the Holy Roman Empire, Pope Pius VI confirmed his appointment on 5 December 1777 as first bishop of the newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Brünn (Brno), and in that same year he was officially installed in Brünn (Brno). In 1778 he became Imperial and Royal Actual-Privy-Counsellor (German title k.u.k. Wirklicher Geheimer Rat) on the Imperial and Royal (German k.u.k.) Privy Council of the Habsburg monarchy.

Parents

His parents were Franz Karl Baron of Chorinsky and Ledske (German Franz Karl Freiherr von Chorinsky und Ledske) and first wife Maria Catherina Baroness Kottulinsky of Kottulin and Krzizkowitz (German Maria Catherina Freiin Kottulinsky von Kottulin und Krzizkowitz). From his father’s first marriage stem four sons and three daughters, and upon the death of his first wife, one son from his father’s second marriage to Maria Anna Countess of Hallweil (German Maria Anna Gräfin von Hallweil). His father was Imperial and Royal Chamberlain (German title k.u.k. Kämmerer) and Counsellor (German k.u.k. Rat) on the Imperial and Royal Council of the Habsburg monarchy, as well as Imperial Governor of the Hradischer Kreis (Hradištský kraj) region in the Margraviate of Moravia, and Lord of the principalities Wesseli (Veselí) and Patschlawitz (Pačlavice).

Coat of arms

Blazon, altered and adopted post-1761: Gold (Or) shield, with two bison horns centred within, the right bison horn is black (Sable) with three silver (Argent) crayfish claws attached outwards, the left bison horn is silver (Argent) with three black (Sable) crayfish claws attached outwards, the shield (or mantel surrounding if present) is crowned with a nine pearl count-coronet ranking. The coat of arms is often found with a mantel surrounding; a purple cloak with ermine lining, tasselled and fringed with gold (Or) string, and shield supporters being two human male figures.

Some variations of the coat of arms are also seen with the addition of the bison horns represented again surmounted above a two-pearled leafed crown resting on a front facing barred Knight’s helmet with jewelled necklace (a similar blazon as found on the original coat of arms borne prior to addition of the count-coronet ranking post-1761).

Miscellaneous

As name spellings were fairly fluid between local vernaculars spoken and written in past history throughout this vast central Europe region, the foremost family name spelling "Chorinsky" is also found occasionally recorded in historical writings and documents as Chorynski, Chorensky, Chorenski, Chorynsky and Chorinska (the latter occasionally found for female members), as well as “Ledske” found written as Ledska, Ledetz and Letske.

Gloria Princess of Thurn and Taxis (née Gräfin von Schönburg-Glauchau), from the German Princely House of Thurn und Taxis, has paternal ancestors from the House of Chorinsky-Ledske. Her paternal great-great grandfather is Victor Paul Graf von Chorinsky Freiherr von Ledske (1883–1901) and her paternal great-grandmother is Franziska (Fanny) Anna Gräfin von Chorinsky Freiin von Ledske (1876–1963).