Style(s) Serene Highness Founder Erkinger of Seinsheim | Founded 12th century | |
Current head Karel VII of Schwarzenberg Ethnicity Austrian, Czech, German
Prince of Schwarzenberg
Duke of Krumlov
Landgrave of Klettgau
Count of Sulz | ||
The House of Schwarzenberg is a Czech (Bohemian) and German (Franconian) aristocratic family, and it was one of the most prominent European noble houses. The Schwarzenbergs are members of the Bohemian nobility and German nobility and achieved the rank of Princes of the Holy Roman Empire. The family traces its roots to the lords of Seinsheim during the Middle Ages.
Contents
- History
- Imperial Immediate Estates
- Family Coat of Arms
- Municipal Coat of Arms
- Notable family members
- Bohemia
- Castles and Palaces
- Heads of the Family and Title Progression
- The Dynasty
- Titles of the Members of the Schwarzenberg family
- References
The current head of the family is Karl, the 12th Prince of Schwarzenberg, a Czech politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The family owns properties and lands across Austria, Czech Republic and Germany.
History
The family stems from the lords of Seinsheim, who had established themselves in Franconia during the Middle Ages. A branch of the Seinsheim family (the non-Schwarzenberg portion died out in 1958) was created when Erkinger of Seinsheim acquired the Franconian territory of Schwarzenberg and the castle of Schwarzenberg in Scheinfeld during the early part of the 15th century. He was then granted the title of Freiherr (Baron) of Schwarzenberg in 1429. At that time, the family also possessed some fiefdoms in Bohemia.
In 1599, the Schwarzenbergs were elevated to Imperial Counts, and the family was later raised to princely status in 1670. The House of Schwarzenberg acquired extensive land holdings in Bohemia in 1661 through a marriage alliance with the House of Eggenberg. In the 1670s, the Schwarzenbergs established their primary seat in Bohemia and, until 1918, their main residence was in Český Krumlov, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic).
At the beginning of the 19th century, the House of Schwarzenberg was divided into two princely-titled lines (majorats). The senior branch died out in the male line in 1979 upon the death of Joseph III of Schwarzenberg, who was the 11th Prince of Schwarzenberg. The cadet branch was established by Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg, at Orlík, Murau and Vienna, and this branch continues to the present day.
The two branches have now been re-united under the current head of the family, Karl VII of Schwarzenberg, who is the 12th Prince of Schwarzenberg. He is a Czech politician and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
Imperial Immediate Estates
The Schwarzenberg family held three Imperial Immediate Estates in the Holy Roman Empire.
By coincidence the coat of arms of the Princely Landgraviate of Klettgau and the Earldom of Buchan in Scottland are the same. The Klettgau coat of arms can be found in the left heart shield of the Schwarzenberg coat of arms.
Family Coat of Arms
The ancestral arms of the Lords of Seinsheim consisted of six vertical stripes in silver and blue. However, the Schwarzenberg family's original coat of arms has four silver and four blue vertical stripes. Moreover, it starts with silver on the heraldic right (mirror-inverted perspective).
The family became Freiherren (Barons) of Schwarzenberg in 1429, and a silver tower on a black hill was added to their coat of arms to represent the city Scheinfeld and Schwarzenberg Castle.
In 1599, Adolf von Schwarzenberg became an Imperial Count, and was given by the emperor a quarter showing the head of a Turk being pecked by a raven. This was to commemorate Adolf's conquest on 19 March 1598 of the Turkish-held fortress and city Győr. The German name of the Hungarian town is Raab, which means raven.
In 1670, the Schwarzenbergs were raised to princely status. However, only the marriage of Ferdinand, The 2nd Prince of Schwarzenberg (1652–1703) with Marie Anna Countess of Sulz (1653–1698), the daughter of Johann Ludwig II. Count of Sulz (1626–1687), led to the augmenting of their coat of arms, with quarters added for the domains of Sulz, Brandis (canting arms: a brand) and the Landgraviate of Klettgau. Due to the absence of a male heir, Count Rudolf requested at the imperial court that the two families should be consolidated. This was granted, which meant for the Schwarzenberg family not only to assume all titles, rights and duties of the Counts of Sulz, but also to inherit all of Rudolf's properties.
The last augmentation of the family coat of arms was granted by the Austrian Emperor Franz II. / I. . He rewarded Field Marshal Karl I. Philipp Prince of Schwarzenberg with the right to bear the three-part arms of the Habsburg family with the addition of an upright standing sword. This unique distinction was granted to commemorate the field marshal's victory in the Battle of the Nations, where he was the Generalissimo of the Sixth Coalition.
The family motto is NIL NISI RECTUM.
Municipal Coat of Arms
Traces of the Schwarzenberg coat of arms can be found in various district and municipal coat of arms, which can be linked to the family
Notable family members
The House of Schwarzenberg produced many military commanders, politicians, church dignitaries (including a Cardinal), innovators and patrons of the arts. They were related to a number of European aristocratic families, notably the Lobkowicz (Czech: Lobkovicové) family. Some of the most noteworthy members of the Schwarzenberg family are:
Bohemia
The Schwarzenberg land holdings in Bohemia included the Duchy of Krumlov, the town of Prachatice and Orlík Castle. The family also acquired the property of the House of Rosenberg (Czech: Rožmberkové). On their lands, the Schwarzenbergs created ponds, planted forests and introduced new technologies in agriculture.
Upon the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia in 1939, the possessions of Prince Adolph of Schwarzenberg were seized by the Nazi authorities. He managed to flee, but his cousin Heinrich, Duke of Krumlov, was arrested and deported. After World War II, the Czechoslovakian government stated, by law No. 143/1947 from August 13, 1947 (Lex Schwarzenberg), that the assets of the Schwarzenberg-Hluboká primogeniture passed to the Land of Bohemia.
Castles and Palaces
The Schwarzenberg property holdings included the following residences:
Heads of the Family and Title Progression
Lords of Seinsheim The House of Seinsheim regarded Erchanger, Duke of Swabia (died 917), as their ancestor.
Barons of Schwarzenberg
In 1599, the barony was raised to an Imperial county.
Counts of Schwarzenberg
On 14 July 1670, the county was raised to an Princely county and, the following year, to a Princely landgraviate.
Princes of Schwarzenberg
In November of 1918, the Austro-Hungarian Empire ceased to exist.
Heads of the House of Schwarzenberg (after 1918)
The Dynasty
The names hereby presented are those of all the direct successors of the Prince John I of Schwarzenberg (1742–1789). They have been respectively divided into the two brenches of Krumlov and Orlik, including the contemporary generations. For the genealogy to be easier to consult, the male successors alone are listed, and they are accompanied with remarkable informations whether necessary. In bold the names of the members of the eldest part of the family.
Titles of the Members of the Schwarzenberg family
The title of the head of the princely family is:
The title of the wife of the head of the family would be:
The title of the first born son and heir of the family is:
The title of the wife of the first born son and heir of the family would be:
The title of all other female members of the family is:
The title of all other male members of the family is:
Although the family is entitled to use the von und zu, only the zu is applied. Moreover, all members of the family are allowed to use the title Fürst / Fürstin. However, this is not anymore practiced since the late 19th century and the cognates refer to themselves as Prinz / Prinzessin.