Kalanj

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kalanj is an archaic surname used by many families both noblemen and peasants in the European countries of Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Czech Republic as well as parts of Germany, Italy, and Serbia. Use of this family name dates back to the Early Middle Ages.

Possible origins for the name include:

• The Kaallegn, a Hungarian ruling dynasty that brought the Hungarians to Europe in the first place^{[citation needed]}
• The Serbian and Croatian word klanje which means "slaughter", depicting a nickname for a ruthless medieval lord in Slavonia under the Hungarian crown
• The family name Keisinger, the name of Austrian feudal ruling family with Bavaro-Saxon ancestry.

Sophia Marie Antoinette Josephina von Voralberg und Salzburg-Koburg, the niece of Emperor Ferdinand I, married a wealthy Slavic trader and craftsman that was known through the entire Adriatic, Stephan Kalanj. From that family sprang an entire family tree of numerous Barons, Princes and semi-known political officials (Hungary's Viceroy Stevan of Croatia and Slavonia, Prince Linz III of Istria and fourteen [consecutive] barons of the City of Karlovac).

In the 16th through 19th centuries the Habsburgs entitled the Kalanj "Minor Habsburgs" because of their propensity for marriage, much like the Habsburgs themselves. One well-known man, coming from the previous branches of the family was Svetozar Borović, later also known with the title "von Bojna".

All traces of the last somewhat-direct descendants were lost after the Yugoslav wars. The last known were Dubravka Kalanj (who took refuge in Austria), Stevo Kalanj, the Secretary of Culture in Karlovac, and Marc Kalanj of whom there is no sign at all.