Fürstenberg (princely family)

Fürstenberg is the name of a noble house in Germany, based primarily in southern Baden-Württemberg. The family derives its name from the fortified town of the line's founder, Count Heinrich von Fürstenberg, today part of Hüfingen. Numerous members of the family haven risen to prominence over the centuries as soldiers, churchmen, diplomats, and academics — one was even a famous fashion designer. Sometimes the name is Gallicized as de Furstenberg or Anglicized as Furstenberg.

Contents

Notable members of the House of Fürstenberg

Princes

The first Fürst zu Fürstenberg, Joseph Wilhelm Ernst, was born 12 January 1699. He was the second son of Prosper Ferdinand, Count Fürstenberg, killed at the Landau on 21 November 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession, and his wife Sophia, Countess Königsegg-Rothenfels (1674 – 1727). On 2 February 1716, Joseph Wilhelm Ernst was raised to princely status. He married in 1723 to the Countess (Gräfin) Maria Anna von Waldstein und Wartenberg (22 February 1707 – 12 November 1756). After her death in 1756, he married in 1761 to Maria Anna Countess (Gräfin) von der Wahl (born 22 September 1736  – 21 March 1808). He died in Vienna, 29 April 1762.[1]

There was no issue from his second marriage. From his first marriage, he had eight children:

  1. Joseph Wenzel Johann Nepomuk, Prague 21 March 1728  – Donaueschingen 2 June 1783
  2. Karl Borromäus Egon, Prague, 7 May 1729  – Prague 11 July 1787. He married on 25 June 1753 to the Countess (Gräfin) Maria Josepha von Sternberg (24 June 1735  – 16 January 1803).
  3. Prosper Maria, 26 March 1735  – 20 April 1735
  4. Marie Eleonore, 15 December 1726  – 16 December 1726
  5. Maria Augusta Josepha, an abbess in Hradcany (1731 – 1770)
  6. Marie Henriette Josepha, born in Prague 31 March 1732 and died in Regensburg 4 June 1772. Married in Regensburg to Alexander Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Thurn and Taxis (1704 – 1773)
  7. Maria Emanuela Sophie (nun), Prague, 25 December 1733 – 28 March 1776
  8. Maria Theresia Josepha (nun), Prague, 4 September 1736 – 8 May 1774

Second Prince

Joseph Wenzel Johann Nepomuk was the first son of the first prince. He was born in Prague, Prague 2 March 1728, and died at Donaueschingen 2 June 1783; he married 21 July 1748 to the Countess (Gräfin) Maria Josepha von Waldbburg und Trauchburg (30 March 1731  – 7 May 1782).[2]

They had seven children:

  1. Johann Nepomuck Joseph, 7 July 1755  – 6 October 1755
  2. Joseph Maria Benedikt Karl, third Fürst zu Fürstenberg, 9 January 1758, died at Donaueschingen 24 June 1796; married in Hechingen 1778 to Maria Antonia von Hohenzollern-Hechingen (10 November 1760  – 25 July 1797)
  3. Karl Alexander, 11 September 1760, 19 February 1761
  4. Karl Egon Maria, 5 June 1762, 20 February 1771
  5. Karl Joachim Aloys Franz de Paula, 31 March 1771  – 17 May 1804.
  6. Josepha Johanna Benedikta, 14 November 1756  – 2 October 1809; married at Donaueschingen 1779 to Philipp Nerius Maria zu Fürstenberg, oldest surviving son of her uncle, Karl Borromäus Egon
  7. Maria Anna Josepha, 5 April 1759 – 26 June 1759

Third prince

The death in infancy of the eldest son of the second prince placed Joseph Maria Benedikt Karl in the line of direct inheritance as the second son of Joseph Wenzel Johann Nepomuk. He married in Hechingen 1778 to the Princess Maria Antonia von Hohenzollern-Hechingen (10 November 1760  – 25 July 1797). He died at Donaueschingen on 24 June 1796 without issue. The title passed to the next eldest sons of the second prince. Both of those boys, Karl Alexander and Karl Egon Marie had died in infancy and childhood, respectively (1761 and 1771).[2]

Fourth prince

Karl Joachim Aloys Franz de Paula, became the fourth Fürst zu Fürstenberg, He married in 1796 the Landgravina Karoline Sophie zu Fürstenberg (20 August 1777,  – 25 February 1846). Their shared ancestor was Prosper Ferdinand, Count Fürstenberg, who had been killed at Landau in 1704. Karl Joachim Aloys died in 1803 without issue. There were no more surviving males of the first prince's eldest son. The title passed to the line of the second son.[2]

Title moves to cadet (junior) branch

Karl Borromäus Egon, the second son of the first prince, had died in 1788. He had married in 1750 to Countess (Gräfin) Maria Josepha von Sternberg (1735  – 1803). They had three sons.

  1. Joseph Maria Wenzel (1754 – 1759) died in childhood.
  2. Philipp Nerius Maria 21 October 1755 – 5 June 1790; married in 1779 at Donaueschingen to Josepha Johanna Benedikta von Fürstenberg (14 November 1756  – 2 October 1809). They had one son and two daughters. The son, Karl Gabriel Maria Joseph, born on 2 February 1785, died in Prague on 13 December 1799.
  3. Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg, born 26 June 1760.

Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg married in Prague to his cousin Princess Elisabetha Alexandrina von Thurn und Taxis (30 November 1767  – 21 July 1822). [3] They had five children:

  1. Karl Egon, succeeded his cousin as Fifth Fürst zu Fürstenberg 17.5.1804, died on 22 October 1854. Married in Karlsruhe 19 April 1818 Amalie von Baden (1795  – 1869)
  2. Marie Leopoldine, born in Prague, 4 September 1791. Married Karl Albrecht zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst. Died in Kupferzell 10 January 1844.
  3. Maria Joseph, born and died 9 September 1792
  4. Antonie 28 October 1794  – 1 October 1799
  5. Maria Anna (1798  – 1799

On 25 March 1799 Karl Aloys was killed at the Battle of Stockach. His nephew died in December 1799. Consequently, when his cousin, Karl Joachim Aloys Franz de Paula, died, his own son, Karl Egon, became the fifth Prince (Fürst).

Modern notable members of the House of Fürstenberg

See also

References

  1. ^ For a more complete description of the history of this family, see the entry by Hugh Chisholm. "Fürstenberg". The Encyclopædia Britannica: a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information. Cambridge, England, New York: At the University Press, 1910–11 or (German) Ernst Hermann Joseph Münch; Carl Borromäus Alois Fickler. Geschichte des Hauses und Landes Fürstenberg: aus Urkunden und den besten Quellen. Aachen: Mayer, 1847.
  2. ^ a b c (German) Ernst Hermann Joseph Münch; Carl Borromäus Alois Fickler. Geschichte des Hauses und Landes Fürstenberg: aus Urkunden und den besten Quellen. Aachen: Mayer, 1847.
  3. ^ (German) Ebert, Jens-Florian, "Feldmarschall-Leutnant Fürst zu Fürstenberg," Die Österreichischen Generäle 1792–1815. Napoleon Online: Portal zu Epoch. Markus Stein, editor.

External links