Eleonore of Liechtenstein

Princess Eleonore of Liechtenstein

Full name

Maria Eleonore
Born 7 July 1745
Oettingen
Died 26 November 1812 (aged 67)
Vienna
Noble family House of Oettingen-Spielberg
Spouse(s) Prince Karl Borromäus of Liechtenstein
Father Prince Johann Aloys of Oettingen-Spielberg
Mother Princess Therese of Schleswig-Holstein-Weisenburg

Maria Eleonore of Liechtenstein née Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg (Oettingen, 7 July 1745 - Vienna, 26 November 1812) was a princess of Liechtenstein by marriage to Prince Karl Borromäus of Liechtenstein, and a politically influential Austrian salonist. Between 1768 and 1790, she acted as the political adviser of Emperor Joseph II through her salon or discussion circle.

Life

She was born as a Princess of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg, daughter of Prince Johann Aloys of Oettingen-Spielberg and Princess Therese of Schleswig-Holstein-Wiesenburg.

She was raised and educated in a French convent in Strasbourg. When she was fifteen, she inherited wast estates from her aunt in Bohemia, and she and her sister Maria Leopoldine (1741-1795) were introduced at the imperial court in Vienna and appointed maid of honour to the empress Maria Theresa of Austria, during which service they became acquainted with the imperial family.

On 30 March 1761, in Vienna, she married Prince Karl Borromäus of Liechtenstein. She and her spouse were the ancestors of a line of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. Eleonore spent her summers in her estates in Moravia and her winters in Vienna. She had a love affair with the Irish genereal Charles O'Donnell, which attracted attention, but he died in 1771.

Salon of the Five Princesses

From 1768 onward, she held a discussion circle with a group of people including Emperor Joseph II, who had been in love with her, and she was influential upon the affairs of state through Joseph.

Joseph II was reportedly in love with Eleonore of Liechtenstein and attempted to convince her to be his mistress in 1771-1772, but she declined, and they became lifelong friends.

For two decades, her salon circle of five princesses exerted influence upon the affairs of state through their connection with Joseph II: their circle consisted of Eleonore of Liechtenstein, Maria Josepha Fürstin Clary (1728-1801), Maria Sidonia Princess Kinsky (1729-1815), and Leopoldine von Sternberg (1733-1809); field marshal Franz Moritz von Lacy (1725-1801) and the chief treasury Franz Xaver Wolfgang von Orsini-Rosenberg (1723-1796) also frequently attended their discussion circle. They met once and, from 1780, four times a week to discuss politics. Eleonore's relation to Joseph was not in lack of tension, and she did disagree with his church politics, and criticized him on his restlessness.

The salon of the five princesses lost their influence as state advisers upon Joseph's death in 1790. During the Second Congress of Rastatt (1797-1799), she opposed the pro-French policy of chancellor Johann Amadeus von Thugut. She was also adverse to State Chancellor Klemens von Metternich, and she is pointed out to be behind his deposition as Dresden ambassador. She also opposed him arranging the marriage between Marie-Louise of Austria and emperor Napoleon in 1810.

Eleonore of Liechtenstein has left letters which gives an important image of contemporary life in the Austrian court life.

Issue

She had seven children:

References

  1. ↑ Theroff, Paul. "Countly House of Harrach of Rohrau and Thannhausen". www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/ (Paul Theroff’s Royal Genealogy Site).
  2. ↑ Theroff, Paul. "Princely House of Khevenhüller-Metsch". www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/ (Paul Theroff’s Royal Genealogy Site).
  3. ↑ Theroff, Paul. "Princely and Countly House of Esterházy de Galántha". www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/ (Paul Theroff’s Royal Genealogy Site).
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