Alexandrine von Taxis (1 August 1589 – 26 December 1666), was a German noblewoman who served as Imperial General Postmaster of the ''

Kaiserliche Reichspost ''Kaiserliche Reichspost'' (, ''Imperial Mail''), originally named ''Niederländische Postkurs'' (Low Countries' postal route), was the name of the international postal service of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1490. It was the first modern ...

'', the General Post Office of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the Post Master of the

Spanish Netherlands Spanish Netherlands (Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a ''pars pro toto'') was the Ha ...

, from 1628 until 1646.

Early life

She was born as the second child and only daughter of Philibert de Rye, Count de Varax (d. 1597) and Claudine de Tournon-Roussillon (d. 1586), daughter of

Claudine de la Tour-Turenne Claudine de La Tour-Turenne (1520–1591) was a lady-in-waiting of Marguerite de Valois (1553–1615), the spouse of the French king Henri IV (1553–1610). By birth, she was member of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne. Early life She was born in ...

Marriage and issue

She was married to

Count Leonhard II von Taxis Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1594-1628). When he died, she took over his office until her son

Lamoral II Claudius Franz, Count of Thurn and Taxis Lamoral II Claudius Franz, Count of Thurn and Taxis (14 February 1621 (baptized) – 13 September 1676) was a German nobleman and Imperial Postmaster. He took over the post of Imperial Postmaster General from his mother when he came of age in 1 ...

was old enough and educated enough to take office. She and her husband were progenitors of the

House of Thurn und Taxis The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis (german: link=no, Fürstenhaus Thurn und Taxis ) is a family of German nobility that is part of the ''Briefadel''. It was a key player in the postal services in Europe during the 16th century, until the en ...

References

* Wolfgang Behringer, ''Thurn und Taxis''. Piper, München/Zürich 1990, . {{DEFAULTSORT:Taxis, Alexandrine von 17th-century German businesspeople 1589 births 1666 deaths German postmasters Princesses of Thurn und Taxis 17th-century civil servants Postmasters-General

Early life

Marriage and issue

See also

References