Wien Maria-Theresien-Denkmal Wenzel Anton Kaunitz

Gundaker Thomas Starhemberg (

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, December 14, 1663 –

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, July 8, 1745) was an Austrian economist and politician.

Early life

His parents were Konrad Balthasar von

Starhemberg The House of Starhemberg is the name of an old and distinguished Austrian noble family originating from Upper Austria, specifically Steyr and Steinbach. Members of the family played important political role within the Holy Roman Empire and ...

(1612–1687) and Countess Franziska Katharina Cavriani 91640-1716). His half-brothers were

Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg Count Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg (12 January 1638 – 4 January 1701) was military governor of Vienna from 1680, the city's defender during the Battle of Vienna in 1683, Imperial general during the Great Turkish War, and President of the ...

(1638–1701), the defender of Vienna against the Turks in 1683 and Maximilian Lorenz von Starhemberg (1640–1689). Field Marshal Guido von Starhemberg was his cousin.

Biography

Gundakar was designated early for an ecclesiastical career, but after studying a while at the

Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum The ''Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum'', or simply ''Collegium Germanicum'', is a German-speaking seminary for Catholic priests in Rome, founded in 1552. Since 1580 its full name has been ''Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum de Urb'' ...

, he returned to Vienna and entered in the service of the Austrian Emperor. He was quickly noticed for his financial talents and became a protégé of

Prince Eugene of Savoy Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th a ...

, who urged for financial reforms to finance the many wars the Empire was waging. Gundakar became vice-president of the Court Chamber in 1698 and its president in 1703, and was president of the Ministerial Bank Deputation from 1706 until his death. In 1712 he also became a member of the Privy Conference, and in 1716 a member of the Privy Financial Conference. He returned to service in the crisis period after the death of Charles VI and prevented the financial collapse of the empire.

Marriage and children

He married first on 13 January 1688 with Countess Beatrix Franziska von Daun (1665-1701), daughter of Field Marshal

Wirich Philipp von Daun Count Wirich Philipp von Daun (19 October 1669 – 30 July 1741) was an Austrian Field Marshal of the Imperial Army in the War of Spanish Succession, and father of the better known Leopold Josef Graf Daun. In 1710 he was created Prince of Teano. B ...

. They had: * Maria Josepha (1689–1767) * Franz (1691–1743), whose daughter Eleonore would marry

Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg (german: Wenzel Anton Reichsfürst von Kaunitz-Rietberg, cz, Václav Antonín z Kounic a Rietbergu; 2 February 1711 – 27 June 1794) was an Austrian and Czech diplomat and statesman in the Habsburg mona ...

* Maria Theresia (1694–1752) After the death of his wife, he remarried on 3 February 1707 with Countess Maria Josepha Irene Jörger zu Tollet (1668-1746), and had 2 more daughters: * Marie Gabrielle (1707–1793), married

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

Rudolph Joseph von Colloredo Rudolph or Rudolf may refer to: People * Rudolph (name), the given name including a list of people with the name Religious figures * Rudolf of Fulda (died 865), 9th century monk, writer and theologian * Rudolf von Habsburg-Lothringen (1788 ...

(1706-1788) * Maria Dominika (1710–1736)

Sources

*
Vienna HistoryAustria Forum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Starhemberg, Gundaker Thomas 1663 births 1745 deaths Austrian politicians Austrian economists Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria