Oberhofmeister of the Austrian King and Emperor (''Grand Master of the Court'') was the most important function at the court of the
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
(until 1806) and the
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria (german: Kaiser von Österreich) was the ruler of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A hereditary imperial title and office proclaimed in 1804 by Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the Ho ...
in Vienna (1804–1918). The Oberhofmeister acted as the direct head of the Imperial court and household and was as such very influential.
Position
As can be seen in the annual Hof- und Staats Handbuch,
the monarch's Obersthofmeister ranked directly behind the Royal family and above all other high nobility. The Obersthofmeister of the Monarch had his seat in the
Hofburg
The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn ...
in Vienna.
The tasks of His Majesty's Obersthofmeister's Office in Vienna included the administration of the castles and palaces used by the court, including construction work, the supervision of the k.k. Court theater (
Hofburgtheater
The Burgtheater (literally:"Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater"), originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in Vi ...
and
Hofoper in Vienna), and especially the politically relevant planning of the ceremonial (e.g. speech and table arrangements, order of priority of the carriages) for formal appearances by the monarch and the preparation of invitations to the audience of the ruler. This position only ended upon the death of the Monarch or the Oberhofmeister himself.
When the unified Austrian Empire was reorganized into the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867, a second Oberhofmeister was installed at the royal court in Budapest.
An example of a very influential Oberhofmeister, is
Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo
Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo and Grandee of Spain (16 September 18546 September 1927) was one of the highest court officials of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Among his ancestors were members of the House of Habsburg and the Medici family. ...
(1908–1917), who had a strong influence over the aging Franz Joseph I.
other use of the name Oberhofmeister
The monarch's wife, had her own court with an
Oberhofmeisterin
Court Mistress ( da, hofmesterinde; nl, hofmeesteres; german: Hofmeisterin; no, hoffmesterinne; sv, hovmästarinna) or Chief Court Mistress ( da, Overhofmesterinde; ('grand mistress'); ; no, overhoffmesterinne; sv, överhovmästarinna; russia ...
(or Senior Lady in Waiting). The Crown Prince and other long-standing Archdukes were also entitled to employees with the title of Oberhofmeister. This title also appeared at other princely courts and also at smaller dynasties in Germany. The office of Obersthofmeister gradually gained everywhere the importance of a state office, comparable to a cabinet minister.
List of the Obersthofmeisters of the Austrian King and Emperor in Vienna
* 1619–1625
Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg
Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg (156818 October 1634) was an Austrian statesman, a son of Seyfried von Eggenberg, Lord of Erbersdorf (1526-1594), and great-grandson of Balthasar Eggenberger (died 1493). He was a prominent member of the House of E ...
* 1625–1626
Gundaker, Prince of Liechtenstein
Gundakar of Liechtenstein (30 January 1580 – 5 August 1658) (''Prince'' from 1623) was a member of the House of Liechtenstein and as such the owner of a large estate. He also served the Habsburg dynasty.
Family
He was the youngest son of Bar ...
* 1626–1637
Leonard Helfrid, Count of Meggau
* 1637–1650
Maximilian von und zu Trauttmansdorff
Maximilian Freiherr von und zu Trauttmansdorff (23 May 1584, in Graz – 8 June 1650, in Vienna), (from 1623 Reichsgraf von und zu Trauttmansdorff) was an Austrian politician and diplomat of the Thirty Years' War era. His other titles included Fre ...
* 1650–1655
Maximilian, Prince of Dietrichstein
Maximilian, Prince of Dietrichstein (27 June 1596 – 6 November 1655), was a German prince member of the House of Dietrichstein, Imperial Count (''Reichsgraf'') of Dietrichstein and owner of the Lordship of Nikolsburg in Moravia; since 1629 2nd P ...
* 1655–1657
Johann Weikhard of Auersperg
Prince Johann Weikhard of Auersperg (also spelled ''Johann Weichard von Auersperg''; 11 March 1615 at Žužemberk Castle – 11 November 1677 in Ljubljana) was Prime Minister of Austria and Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. He was the fir ...
* 1657–1665
John Ferdinand, Count of Porcia
* 1665–1674
Wenzel Eusebius, Prince of Lobkowicz
Václav Eusebius František, Prince of Lobkowicz (''German: Fürst Wenzel Eusebius von Lobkowicz'') (30 January 1609 – Roudnice, 22 April 1677) was a Bohemian military leader and diplomat of the Lobkowicz family. After 1646, he was Duke of S ...
* 1675–1682
Johann Maximilian von Lamberg
Johann Maximilian von Lamberg (german: Johann Maximilian Nepomuk Reichsgraf von Lamberg-Steyr, Brno, 23 November 1608 – Vienna, 12 December 1682) was an Austrian nobleman, diplomat and courtier. In the service of the Habsburgs, he excelled in th ...
* 1683-1683
Albert, Count of Zinzendorff and Pottendorff
* 1683–1698
Ferdinand Joseph, Prince of Dietrichstein
Ferdinand Joseph, Prince of Dietrichstein (25 July 1628 – 1 December 1698), was a German prince member of the House of Dietrichstein, 3rd Prince (''Fürst'') of Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg, Princely Count (''gefürsteter Graf'') of Tarasp, Baron ...
* 1699–1705
Ferdinand Bonaventura von Harrach
* 1705–1709
Charles Theodore, Prince of Salm
Charles Theodore Otto, Prince of Salm (; 1645-1710), was Count of Salm-Salm since 1663 and Obersthofmeister at the Austrian Court.
Family
He was the son of Leopold Philip Charles, Fürst (Prince) of Salm, and his wife, Maria Anna of Bronckhors ...
* 1709–1711
Johann Leopold von Trautson, Graf von Falkenstein
* 1711–1721
Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein
Anton Florian (28 May 1656 – 11 October 1721) was the Prince of Liechtenstein between 1718 and 1721.
Anton Florian was born in Wilfersdorf, in what is now Lower Austria. During the War of the Spanish Succession, he went to Spain, where he was t ...
* 1721–1724
Johann Leopold von Trautson, Graf von Falkenstein
* 1724–1747
Sigmund Rudolph, Count of Sinzendorf and Thannhausen
* 1747–1751
Dominik von Königsegg-Rothenfels
Lothar Joseph Dominik Graf von Königsegg-Rothenfels (17 May 1673 – Vienna 8 December 1751) was an imperial Fieldmarshal.
Family
Lothar was the youngest son of Count Leopold Wilhelm von Königsegg-Rothenfels and Maria Polyxena, Countess S ...
* 1753–1769
Anton Corfiz Ulfeldt
Anton Corfiz Ulfeldt ( Brașov, 15 June 1699 - Vienna, 31 December 1769) was an Austrian politician and diplomat of Danish descent.
Biography
His parents were Anna Maria Sinzendorf and Leo Graf Ulfeldt, who came from a Danish noble family. After ...
* 1769–1776
Johann Joseph, Count of Khevenhuller
* 1776–1782
Joseph I Adam of Schwarzenberg
Joseph I Adam Prince of Schwarzenberg (15 December 1722, Vienna – 17 February 1782, Vienna), 4th Prince of Schwarzenberg, was a German-Bohemian nobleman.
Biography
Joseph I was born as the son of Adam Franz Karl, 3rd Prince of Schwarzenberg an ...
* 1783–1807
Johann Georg Adam I. Fürst von Starhemberg
* 1807–1827
Ferdinand Fürst von und zu Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg
* 1827–1835 vacant
* 1835–1843
Rudolf, Prince of Colloredo-Mannsfeld
* 1844–1848 vacant
* 1848–1849
Karl Ludwig von Grünne
Karl Ludwig Grünne, Count of (Graf von) Pinchard (25 August 1808, Vienna - 15 June 1884, Baden bei Wien) was an Austro-Hungarian general.
Early life
Karl Ludwig was born as the only son and second child of Count Philipp Ferdinand von Grünne-P ...
* 1849–1865
Prince Karl of Liechtenstein
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. The ...
* 1866–1896
Konstantin of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
The first name Konstantin () is a derivation from the Latin name '' Constantinus'' (Constantine) in some European languages, such as Russian and German. As a Christian given name, it refers to the memory of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great ...
* 1896–1908
Prince Rudolf of Liechtenstein
Prince Rudolf of Liechtenstein (18 April 1838 – 15 December 1908) was an Austrian aristocrat, a general in the Common Army and one of the highest officials in the court of Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Biography
Rudolf was the youngest child and ...
* 1909–1917
Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo
Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo and Grandee of Spain (16 September 18546 September 1927) was one of the highest court officials of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Among his ancestors were members of the House of Habsburg and the Medici family. ...
* 1917–1918
Konrad of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
* 1918
Leopold Graf Berchtold
Leopold Anton Johann Sigismund Josef Korsinus Ferdinand Graf Berchtold von und zu Ungarschitz, Frättling und Püllütz ( hu, Gróf Berchtold Lipót, cs, Leopold hrabě Berchtold z Uherčic) (18 April 1863 – 21 November 1942) was an Austro-H ...
See also
*
Hofmeister (office) In medieval Europe, within the Holy Roman Empire, a Hofmeister (literally "court-master" or "house-master" in German; la, Magister, Praefectus curiae; da, hofmester, hovmester, sv, hovmästare, cs, hofmistr, pl, ochmistrz; french: précepteur; ...
References
Sources
Habsburger.net
* German Wikipedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oberhofmeister
Positions of authority
Government occupations
Court titles
Austrian Empire
Obersthofmeister