Imperial Count Imperial Count (, ) was a title in the Holy Roman Empire. During the medieval era, it was used exclusively to designate the holder of an imperial county, that is, a fief held directly ( immediately) from the emperor, rather than from a prince wh ...

Heinrich von Bünau (; 2 June 1697 – 7 April 1762) was a politician and historian from the

Electorate of Saxony The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony ( or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356 to 1806 initially centred on Wittenberg that came to include areas around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. It was a ...

, now part of

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Life

Born in Weissenfels, Bünau was the son of Heinrich von Bünau (1665–1745), a Chancellor of the

who was created an

of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

(''

Reichsgraf Imperial Count (, ) was a title in the Holy Roman Empire. During the medieval era, it was used exclusively to designate the holder of an imperial county, that is, a fief held directly (Imperial immediacy, immediately) from the emperor, rather th ...

)'' on 24 March 1742 and his wife, Juliana Dorothea Dorothea von

Geismar Geismar is a municipality in the district of Eichsfeld in Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by popula ...

(1676-1745). After studying at the

University of Leipzig Leipzig University (), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 December 1409 by Frederick I, Electo ...

, Bünau entered the service of the Electors of Saxony and became an assessor in the Upper Court (''Oberhofgericht'') at

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

. Later he became Senior

Consistory Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to: *A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church *Consistor ...

President and Privy Councillor (''Wirklicher Geheimrat''). He received advancement through the good offices of the Cabinet Minister of the Electors of Saxony,

Count von Hoym 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: ...

, the uncle of his second wife. In 1734, after Hoym had been ousted by

Count Brühl 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: ...

, Heinrich von Bünau was downgraded to the position of Senior Overseer of the

County of Mansfeld A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) ''Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denotin ...

Eisleben Eisleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is famous as both the hometown of the influential theologian Martin Luther and the place where he died; hence, its official name is Lutherstadt Eisleben. First mentioned in the late 10th century ...

. In 1741 however he entered the service of the Emperor Charles VII, who made him an Imperial Privy Councillor (''Reichshofrat''), the first

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

to fill that role, and employed him as an ambassador in the area of Upper and Lower Saxony. In 1745, after the death of the emperor, Bünau withdrew to his estate at Nöthnitz near

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

to pursue his scientific and historical studies. Between 1744 and 1751 he had

Dahlen Castle Dahlen Castle () is a castle built between 1744 and 1751 in the small town of Dahlen, located in Saxony, Germany. History Medieval times Since the beginning of the 13th century there was a noble dwelling in Dahlen ("Edelhof, lat. curia"), fal ...

built, on the Dahlen estate he had acquired by marriage, and for the decoration of which he commissioned

Adam Friedrich Oeser Adam Friedrich Oeser (17 February 1717 in Pressburg – 18 March 1799 in Leipzig) was a German etcher, painter and sculptor. Biography Oeser worked and studied in Pressburg (student of Georg Raphael Donner in sculpture) and Vienna at the V ...

in 1756. Apart from the estates of Nöthnitz, Dahlen, and Ossmannstedt, Bünau also owned those of Domsen, Göllnitz and Gross-Tauschwitz. In 1751 Bünau was appointed as Guardian Governor of the Duchy of

Saxe-Eisenach Saxe-Eisenach () was an Ernestine duchy ruled by the Saxon House of Wettin. The state intermittently existed at three different times in the Thuringian region of the Holy Roman Empire. The chief town and capital of all three duchies was Eisenach ...

, during the minority of Duke Ernest Augustus II, for whom in 1756 he became Prime Minister in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...

. In 1759, after the death of the Duke, he retired and spent the evening of his life on his estate at Ossmannstedt, near Weimar,Apart from the estates of Nöthnitz, Dahlen, and Ossmannstedt already mentioned, Bünau also owned those of Domsen, Göllnitz and Gross-Tauschwitz. where he died on 7 April 1762. after his death Ossmannstedt was used as a summer house by the Duchess Anna Amalia of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (widow of

Ernest Augustus II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Ernst August II Konstantin, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (2 June 1737 – 28 May 1758), was the reigning Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Early life He was the second (fifth in order of birth) but eldest and only surviving son of Ernst August& ...

and aunt to Queen Caroline of England) and her sons between 1762 and 1775.

Private life

Heinrich was married three times: 1) In 1721 he married firstly Augusta Helena von Döring (15 November 1706 - 04 November 1728), heiress of

, great-granddaughter of David von Döring (1577-1638), Privy Councillor of

John George I, Elector of Saxony John George I (5 March 1585 – 8 October 1656) was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656. He led Saxony through the Thirty Years' War, which dominated his 45-year reign. Biography Born in Dresden, John George was the second son of the Elector C ...

. They had two sons: * Heinrich Graf von Bünau (20 July 1722 - 29 August 1784), married to Countess Friederike Sophia von Degenfeld-Schonburg (1723-1789), granddaughter of

Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg General (United Kingdom), General Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg, 1st Duke of Leinster, Order of the Garter, KG (30 June 1641 – ), was a German-born military officer and peer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in 1691. ...

; had issue * Günther Graf von Bünau (10 January 1726 - 11 March 1804), married firstly Johanna Erdmuthe von Schönfeld-Löbnitz (d. 1779); married secondly Erdmuthe Magdalena von der Sala (1750-1836), had issue from both marriages 2) On 23 November 1729 he married Erdmuthe Friederike von Hoym-Guteborn (24 April 1712 - 30 December 1742), daughter of Carl Siegfried von Hoym (1675-1738) and his wife, Dorothea Sophia von Loeben (1680-1742). The couple divorced in 1736. They had one daughter: * Friederike Henriette Gräfin von Bünau (07 July 1733 - 28 February 1792), married in 1753 to Count Johann Erdmann

Henckel von Donnersmarck The Henckel von Donnersmarck family is an Austro-German noble family that originated in the former region of Spiš in Upper Hungary (now in Slovakia). The founder of the family was Henckel de Quintoforo in the 14th century. The original seat of th ...

(17 August 1728 - 13 March 1803). The couple divorced in 1783 and didn't have children. 3) In 1739 he married for the third time. The bride was Christiana Elisabeth von Arnim (b. 18 February 1699 - 29 August 1783), daughter of Wolf Christoph II von Arnim (1660-1727) and his wife, Johanne Christiane von Minckwitz (1678-1737). They had one son: * Heinrich von Bünau (01 February 1743 - 10 April 1789), never married.

Library

Bünau's private library comprised some 42,000 volumes. It was housed at first in Dresden, then on his estate at Nöthnitz Palace, and he allowed public access to it. The archaeologist

Johann Joachim Winckelmann Johann Joachim Winckelmann ( ; ; 9 December 17178 June 1768) was a German art historian and archaeologist. He was a pioneering Hellenism (neoclassicism), Hellenist who first articulated the differences between Ancient Greek art, Greek, Helleni ...

from

Stendal The Hanseatic City of Stendal () is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of the Stendal District and the unofficial capital of the Altmark region. Geography Situated west of the Elbe valley, the Stendal town centre is located ...

worked at Nöthnitz between 1748 and 1754 as Bünau's secretary.

Works

* "Probe einer genauer und umständlichen Teutschen Kayser- und Reichshistorie oder Leben und Thaten Friedrichs I. Römischen Kaysers" (1722) (''Attempt at a Comprehensive History of the German Emperor and Empire, or, The Life and Deeds of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor'') * "Genaue und umständliche teutsche Kayser- und Reichshistorie aus den bewährtesten Geschichtsschreibern und Urkunden zusammengetragen" in 4 volumes (1728–1743) (''Exact and Comprehensive History of the German Emperor and Empire compiled from the Most Valued Historians and Documents'') * "Historie des Kriegs zwischen Frankreich, England und Teutschland" in 4 volumes (1763–1767) (''History of the War between France, England and Germany'')i.e., the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

Notes

References

* Czok, Karl, 1988: ''August der Starke und Kursachsen'' (2nd ed., 1988, pp. 124f, with portrait). Leipzig * Justi, Carl, 1922: ''Winckelmann und seine Zeitgenossen'', vol 1 (3rd ed., 1922) * Sahrer v. Sahr, 1869: ''Heinrich, Graf von Bünau''

External links

Website of the von Bünau family

Schloss Nöthnitz

Bünaugut (later Wielandgut) in Ossmannstedt
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bunau, Heinrich Graf Von 1697 births 1762 deaths Heinrich People from Weißenfels People from Saxe-Weissenfels 18th-century German historians German male non-fiction writers Counts of the Holy Roman Empire Members of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities 18th-century politicians from the Holy Roman Empire