Johann Joseph, Prince of Khevenhüller-Metsch (3 July 1706 – 18 April 1776) was an Austrian statesman and held a high position at the imperial court. From 1764 he was the first prince from the House of Khevenhüller.

Early life

Khevenhüller was born in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

on 3 July 1706. He was the eldest son and heir of Sigmund Friedrich von Khevenhüller and, his second wife, Ernestine Leopoldine von

Orsini-Rosenberg The House of Orsini-Rosenberg (also Ursin-Rosenberg) is the name of an old Austrian noble family. The family is mediatized and as such belongs to the high nobility. It originally sprang out from the Graben family (an apparent or illegitimate bra ...

. He received his schooling from a private tutor. He completed humanistic and legal studies in Vienna,

Leyden Leiden ( ; ; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 127,046 (31 January 2023), but the city forms one densely connecte ...

and Strasbourg, and entered the civil service in 1725 as a

Lower Austria Lower Austria ( , , abbreviated LA or NÖ) is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Major cities are Amstetten, Lower Austria, Amstetten, Krems an der Donau, Wiener Neustadt and Sankt Pölten, which ...

n regimental councillor after undertaking the " Grand Tour" of Europe.

Career

In 1727, he received the honorary title of Imperial Chamberlain. From 1728 he was an Imperial Court Councillor. Together with his father, he acquired

Riegersburg Castle Riegersburg Castle is a medieval castle situated on an extinct volcano above the town of Riegersburg in the Austrian state of Styria. The castle is owned by the Princely Family of Liechtenstein and contains a museum with changing exhibitions. R ...

Hardegg Hardegg () is a town in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria. It is situated in the Waldviertel region on the river Thaya, directly on the border with the Czech Republic. The Thaya valley is protected as the Thayatal National Par ...

in 1730 and had it converted into a baroque castle by the architect Franz Anton Pilgram. In 1751, he set up a foundation at Riegersburg which financed a pastor for the church in neighbouring Felling. Between 1734 and 1737 he served as an ambassador in Munich, The Hague and Copenhagen. He returned in 1737 and supported his father, who was governor at the time. In 1740, at the beginning of the reign of

Empress The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

Maria Theresa Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position suo jure, in her own right. She was the ...

, he was

Envoy Extraordinary An envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, usually known as a minister, was a diplomatic head of mission who was ranked below ambassador. A diplomatic mission headed by an envoy was known as a legation rather than an embassy. Under the ...

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 ...

and

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

. There he tried to work to maintain peace. After his return to

, he was given various court offices. From 1742 he was Imperial Lord Marshal. In 1745 he was Bohemia's envoy at the imperial election of Francis I in

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

. In the same year, the emperor appointed him Lord Chamberlain. In 1765 he became second Lord Chamberlain and in 1770 first Lord Chamberlain . This was the highest court office. At the same time, he was State and Conference Minister. As such, he exercised considerable political influence. The hereditary landmaster's office for

Carinthia Carinthia ( ; ; ) is the southernmost and least densely populated States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The Lake Wolayer is a mountain lake on the Carinthian side of the Carnic Main ...

had been in the family since 1568. In 1751, Johann Joseph acquired

Ladendorf Castle Ladendorf is a town in the district of Mistelbach in the Austrian state of Lower Austria Lower Austria ( , , abbreviated LA or NÖ) is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Major cities are Amstet ...

. In 1775, he received the vacant office of chief hereditary landmaster of the

Archduchy of Austria The Archduchy of Austria (; ) was a major Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the nucleus of the Habsburg monarchy. With its capital at Vienna, the archduchy was centered at the Empire's southeastern periph ...

under the Enns for himself and his descendants. In 1764, he and his heirs were elevated to the rank of

Imperial Prince Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (, , cf. ''Fürst'') was a title attributed to a hereditary ruler, nobleman or prelate recognised by the Holy Roman Emperor. Definition Originally, possessors of the princely title bore it as immediate vassal ...

as ''

majorat ''Majorat'' () is a French term for an arrangement giving the right of succession to a specific parcel of property associated with a title of nobility to a single heir, based on male primogeniture. A majorat ( fideicommis) would be inherited by ...

'' owners on the occasion of the coronation of

Joseph II Joseph II (13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 18 August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 29 November 1780 until his death. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Emperor F ...

as Emperor. He had been a

Knight of the Golden Fleece This article contains a list of knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Burgundian Golden Fleece 15th century !Year of induction!!Name!!Born!!Died!!Notes , - , rowspan=25, 1430, , Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, , 1396, , 1467, , Founde ...

since 1744.

Personal life

In 1728, Khevenhüller married Karolina Countess von Metsch, heiress of the Imperial Vice-Chancellor () Count Johann Adolf von Metsch, who had died without male issue. Since 1751, he and his descendants called themselves Khevenhüller-Metsch. The couple had several children: * Maria Josephine von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1729–1798), who married Count Karl Josef von

Herberstein Herberstein may refer to: * Schloss Herberstein, a castle in Styria, Austria * Siegersdorf bei Herberstein, a municipality in the district of Hartberg in Styria, Austria * Sankt Johann bei Herberstein, a municipality in the district of Hartberg in ...

. After his death in 1753, she married Count Gábor Bethlen de Bethlen,

Chancellor of Transylvania The following is the list of chancellors of Transylvania during the Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711) and the (Grand) Principality of Transylvania (1711–1867). List of chancellors Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711), Principali ...

, in 1756. * Johann Sigismund Friedrich von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1732–1801), who married Princess Maria ''Amalia'' of

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...

, daughter of Prince Emanuel of Liechtenstein, in 1754. After her death in 1787, he married Countess Marie Josephine Strassoldo, a daughter of Count Vinzenz Strassoldo, in 1800. * Johann Joseph Franz Quirin von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1733–1792), a Field Marshal-Lieutenant; he married Countess Maria Josepha von

Schrattenbach Schrattenbach is a town in the district of Neunkirchen in the Austrian state of Lower Austria Lower Austria ( , , abbreviated LA or NÖ) is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Major cities are ...

in 1774. * Maria Karolina Ernestina von Khevenhüller (1734–1746), who died young. * Maria Aloysia Josepha von Khevenhüller (1735–1736), who died young. * Johann Franz Xaver Anton von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1737–1797), Lord of Waxenegg; he married Countess Maria Theresia von Rottal. * Johann Leopold Joseph von Khevenhüller (1739–1746), who died young. * Maria Theresia von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1741–1805), who married Chancellor Count Leopold Wilhelm von Kolowrat-Krakowský, in 1769. * Johann Ernst von Khevenhüller (1743–1743), who died young. * Leopoldine von Khevenhüller-Metsch (d. ), who married Count Franz Příchovský von Příchovice in 1760. * Maria Anna von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1746–1777), who married Count Karl Otto Vinzenz von Salm-Neuburg in 1770. * Johann Emanuel Joseph von Khevenhüller-Metsch (1751–1847), who married Maria Giuseppina Mezzabarba. Prince Johann died on 18 April 1776 in Vienna and was succeeded by his eldest son, Johann Sigismund Friedrich.

Legacy

In 1894, Khevenhüllerstraße in

Währing Währing () is the 18th Districts of Vienna, district of Vienna and lies in northwestern Vienna on the edge of the Vienna Woods. It was formed in 1892 from the unification of the older suburbs of Währing, Weinhaus, Gersthof, Pötzleinsdorf, Neus ...

(18th district) was named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khevenhüller-Metsch, Johann, 1st Prince Of 1706 births 1776 deaths 01 18th-century Austrian people Ambassadors of Austria to Denmark Ambassadors to Denmark-Norway