Joseph Wilhelm Ernst, Prince of Fürstenberg (13 April 1699 - 29 April 1762) was a prince of Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg who changed his

residence A residence is a place (normally a building) used as a home or dwelling, where people reside. Residence or The Residence may also refer to: * Domicile (law) In law and conflict of laws, domicile is relevant to an individual's "personal l ...

Donaueschingen Donaueschingen (; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic: ''Eschinge'') is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the States of Germany, federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar ''Districts of Germany, Kreis''. It ...

, at the head of the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

, and thus converted the existing settlement into a town and constructed Schloss Donaueschingen.

Early life

Born as a member of the

House of Fürstenberg A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

Joseph was the second son of

Landgrave Landgrave (, , , ; , ', ', ', ', ') was a rank of nobility used in the Holy Roman Empire, and its former territories. The German titles of ', ' ("margrave"), and ' ("count palatine") are of roughly equal rank, subordinate to ' ("duke"), and su ...

Prosper von

Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen was a German county during the Middle Ages. It was located in the territorial landgraviate of Stühlingen. It emerged as a partition of Fürstenberg-Blumberg in 1614. It was partitioned in 1704 between the sons of Count Pr ...

(1662–1704) and his wife, Countess Sophie Anna Eusebia von Königsegg-Rothenfels (1674–1727).

Title of Fürst

On 2 December 1716 Joseph was awarded with the hereditary title of

Fürst ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German language, German word for a ruler as well as a princely title. ' were, starting in the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ...

Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (; ; 1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death, succeeding his elder brother, Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph I. He unsuccessfully War of ...

Marriages and issue

On 6 June 1723 he married Countess Maria Anna von Waldstein-Wartenberg, heiress of Pürglitz (1707-1756). They had six children: * Joseph Wenzel (1728–1783) * Karl Egon (1729 - 1787), married Countess Maria Josepha von Sternberg (1735-1803), father of

Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg (26 June 1760 – 25 March 1799) was an Austrian military commander. He achieved the rank of Field Marshal and died at the Battle of Stockach. A younger member of a cadet branch of the House of Fürstenberg, at his b ...

* Maria Augusta Josepha (1731–1770), Abbess in

Hradčany Hradčany (; ), is the district of the city of Prague, Czech Republic surrounding Prague Castle. The castle is one of the biggest in the world at about in length and an average of about wide. Its history stretches back to the 9th century. St ...

* Maria Henriette Josepha (1732–1772), married

Alexander Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Thurn and Taxis Alexander Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Thurn and Taxis, full German name: ''Alexander Ferdinand Fürst von Thurn und Taxis'' (21 March 1704 – 17 March 1773) was the third Prince of Thurn and Taxis, Postmaster General of the Imperial Reichspost, ...

, had issue * Maria Emmanuele Sophie (1733–1776) * Maria Theresia Josepha (1736–1774) In 1761 he married 37 years younger Countess Maria Anna von der Wahl (1736-1808). They didn't have children.

References

House of Fürstenberg (Swabia) Princes of the Holy Roman Empire Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria {{Germany-noble-stub