The House of Windisch-Graetz, also spelled Windischgrätz, is an ancient Austrian aristocratic family, descending from

Windischgrätz The House of Windisch-Graetz, also spelled Windischgrätz, is an ancient Austrian nobility, Austrian aristocratic family, descending from Slovenj Gradec, Windischgrätz in Slovene Styria, Lower Styria (present-day Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia). The n ...

Lower Styria Styria (, ), also known as Slovenian Styria (; ) or Lower Styria (; ) to differentiate it from Austrian Styria, is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of St ...

(present-day

Slovenj Gradec Slovenj Gradec (; '', ''after about 1900 ''Windischgraz'') is a town in northern Slovenia. It is the centre of the Urban Municipality of Slovenj Gradec. It is part of the historical Styria region, and since 2005 it has belonged to the NUTS-3 C ...

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

). The noble dynasty serving the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...

achieved the rank of ''

Freiherr (; male, abbreviated as ), (; his wife, abbreviated as , ) and (, his unmarried daughters and maiden aunts) are designations used as titles of nobility in the German-speaking areas of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and in ...

en'' in 1551, of Imperial Counts in 1682 and of

Princes of the Holy Roman Empire 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 ...

in 1804. As a mediatised house, the family belongs to

high nobility Traditional rank amongst European imperiality, royalty, peers, and nobility is rooted in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Although they vary over time and among geographic regions (for example, one region's prince might be equal to anothe ...

History

Vischer - Topographia Ducatus Stiriae - 484 Windisch Graz - Slovenj Gradec

According to the

Almanach de Gotha The ''Almanach de Gotha'' () is a directory of Europe's royalty and higher nobility, also including the major governmental, military and diplomatic corps, as well as statistical data by country. First published in 1763 by C. W. Ettinger in ...

, the family was first recorded in 1242. They temporarily served as ''

ministeriales The ''ministeriales'' (singular: ''ministerialis'') were a legally unfree but socially elite class of knights, administrators, and officials in the High Middle Ages in the Holy Roman Empire, drawn from a mix of servile origins, free commoners, and ...

'' of the

Patriarchs of Aquileia The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in ...

, owners of

until the mid 14th century. One Conrad of Windischgracz (d. 1339) acted as a Habsburg administrator in the Habsburg

Duchy of Styria The Duchy of Styria (; ; ) was a duchy located in modern-day southern Austria and northern Slovenia. It was a part of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806 and a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary until its dissolution i ...

from 1323 onwards. The family owned

Thal, Styria Thal () is a village in the Austrian state of Styria, about west from the edge of Graz, Austria's second largest city. Its population in the 2014 census was 2,240. Thal is most notably the birthplace of bodybuilder, actor and politician Arnol ...

a former

Von Graben Herren von Graben, also named ''von (dem) Graben'', ''vom Graben'', ''Grabner'', ''Grabner zu Rosenburg'', ''Graben zu Kornberg'', ''Graben zu Sommeregg'', ''Graben von (zum) Stein'', and ''ab dem Graben'' was the name of an old (Uradel) Austrian ...

possession, between 1315 and 1605. In 1574 the dynasty obtained '' Inkolat'' in

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

; later, however, several members converted to

Lutheranism Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

and lost their estates in the course of the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

. The Austrian diplomat Gottlieb of Windischgrätz (1630–1695) again converted to Roman Catholicism in 1682 and was elevated to the rank of Count 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 ...

Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I (Leopold Ignaz Joseph Balthasar Franz Felician; ; 9 June 1640 – 5 May 1705) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, List of Croatian monarchs, Croatia, and List of Bohemian monarchs, Bohemia. The second son of Ferdinand III, Holy Rom ...

, in the same year. In 1693 his son Ernest Frederick (1670–1727) acquired

Červená Lhota Castle Červená Lhota () is a Renaissance architecture, Renaissance castle in the South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. It lies in the village of Červená Lhota in the Pluhův Žďár municipality, about northwest of Jindřichův Hradec. It stands a ...

in Southern Bohemia, which his descendant

Joseph Nicholas of Windisch-Graetz Joseph Louis Nicholas, Count of Windisch-Graetz, Baron of Waldstein and Thal (6 December 1744 – 24 January 1802) was a nobleman, a member of the House of Windisch-Graetz, and was chamberlain (office), chamberlain to Archduchess Marie Antoinette ...

(1744–1802) had to sell in 1755. Tachov-Schloss

In 1781 the family bought their new main seat, the West Bohemian

Tachov Tachov (; ) is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 14,000 inhabitants. It lies on the Mže River. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone. Administrative division Tachov ...

. Count Alfred Candidus Ferdinand zu Windischgrätz (1787–1862) became the representative of the emperor at the Reichstag and was elevated to the rank 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 ...

'' (

Prince of the Holy Roman Empire 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 ...

) in 1804. In order to obtain

imperial immediacy In the Holy Roman Empire, imperial immediacy ( or ) was the status of an individual or a territory which was defined as 'immediate' () to Emperor and Empire () and not to any other intermediate authorities, while one that did not possess that stat ...

(and be himself a voting member of the Imperial Diet), he acquired the small imperial territories of Siggen and Eglofs in

Southern Germany Southern Germany (, ) is a region of Germany that includes the areas in which Upper German dialects are spoken, which includes the stem duchies of Bavaria and Swabia in present-day Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and the southern portion of Hesse ...

. This principality however was

mediatized Mediatization or mediatisation may refer to: * German mediatisation, German historical territorial restructuring * Mediatization (media) Mediatization (or medialization) is a method whereby the mass media influence other sectors of society, inclu ...

to the

Kingdom of Württemberg The Kingdom of Württemberg ( ) was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Electorate of Württemberg, which existed from 1803 to 1806. Geogr ...

only two years later, in 1806, when the

Confederation of the Rhine The Confederated States of the Rhine, simply known as the Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation, was a confederation of German client states established at the behest of Napoleon some months after he defeated Austrian Empire, Austria ...

was established. Prince Alfred I later became a Field Marshal in the Austrian army. Alfred and his brother Weriand were both created Princes of the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...

in 1822, with Alfred and his successors being the first line of Princes of Windischgrätz (), and Weriand and his successors being the second line ().Almanach de Gotha, 1910 edition, pp 245-248, Justus Perthes Alfred acquired the former monastery at

Kladruby (Tachov District) Kladruby () is a town in Tachov District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,700 inhabitants. Administrative division Kladruby consists of seven municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Kladru ...

. His grandson Alfred III, Prince of Windischgrätz, was an influential politician. He was succeeded by his nephew Ludwig Aladar, the owner of

Sárospatak Sárospatak (; ; Serbian language, Serbian: Муд Стреам; Slovak language, Slovakian: ''Šarišský Potok, Blatný Potok)'' History The area has been inhabited since ancient times. Sárospatak was granted town status in 1201 by Emeric ...

Castle, Hungary. Weriand, with the help of the rich dowry of his mother, Maria Leopoldine of

Arenberg Arenberg, also spelled as Aremberg or Ahremberg, is a former county, principality and finally duchy that was located in what is now Germany. The Dukes of Arenberg remain a prominent Belgian noble family. History First mentioned in the 12th c ...

, acquired numerous castles in what is now

. After World War II, the estates in the Czechoslovak Republic as well as in Hungary and Yugoslavia were confiscated by communist regimes. The estate of Siggen is still owned by the elder line. File:Štěkeň castle3.jpg,

Štěkeň Štěkeň is a market town in Strakonice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants. Administrative division Štěkeň consists of three municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 c ...

Castle File:Kladruby 2014 02.JPG, Kladruby Abbey File:Sárospatak - Castle.jpg,

Castle, Hungary File:Palais Windisch-Graetz Vienna April 2007 panorama.jpg, Palais Windisch-Graetz, Vienna Great Britain's

Princess Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent (born Baroness Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, 15 January 1945) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of George V, King George V. Prince ...

is descended from this family through her maternal grandmother, while her husband

Prince Michael of Kent Prince Michael of Kent (Michael George Charles Franklin; born 4 July 1942) is a member of the British royal family who is 53rd in line to the British throne as of 2025. The younger son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Gr ...

is a first cousin once removed of Archduchess Sophie Franziska of Austria, Princess of Windisch-Graetz.

(Mediatized) Princes of Windischgrätz

Joseph Nicholas of Windischgrätz (1744–1802) was the father of both of the men whose lines are given below.

Elder Line

Alfred I Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

(1787–1862), Count 1802–1804, 1st Prince 1804–1862 ** Alfred II (1819–1876), 2nd Prince 1862–1876 *** Alfred III (1851–1927), 3rd Prince 1876–1927 ** ''Prince Ludwig (1830–1904)'' *** Ludwig Alfred (1882–1968), 4th Prince 1927–1968; implicated in the

Franc affair The Franc affair () was a plot by Hungarian nationalists to forge French bank notes. In the aftermath of World War I, Hungary lost a large part of its territory and population in a series of treaties its people considered unjust. This led many H ...

**** Ludwig Aladar (1908–1990), 5th Prince 1968–1990 ***** Prince Alfred (b. 1939) – renounced his succession rights in 1966 ***** Anton (born 1942), 6th Prince 1990–present ** ''Prince Joseph (1832–1906)'' *** ''Prince Franz (1867–1947)'' **** ''Prince Otto (1913–2011)'' ***** Prince Johann-Nepomuck (b. 1953)

Younger Line

* Weriand (1790–1867), 1st Prince 1822–1867 ** Hugo (1823–1904), 2nd Prince 1867–1904 *** Hugo (1854–1920), 3rd Prince 1904–1920 **** Hugo (1887–1959), 4th Prince 1920–1959 ***** Maximilian (1914–1976), 5th Prince 1959–1976 ****** Mariano Hugo (born 1955), 6th Prince 1976–present, married 1990

Archduchess Archduke (feminine: Archduchess; German: ''Erzherzog'', feminine form: ''Erzherzogin'') was the title borne from 1358 by the Habsburg rulers of the Archduchy of Austria, and later by all senior members of that dynasty. It denotes a rank within ...

Sophie Franziska of Austria ******* Maximilian Hugo, Hereditary Prince of Windisch-Graetz (b. 1990) ******* ''Prince Alexis Ferdinand (1991–2010)'' ******* Larissa Maria Grazia Helen Leontina Maria Luisa (b. 1996) ****** Prince Manfred (b. 1963) ******* Prince Nicolò (b. 1997) ******* Prince Brando (b. 2008) **** Prince Alfred Weriand (1890–1972), married Princess Marie Isabella zu

Hohenlohe-Langenburg Hohenlohe-Langenburg () was a German county and later principality in the Holy Roman Empire. It was located around Langenburg in what is now northeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Starting in medieval times and continuing until 1806, this smal ...

***** Christiane Anna ***** Gottfried Maximilian ***** Hugo Weriand Antonius Franziskus Thomas Maria, married Caroline Knott ****** Constantin Weriand Alfred Maria (b. 1962) ******* Leopold Weriand ******* Otto Atticus ****** Franz Karl Weriand Gottlieb Albrecht Maria (b. 1964) ******* Maximiliana Anastasia Christiane Isabella (b. 2004) ******* Augustin George Veriand Franziskus Ferdinand (b. 2006) *** Princess Marie (1856–1929) ** Ernst Ferdinand of Windisch-Graetz (1827–1918), married Princess Kamilla Amalia Caroline Notgera zu

Oettingen-Spielberg The House of Oettingen was a high-ranking noble Franconian and Swabian family. It ruled various estates that composed the County of Oettingen between the 12th century and the beginning of the 19th century. In 1674 the house was raised to the rank ...

*** Karl Otto Hugo Weriand of Windisch-Graetz m. Countess Alexandra Festetics *** Otto Weriand of Windisch-Grätz, married

Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria Archduchess Elisabeth Marie Henriette Stephanie Gisela of Austria (; 2 September 1883 – 16 March 1963) was the only child of Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, and Princess Stéphanie of Belgium. Her father was the son and heir apparent of ...

*** Marie Gabriele of Windisch-Graetz

Coat of arms

Gules, a wolf's head couped argent. File:CoA Windisch-Graetz Family.svg, Original

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

of the family File:Wolves' heads (AP4D0187 1PS) (50237873421).jpg File:Habsburger BSB Cod icon 330 fol 07r.jpg

Notable family members

(1744–1802), chamberlain of

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...

Alfred I, Prince of Windisch-Grätz General Alfred Candidus Ferdinand, Prince of Windischgrätz (; 11 May 178721 March 1862), a member of an old Austro- Bohemian House of Windischgrätz, was a Field Marshal in the Austrian army. He is most noted for his service during the Napo ...

(1787–1862), Austrian Field Marshal * Alfred II, Prince of Windisch-Grätz (1819–1876), Austrian Feldmarschall-Lieutenant * Alfred III, Prince of Windisch-Grätz (1851–1927), Austrian statesman * Princess Marie of Windisch-Graetz (1856–1929), married

Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg (; 19 September 1852 – 17 May 1923) was a member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and general of the Mecklenburg cavalry. Life Duke Paul Frederick was born in Ludwigslust Castle as the second eldes ...

in 1881 * Otto Weriand of Windisch-Graetz (1873–1952), married

Princess Stephanie of Windisch-Graetz Princess Stephanie of Windisch-Graetz (9 July 1909 in Ploskovice, Bohemia – 7 September 2005 in Uccle, Belgium) was the daughter of Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria (1883–1963), only child of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Princess ...

(1909–2005), daughter of Prince Otto Weriand of Windisch-Graetz *

Stéphanie Windisch-Graetz Princess Stéphanie Windisch-Graetz (17 July 1939 – 12 July 2019) was the daughter of Prince Franz Joseph zu Windisch-Graetz and granddaughter of Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria. Archduchess Elisabeth was the daughter of Rudolf, Crown ...

(b. 1939), daughter of Prince Franz Joseph of Windisch-Graetz (son of Prince Otto Weriand) *

Mariano Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz Mariano Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz (German: ''Mariano Hugo Fürst zu Windisch-Graetz'', Italian: ''Principe Mariano Ugo di Windisch-Graetz''; born 27 July 1955) is the current head of the Austrian''Les Manuscrits du CEDRE V, Le Royaume d'It ...

(b. 1955), married

Sophie Franziska of Austria in 1990 * Prince Arnold zu Windischgrätz (1929–2007), Lutheran pastor *

Katalin zu Windisch-Graetz Princess Katalin zu Windisch-Graetz (''Katalin Prinzessin zu Windisch-Graetz'' in German; born 30 December 1947), formerly Baroness Katalin Hatvany de Hatvan, is a Hungarian designer, philanthropist and former model. Early life Baroness Katal ...

(b. 1947), Hungarian designer

Former family estates in present-day Slovenia

File:HaasbergCastle-Slovenia.JPG, Haasberg Castle ruins File:LUEG.jpg, Luegg -

Predjama Castle image:Höhlenburg Predjama in Slovenien.jpg, 300px, Predjama Castle Predjama Castle ( or , German language, German: '':de:Höhlenburg Predjama, Höhlenburg Lueg'', ) is a Renaissance castle built within a cave mouth in south-central Slovenia, in t ...

Postojna Postojna (; , ) is a town in the traditional region of Inner Carniola, from Trieste, in southwestern Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Postojna.

File:Grad Podsreda.jpg, Podstreda Castle File:Bogenšperk vhodna stran.JPG,

Bogenšperk Castle Bogenšperk Castle (; , ) is a 16th-century castle located in the Municipality of Šmartno pri Litiji in central Slovenia. It is best known for its association with the 17th-century scientist and natural historian Johann Weikhard von Valvasor, a ...

File:Trebnik dvorec1.jpg, Trebnik Mansion,

Slovenske Konjice Slovenske Konjice (; , in older sources also ''Gannobitz'') is a town in northeastern Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Slovenske Konjice. The area is part of the traditional region of Lower Styria, Styria. History and town sights ...

File:Oplotnica Mansion.jpg, Oplotnica Mansion,

Oplotnica Oplotnica (; ) is a small town in eastern Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Oplotnica. It lies on the Oplotniščica River, a left tributary of the Dravinja River, to the north of Slovenske Konjice. The area is part of the traditiona ...

File:Žiče Charterhouse 2015 159.JPG,

Žiče Charterhouse Žiče Charterhouse, also Seiz Charterhouse (, ), was a Carthusians, Carthusian monastery or Charterhouse (monastery), Charterhouse in the narrow valley of Žičnica Creek, also known as Saint John the Baptist Valley () after the church dedicat ...

File:Logatec Castle.jpg, Logatec Mansion File:Bizeljsko Castle 01.JPG,

Bizeljsko Castle Bizeljsko Castle (, ) is a castle in Bizeljska Vas, a village in the Municipality of Brežice, in southeastern Slovenia. It consists of a residential part that forms the centre of the complex and includes a Baroque chapel, as well as an outer par ...

File:Grad Strmol.JPG,

Strmol Mansion Strmol Mansion () is a 15th-century manorhouse located on a low hill above the old town center of Rogatec, Slovenia. It is notable as one of the few castles in Slovenia to have retained a Slovene name throughout its history. The mansion was first ...

Rogatec Rogatec (; Suppan, Arnold. 1996. ''Jugoslawien und Österreich 1918–1938: Bilaterale Außenpolitik im Europäischen Umfeld.'' Vienna: Verlag für Geschichte und Politik, p. 663.) is a small town in eastern Slovenia, on the border with Croatia. I ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control Austrian noble families