Category Archives: Liechtenstein Royals

Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein; Credit – lgt.com

Philipp Erasmus Alois Ferdinand Maria Sebaldus was born in Zurich, Switzerland on August 19, 1946. He was the second of the five children and the second of the four sons of Franz Josef II, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Georgina von Wilczek (Gina).

Prince Franz Josef II and Princess Gina with their four eldest children – Nora (seated next to her mother) and (left to right, standing) Prince Nikolaus, Prince Philipp, and Prince Hans-Adam; Credit – lux-arazzi.blogspot.com

Philipp has four siblings:

Prince Philipp attended elementary school in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, and then attended two secondary schools, the Schottengymnasium in Vienna, Austria, and the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz, Switzerland. He studied history at the Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University in Bonn, then in West Germany, and now in Germany. Philipp received a Ph.D. in social sciences from the University of Basel in Switzerland. His thesis was on Liechtenstein’s economic history during the 18th century.

Prince Philipp married Isabelle de l’Arbre de Malander at their wedding; Credit – http://www.noblesseetroyautes.com/

Prince Philipp married Isabelle de l’Arbre de Malander on September 11, 1971, at the Abbaye Notre Dame de la Cambre in Brussels, Belgium. Isabelle is from Belgium and the daughter of Jean-Baptiste de l’Arbre de Malander and Guillemette Grassal. Even though she is not royal, Isabelle has a royal connection. Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians, the wife of Albert I, King of the Belgians, born Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, is her godmother.

They had three sons:

  • Prince Alexander of Liechtenstein (born 1972), married Astrid Barbara Kohl, had one daughter
  • Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein (born 1974), unmarried
  • Prince Rudolf Ferdinand of Liechtenstein (born 1975), married İlhan Tılsım Tanberk, had two daughters and one son

Prince Philipp worked in banking and finance. In 1979 Philipp became chairman of the board of the Liechtensteinische Landesbank, owned by the Liechtenstein government. In 1981, he became a member of the board of directors of The Liechtenstein Global Trust, owned by the Princely House of Liechtenstein through The Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation. Since 1998, Philipp has been chairman of the board of directors of The Liechtenstein Global Trust.

Isabelle and Philipp arrive at the 2014 wedding of Prince Amedeo of Belgium and Elisabetta Maria Rosboch Von Wolkenstein

Philipp and his family lived in Basel, Switzerland, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, and London, England before moving to France, where he worked in private banking. Philipp and his wife Isabelle do not undertake official duties on behalf of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. They live in Vaduz, Liechtenstein and Paris, France, and are often seen at royal events in Europe.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Philipp de Liechtenstein (2021) Wikipedia (French). Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp_de_Liechtenstein (Accessed: November 18, 2022).
  • Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Philipp_of_Liechtenstein (Accessed: November 18, 2022).
  • Saad719, ~ (2021) Wedding of Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein, 1971, The Royal Watcher. Available at: https://royalwatcherblog.com/2021/09/11/wedding-of-prince-philipp-of-liechtenstein-1971/ (Accessed: November 18, 2022).
  • Svenja (2014) Luxarazzi 101: Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein, Luxarazzi. Available at: http://www.luxarazzi.com/2014/01/luxarazzi-101-prince-philipp-of.html (Accessed: November 18, 2022).

Prince Wenzel of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Prince Wenzel of Liechtenstein; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Franz Josef Wenceslaus Georg Maria, known as Prince Wenzel was born on November 19, 1962, in Zürich, Switzerland. He was the youngest of the five children and the youngest of the four sons of Franz Josef II, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Georgina von Wilczek (Gina).

Wenzel had four elder siblings:

Prince Wenzel on a 1970 postage stamp; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1982, Prince Wenzel entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. A year later, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards, an infantry regiment of the British Army. Wenzel studied medicine at the University of Friborg and at the University of Zurich, both in Switzerland. At the time of his death, he worked as an intern at Rorschach Hospital in Rorschach, Saint-Gallen Canton, Switzerland, thirty-five miles from Vaduz, Liechtenstein, where he was living in the guest house at Vaduz Castle, the residence of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein.

On February 28, 1991, Prince Wenzel’s butler tried to wake him as usual via phone, but Wenzel did not answer the phone. The butler became concerned and upon entering the bedroom, he found Wenzel dead in his bed at the age of 28. Wenzel’s body was taken to the coroner at the Court of Justice in Saint-Gallen. We can presume there was an autopsy but the Princely Family of Liechtenstein kept silent and remains silent about the cause of death.

There has been a lot of speculation about the cause of Prince Wenzel’s death. Two stopwatches and an anesthesia mask were found on Wenzel’s bedside table. There have been speculations that Wenzel attempted a temporary cessation of breathing or a medical experiment that went awry. Suicide was another speculation. However, the night before, Wenzel had dined with his eldest brother Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein who commented, “I still can’t believe it, The night before we had talked so extensively about his plans!”

Prince Wenzel’s coffin; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Prince Wenzel’s funeral was held on March 6, 1991, at Vaduz Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. Florin, in Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Among the royalty who attended were Felipe, Prince of the Asturias (later King Felipe VI of Spain), Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, Archduchess Walburga of Austria, Archduchess Regina of Austria (wife of Archduke Otto of Austria, Head of the House of Habsburg), Prince Max of Bavaria and his wife (later Duke and Duchess in Bavaria), Erich, Hereditary Count von Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchburg (later Prince von Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchburg) and representatives of the families of the former monarchies of Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Hesse, and Yugoslavia.

Prince Wenzel’s coffin being taken from Vaduz Cathedral to The Princely Crypt; Credit – The Esoteric Curiosa

Prince Wenzel was interred in The Princely Crypt, located next to Vaduz Cathedral near his parents Prince Franz Josef II and Princess Gina, who both died in 1989, within twenty-six days of each other.

Tomb of Prince Wenzel; Credit – www.findagrave.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • A mysterious end! the demise of Prince Wenzel von und zu Liechtenstein (2010) The Esoteric Curiosa. Available at: http://theesotericcuriosa.blogspot.com/2010/10/mysterious-end-demise-of-prince-wenzel.html (Accessed: November 18, 2022).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015) Franz Josef II, Prince of Liechtenstein, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/franz-josef-ii-prince-of-liechtenstein/ (Accessed: November 18, 2022).
  • Franz Josef Wenzel de Liechtenstein (1962–1991) (2021) Wikipedia (French). Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Josef_Wenzel_de_Liechtenstein_(1962%E2%80%931991) (Accessed: November 18, 2022).
  • Prince Franz Josef of Liechtenstein (1962–1991) (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Franz_Josef_of_Liechtenstein_(1962%E2%80%931991) (Accessed: November 18, 2022).

Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, Princess of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, Princess of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the wife of Alois II, Prince of Liectenstein who reigned from 1836 – 1858. Born Franziska de Paula Barbara Romana Bernharda on August 8, 1813, in Vienna, Austria, she was the second of the two daugters and the third of the five children of Count Franz de Paula Kinsky of Wchinitz und Tettau (1784 – 1823) and Countess Therese of Wrbna and Freudenthal (1789 – 1874).

Franziska had four siblings:

  • Countess Maria Anna Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau (1809 – 1892), married Friedrich Wilhelm of Solms-Braunfels, had seven children
  • Count Dominik Kinsky of Wchinitz und Tettau (1810 – 1875), unmarried
  • Count Rudolf Kinsky of Wchinitz und Tettau, (1815 – 1889), unmarried
  • Count Eugene Kinsky of Wchinitz und Tettau, married Maria Zauner (1818 – 1885), had eight children

The Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau family was a prominent noble family from the Kingdom of Bohemia, then part of the Austria Empire, now part of the Czech Republic. The family served the Habsburgs during the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Empire. Like many of the aristocratic families, the Kinskys were great landowners and patrons of the arts. They resided in the Palais Kinsky in Vienna, Austria, the Kinsky Palace in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, the Karlova Koruna Chateau in the Kingdom of Bohemia, and the Burg Heidenreichstein in Lower Austria, Austrian Empire. Franziska’s paternal uncle Ferdinand, 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was an important patron of composer Ludwig van Beethoven and provided him with an annual salary until Beethoven’s death.

Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 8, 1831, in Vienna, Austria, 18-year-old Franziska married 35-year-old Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein. Upon the death of his father Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein on April 20, 1836, Alois became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein and Franziska became the Princess Consort.

Franziska and Alois had eleven children:

Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 62, died on November 12, 1858, and was succeeded by his 18-year-old son Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein. From 1859 – 1860, Johann’s mother Franziska served as regent while her son traveled through Europe, expanding the Liechtenstein art collection and learning about botany, archeology, and geography. Johann, Prince II of Liechtenstein is one of the world’s longest-reigning monarchs – he reigned for 70 years, 91 days. He never married and was succeeded by his brother Franz I, Prince of Liechtenstein.

Haus Gutenberg, the school founded by Franziska is still in existence; Credit – Von HausGutenberg – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72672336

Franziska founded the first charitable fund for orphans in Liechtenstein and also founded a secondary school for girls, the Haus Gutenberg (link in German) in Balzers, Liechtenstein, which is still in existence. In 1870, she bought the Wartenstein Castle in Raach am Hochgebirge, Austria, and renovated it in the Romantic style. The castle remained in the family until 1957.

The New Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic; Credit – Wikipedia

Franziska survived her husband by twenty-three years, dying on February 5, 1881, aged 67, in Vienna, Austria. She was buried with her husband in the New Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Franziska Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franziska_Kinsky_von_Wchinitz_und_Tettau> [Accessed 17 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countess_Franziska_Kinsky_of_Wchinitz_and_Tettau> [Accessed 17 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kinsky – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsky> [Accessed 17 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, Princess of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/alois-ii-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 17 December 2021].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Franz de Paula Joseph Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Franz-de-Paula-Joseph-Kinsky-von-Wchinitz-und-Tettau/6000000013492930469> [Accessed 17 December 2021].

Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein reigned from 1836 – 1858. Born Alois Maria Josef Johann Baptista Joachim Philipp Nerius on May 26, 1796, the feast day of St. Philip Neri, whose name he bears, in Vienna, Austria, he was the third of the fourteen children and the eldest of the seven sons of Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein and Landgravine Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra. Since Alois’ father Johann Josef was a high-ranking officer of the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire and then the Imperial Army of the Austrian Empire, the family spent much time in Vienna, Austria.

Alois had thirteen siblings:

  • Princess Maria Leopoldine of Liechtenstein (1793 – 1808), died in her teens
  • Princess Karoline of Liechtenstein (born and died 1795), died in infancy
  • Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein (1798 – 1869), married Count Vincenz Esterházy von Galántha, no children
  • Princess Maria Josepha of Liechtenstein (1800 – 1884), unmarried
  • Prince Franz de Paula of Liechtenstein (1802 – 1887), married Countess Julia Potocka, had four children. Their great-grandson was Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
  • Prince Karl Johann of Liechtenstein (1803 – 1871), married Countess Rosalie d’Hemricourt von Grünne, had three children
  • Princess Klothilda of Liechtenstein (1804 – 1807), died in childhood
  • Princess Henriette of Liechtenstein (1806 – 1886), married Count Joseph Hunyady von Kethély (link in German), had six children
  • Prince Friedrich of Liechtenstein (link in German) (1807 – 1885), married famous German opera singer Sophie Löwe who left the opera to marry Friedrich, no children
  • Prince Eduard Franz of Liechtenstein (1809 – 1864), married Countess Honoria Choloniowa-Choloniewska, had two children
  • Prince Ludwig of Liechtenstein (1810 – 1824), died in his teens
  • Princess Ida Leopoldine of Liechtenstein (1811 – 1884), married Karl 4th Fürst Paar, Baron auf Hartberg und Krottenstein, had seven children
  • Prince Rudolf of Liechtenstein (1816 – 1848), unmarried

Alois’ early education was supervised by the French priest Abbe Werner. As he grew older, specialist tutors instructed him in various disciplines including Leopold Trautmann, professor of agriculture at the University of Vienna, and Friedrich von Schlegel, German literary critic and philosopher. In 1818, Alois took an educational trip to Italy, where he visited famous museums, art galleries, and churches. Two years later, he took another educational trip to England and Scotland.

Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 8, 1831, in Vienna, Austria, Alois married Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, the daughter of Count Franz de Paula Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau and Countess Therese of Wrbna and Freudenthal.

Alois and Franziska had eleven children:

Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein in the ceremonial robes of the Order of the Golden Fleece; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his father Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein on April 20, 1836, Alois became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. In 1837, Alois went to the United Kingdom on a diplomatic mission and attended the coronation of Queen Victoria. Like his father and grandfather, Alois continued modernizing his estates and reorganizing their administration. Prince Alois II was the first reigning prince to visit the Principality of Liechtenstein, as we know it today, but he did not live there. Previously and at that time, the Princes of Liechtenstein lived in their palaces in Vienna, Austria, and on their estates in Moravia, then in the Kingdom of Bohemia, part of the Austrian Empire, now in the Czech Republic. Alois’ son Franz I (reigned 1929 – 1938) was the first Prince of Liechtenstein to spend a substantial amount of time in the actual Principality of Liechtenstein.

Alois was politically conservative. In the aftermath of the Revolutions of 1848, and at the insistence of the citizens of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Alois gave the principality a more liberal constitution but suspended it in 1852 and returned to a more absolutist government. Alois was active in the Imperial Agricultural Society in Vienna and served as its president from 1849 – 1858. He belonged to a total of 74 humanitarian, scientific, and industrial associations and was extremely generous in his charitable donations.

The New Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic; Credit – Wikipedia

Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 62, died on November 12, 1858, at Lednice Castle in Eisgrub, Moravia, Kingdom of Bohemia, part of the Austrian Empire, now Lednice, Czech Republic. He was buried in the New Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Cs.wikipedia.org. 2021. Alois II. z Lichtenštejna – Wikipedie. [online] Available at: <https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alois_II._z_Lichten%C5%A1tejna> [Accessed 16 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Alois II. (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alois_II._(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 16 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Aloys II, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloys_II,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 16 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/johann-i-josef-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
  • Fuerstenhaus.li. 2021. Century: 19th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/19-century/> [Accessed 16 December 2021].

Landgravine Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra, Princess of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra, Princess of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Landgravine Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra was the wife of Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein who reigned in Liechtenstein from 1805 – 1836. Born on June 21, 1776, in Vienna, Austria, Maria Josefa Sophie was the eldest of the five daughters and the fourth of the eight children of Joachim Egon, Landgrave of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1749 – 1828) and Countess Sophia Maria of Oettingen-Wallerstein (1751 – 1835). The House of Fürstenberg-Weitra was a cadet branch of the Princely House of Fürstenberg, originally from Donaueschingen in Swabia, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. After 1744, the Landgraves of Fürstenberg-Weitra resided at Weitra Castle (link in German) in Weitra, Austria, a Renaissance castle close to the border with the Kingdom of Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Josefa’s father Joachim Egon, Landgrave of Fürstenberg-Weitra held several positions at the imperial court in Vienna, eventually serving as the Hofmarschall, the chief administrative official in charge of the imperial court, supervising all its activities. Because of her father’s positions at the imperial court, Josefa’s family spent much of their time in Vienna.

Josefa had seven siblings:

  • Friedrich Karl, Landgrave of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1774 – 1856), married Princess Maria Theresa of Walburg von Schwarzenberg, had ten children
  • Philip Carl of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1775 – 1807), a canon at St. Gereon’s Basilica in the Free Imperial City of Cologne
  • Franz Ludwig of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1783 – 1800), died in his teens
  • Carolina Sophia of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1777 – 1846), married Prince Karl Joachim of Fürstenberg, no childrem
  • Eleanor Sophia of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1779 – 1849), became a nun
  • Maria Sophia of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1781 – 1800), became a nun
  • Elizabeth Maria of Fürstenberg-Weitra (1784 – 1865, Vienna), married Prince Johann Josef Norbert of Trautmansdorf-Weinsberg, had four children

Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 12, 1792, in Vienna, Austria, Josefa married the future Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein, son of Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Marie Leopoldine von Sternberg. Josefa and Johann Josef had fourteen children who were all born in Vienna, Austria including Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein who succeeded his father. Since the Principality of Liechtenstein was a constituent member of the Holy Roman Empire headed by the Habsburgs and Johann Josef was a high-ranking officer of the Imperial Army, the family spent much time in Vienna, Austria. Upon the death of his childless brother Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein on March 24, 1805, Johan Josef became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein and Josefa became the Princess Consort of Liechtenstein.

Josefa and Johann Josef’s children:

Josefa was a supporter of composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who dedicated his 1801 Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major, Op. 27 No. 1 “Quasi una fantasia” to her. Josefa received the honors Dame of the Imperial Court and Dame of the Order of the Starry Cross, an imperial Austrian dynastic order for Catholic noble ladies, founded in 1668. The order still exists under the House of Habsburg even though the Austrian Empire no longer exists.

The New Crypt, which Johann Josef had built, at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 20, 1836, Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 75, died at Liechtenstein Palace in Vienna, Austria. He was buried in the New Crypt, which he had built, at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. Josefa survived her husband by twelve years dying at the age of 72 on February 23, 1848. She was buried with her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Bg.wikipedia.org. 2021. Йоахим Егон фон Фюрстенберг-Вайтра – Уикипедия. [online] Available at: <https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%99%D0%BE%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%B8%D0%BC_%D0%95%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%A4%D1%8E%D1%80%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B3-%D0%92%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Josefa zu Fürstenberg-Weitra – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josefa_zu_F%C3%BCrstenberg-Weitra> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Landgravine Josepha of Fürstenberg-Weitra – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landgravine_Josepha_of_F%C3%BCrstenberg-Weitra> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/johann-i-josef-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Landgraf Joachim Egon von Fürstenberg-Weitra. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Landgraf-Joachim-von-F%C3%BCrstenberg-Weitra/6000000007416697920> [Accessed 14 December 2021].

Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Johann I Josef, reigned as Prince of Liechtenstein from 1805 – 1836. Born in Vienna, Austria on June 26, 1760, Johann Baptist Josef Adam Johann Nepomuk Aloys Franz de Paula was the sixth of the eight children and the fourth but the second surviving son of Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Marie Leopoldine von Sternberg. Since the Principality of Liechtenstein was a constituent member of the Holy Roman Empire headed by the Habsburgs and Alois’ father had several government positions, the family spent much time in Vienna, Austria.

Johann Josef had seven siblings:

Johann Josef as a teenager, 1776; Credit – Wikipedia

Because he had an elder brother and was not expected to succeed to the throne of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef chose a military career in the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire, of which Liechtenstein was a constituent state. At the age of 22, he joined the army with the rank of lieutenant. He participated in the Austro-Turkish War (1788 – 1791) and was promoted to the rank of colonel. Johann Josef gained prominence during the Napoleonic Wars. During the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, Holy Roman Emperor Franz II feared that Napoleon could take over his personal, hereditary Habsburg lands within the Holy Roman Empire, so in 1804 he proclaimed himself Emperor Franz I of Austria. As it turned out, Franz’s move was a wise one because the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806.

Holy Roman Emperor Franz I (on the left) meeting Napoleon I, Emperor of the French (on the right) after the Battle of Austerlitz. Johann Joseph is standing in between the two emperors. Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his childless brother Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein on March 24, 1805, Johan Josef became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. However, he continued his military career. Johann Josef was promoted to the rank of field marshal, became commander in chief of the army of the Austrian Empire, and led the Austrian army, the losing side, in the 1805 Battle of Austerlitz. He was later accused of making two unfavorable peace treaties with Napoleon. Both of these agreements were very favorable to Napoleon and unfavorable to Austria, and Johann Josef was accused of having little diplomatic ability. To avoid criticism, Johann Josef left the army in 1810 and shifted his activities to the administration and management of the estates.

In 1806, Napoleon accepted the Principality of Liechtenstein into the Confederation of the Rhine which gave Liechtenstein more sovereignty than it ever had. At the Congress of Vienna (1814 – 1815), which decided the political reorganization of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars and the defeat of Napoleon, the Principality of Liechtenstein was admitted as a sovereign member of the German Confederation, a political union of all German states.

As Prince of Liechtenstein, Johann Josef carried out progressive reforms, and in 1818, however, he approved a new constitution that limited the monarch’s power. He established modern practices in agriculture and forestry and reorganized the government administration to meet modern needs.

Johann Josef arranged for the extensive private art collection of the Princely House of Liechtenstein, started by Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein (reigned 1627 – 1684), to be transferred to the Liechtenstein Garden Palace in Vienna, Austria. From 1810, the art galleries at the Liechtenstein Garden Palace, eventually called the Liechtenstein Museum, were open to the public for a fee. It has not been run as a museum since 2012 and is now called Palais Liechtenstein. The Palais Liechtenstein remains home to part of the private art collection of the Princely House of Liechtenstein, one of the largest private collections in the world, and is available for visit by booked guided tours.

Josepha of Fürstenberg-Weitra, Johann Josef’s wife; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 12, 1792, in Vienna, Austria, Johann Josef married Landgravine Josefa of Fürstenberg-Weitra, daughter of Joachim Egon, Landgrave of Fürstenberg-Weitra and Countess Sophia Maria of Oettingen-Wallerstein. Johann Josef and Josefa had fourteen children who were all born in Vienna, Austria including Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein who succeeded his father:

The New Crypt, which Johann Josef had built, at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 20, 1836, Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein, aged 75, died at Liechtenstein Palace in Vienna, Austria. His remains were transferred with military honors from the Liechtenstein Palace to the Church of St. Michael the Archangel near the Hofburg Palace in Vienna where a funeral service was held. Johann Josef was buried in the New Crypt, which he had built, at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. His wife Josefa survived him by twelve years dying at the age of 72 on February 23, 1848, and was buried with her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Cs.wikipedia.org. 2021. Jan I. z Lichtenštejna – Wikipedie. [online] Available at: <https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_I._z_Lichten%C5%A1tejna> [Accessed 13 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Johann I. Josef (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_I._Josef_(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 13 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_I_Joseph,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 13 December 2021].
  • Fuerstenhaus.li. 2021. Century: 19th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/19-century/> [Accessed 13 December 2021].

Countess Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Princess of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Princess of Liechtenstein, as Iris, Greek goddess of the rainbow by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun,1793; Credit – Wikipedia

Countess Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim was the wife of Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Karoline Felicitas Engelberte was born on November 13, 1768, in Cologne, a Free Imperial City, a self-ruling state within the Holy Roman Empire, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. She was the second of the three daughters of Count Johann Wilhelm von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1708 – 1772) and his third wife Countess Johanna Maximiliana Franziska von Limburg-Stirum (1744 – 1772). During this era, there were many men who were given the title Reichsgraf (Imperial Count) from the Holy Roman Emperor whether or not they reigned over a county. They were commonly styled Graf (Count). Their wives were styled Gräfin (Countess) and their children were styled Graf (Count) and Gräfin (Countess).

Karoline had one elder sister and one younger sister:

  • Countess Maria Christina von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1767 – 1811), married Count Johann Ernst von Königsegg-Aulendorf, had one son
  • Countess Franziska Wilhelmina von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1770 – 1789), married Prince Ludwig Aloys III of Hohenlohe-Bartenstein, had one son

Karoline’s father first married Countess Maria Franziska von Manderscheid-Kail (1723 – 1739) who died childless at the age of sixteen. Karoline had two half-sisters from her father’s second marriage to Princess Luise of Salm-Salm (1725 – 1764):

  • Countess Auguste von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1744 – 1811), married Count Philipp Christian von Sternberg, had ten children
  • Countess Johanna Felicitas von Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1753 – 1828), married Johann Franz Joseph von Nesselrode (1755 – 1824), had eight children

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 16, 1783, Karoline married Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Their marriage was childless.

Karoline had a long-term relationship with Franz von Langendonck, a captain in the Imperial Austrian Army. Karoline and Franz had two children:

  • Daughter, no information
  • Vicomte Charles Louis de Fribert (1793 – 1874), married Almeira Maria Esterházy de Galántha; it appears they had no children but Almeira had children from a previous marriage to Sir Albert Joseph Ghislain Murray, 4th Baronet

Karoline’s husband Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein died on March 24, 1805, aged 45, in Vienna, Austria. Because he had no male heir, Alois was succeeded by his brother Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein. Karoline spent the rest of her life mainly in Vienna, Austria. She survived her husband by twenty-six years, dying on March 1, 1831, at the age of 62 in Vienna, Austria. She was buried in the Hietzing Cemetery (link in German) in Vienna.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karoline_von_Manderscheid-Blankenheim> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karoline_von_Manderscheid-Blankenheim> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/alois-i-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • geni_family_tree. 2021. Graf Johann Wilhelm von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Graf. [online] Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Graf-Johann-Wilhelm-von-Manderscheid-Blankenheim-Graf/6000000002188461979> [Accessed 6 December 2021].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2021. Мандершейд-Бланкенхайм, Каролина — Википедия. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%B9%D0%B4-%D0%91%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BC,_%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0> [Accessed 6 December 2021].

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein was born in Vienna, Austria on May 14, 1759. Alois Josef Johannes Nepomuk Melchior was the fifth of the eight children and the third but the eldest surviving of the five sons of Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg. Since the Principality of Liechtenstein was a constituent member of the Holy Roman Empire headed by the Habsburgs and Alois’ father had several government positions, the family spent much time in Vienna, Austria.

Alois had seven siblings:

Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Princess of Liechtenstein, as Iris, Greek goddess of the rainbow by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun,1793; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his father Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein on August 18, 1781, the 22-year-old Alois became the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. On November 16, 1783, Alois married 15-year-old Countess Karoline von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, daughter of Count Johann Wilhelm von Manderscheid-Blankenheim and Countess Johanna von Limburg-Stirum. Although the couple had no children, Karoline had two illegitimate children with her long-time lover Franz von Langendonck, a captain in the Imperial Austrian Army.

Lednice Castle; Credit – By Alena Tučímová – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35791237

Alois did much to improve the administration and management of his estates. He introduced modern production methods on his estates, experimented with breeding, and imported numerous useful and ornamental plants for economic reasons and botanical interests. Alois was passionate about books and continued to expand the princely library by purchasing extensive collections.

Valtice Castle; Credit – By Huhulenik – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15256136

Among the many properties owned by the House of Liechtenstein were the ones in Moravia, now in the Czech Republic, since 1130. After World War II, the properties were seized by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia. During his reign, Alois engaged architect Joseph Hardtmuth (link in German) to work at Eisgrub Castle, now called Lednice Castle, and Valtice Castle. Hardmuth renovated farm buildings and castle buildings, designed landscaped gardens, and erected exotic structures such as obelisks, triumphal arches, and artificial ruins.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic: Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein died on March 24, 1805, aged 45, in Vienna, Austria. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. Alois was succeeded by his brother Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein. Karoline, Alois’ widow, survived her husband by twenty-six years, dying at the age of 62 in Vienna, Austria. She was buried at the Hietzing Cemetery (link in German) in Vienna.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Alois I. (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alois_I._(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Joseph Hardtmuth – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hardtmuth> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Schloss Lednice – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Lednice> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Aloys I, Prince of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloys_I,_Prince_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Valtice – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valtice> [Accessed 5 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/franz-josef-i-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • Fuerstenhaus.li. 2021. Century: 18th century. [online] Available at: <https://fuerstenhaus.li/en/die-biographien-aller-fuersten/18-century/> [Accessed 5 December 2021].

Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg, Princess of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg, Princess of Liechtenstein Credit – Wikipedia

Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg was the wife of Franz Josef I, who reigned as Prince of Liechtenstein from 1772 – 1781. She was a member of an influential discussion group called the Salon of the Five Princesses that acted as the political advisers of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor. Marie Leopoldine Walburga Eva was born in Vienna, Austria on December 11, 1733. She was the second of the six children and the eldest of the four daughters of Count Franz Philipp von Sternberg (1708 – 1786 – link in German) and Eleonore Marie Leopoldine von Starhemberg (1712 – 1800).

Leopoldine had five siblings:

  • Count Franz Philipp Christian von Sternberg (1732 – 1811), married Countess Augusta Leopolda von Manderscheid-Blankenheim, had sixteen children
  • Countess Maria Josepha von Sternberg (1735 – 1803), married Prince Karl Borromäus Egon von Fürstenberg, had three children
  • Count Thomas Gundakar von Sternberg (1737 – 1802), unmarried
  • Countess Sophie von Sternberg (1738 – 1803), married Count Johann Vinzenz von Waldstein, had three children
  • Countess Maria Carolina von Sternberg (1741 – 1771), married Major General Johann Nepomuk von Lützow

Leopoldine’s father Count Franz Philipp von Sternberg came from an important Bohemian noble family and served in several diplomatic roles in the Holy Roman Empire. From 1745 – 1748, he was the ambassador to the Reichstag (parliament) in the Free Imperial City of Regensburg. For fourteen years, from 1749 – 1763, Count Franz Philipp was the Austrian ambassador to both the Polish royal court and the Saxony electoral court. For his services to the Holy Roman Empire, he received the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1763. From 1765 to 1780, Count Franz Philipp served as Hofmeister, the highest office in the court of the formidable Empress Maria Theresa.

Leopoldine’s mother Countess Eleonore Marie Leopoldine von Starhemberg was the daughter of Count Konrad Sigismund von Starhemberg who also served the Habsburgs as the imperial ambassador to the Reichstag in Regensburg and the imperial ambassador to Great Britain. Count Konrad Sigismund had married Princess Maria Leopoldina of Löwenstein-Wertheim (1689–1763) and the marriage brought him many family ties to German royal and noble families.

Leopoldine’s husband Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of the service to the Habsburgs of Leopoldine’s father and maternal grandfather, it should be no surprise that she made an excellent marriage. On July 6, 1750, she married Prince Franz Josef of Liechtenstein, the eldest of the thirteen children of Prince Emanuel of Liechtenstein and Countess Maria Anna Antonia of Dietrichstein-Weichselstädt, Baroness of Hollenburg and Finkenstein.

Leopoldine and Franz Josef had eight children:

Franz Josef’s father was the younger brother of Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein who reigned from 1712 – 1718, was Regent from 1732 – 1745, and then reigned again from 1748 until his death in 1772. Joseph Wenzel had five children, including three sons, and all five died in early childhood. Noting that his nephew Franz Josef might be a future Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein, Joseph Wenzel took him under his wing. Like Leopoldine’s father and grandfather, her husband participated in a number of diplomatic missions on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire. On February 10, 1772, Franz Josef’s uncle Josef Wenzel, Prince of Liechtenstein died with no surviving sons. Because he was the nearest male relative, Franz Josef succeeded his uncle as the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein.

From 1768 – 1790, Princess Eleonore of Liechtenstein (1745 – 1812) who was married to Prince Franz Josef’s brother Prince Karl Borromeo of Liechtenstein, held a discussion group called the Salon of the Five Princesses that was influential in the affairs of state for over twenty years. Leopoldine was a member of the group along with Eleonore’s half-sister Maria Leopoldine, Countess von Kaunitz-Rietberg (1741- 1795) Princess Maria Josepha von Clary und Aldringen (1728 – 1801), Princess Maria Sidonia Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau (1729 – 1815). Count Franz Moritz von Lacy (1725 -1801), an Austrian Field Marshal and Chief Treasurer Prince Franz Xaver Wolfgang von Orsini-Rosenberg (1723 -1796) frequently attended the group’s meetings. The discussion group acted as the political advisers of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, who met with the group to discuss state affairs once a week and then four times a week after 1780. The group lost its influence upon Joseph II’s death in 1790.


Leopoldine’s sons Aloys I, Prince of Liechtenstein and Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit- Wikipedia

Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein, died August 18, 1781, aged 54, in Metz, France. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. After her husband’s death, Leopoldine lived with her youngest daughter Maria Josefa in Vienna, Austria. Leopoldine saw two of her sons, Aloys I and Johann I Josef, become the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein. Leopoldine survived her husband by twenty-eight years, dying at the age of 75 on June 27, 1809, in Valtice, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. She was buried at St. Andrew’s Church in Vienna-Hütteldorf, Austria.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Cs.wikipedia.org. 2021. Konrád Zikmund Starhemberg – Wikipedie. [online] Available at: <https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konr%C3%A1d_Zikmund_Starhemberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Franz Philipp von Sternberg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Philipp_von_Sternberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Leopoldine von Sternberg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopoldine_von_Sternberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Eleonore of Liechtenstein – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleonore_of_Liechtenstein> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Leopoldine von Sternberg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopoldine_von_Sternberg> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/franz-josef-i-prince-of-liechtenstein/> [Accessed 4 December 2021].

Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein; Credit – Wikipedia

The nephew of Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein, Franz Josef I reigned as Prince of Liechtenstein from 1772 – 1781. Franz de Paula Josef Johann Nepomuk Andreas was born on November 19, 1726, in Milan, Duchy of Milan, now in Italy. He was the eldest of the thirteen children and the eldest of the eight sons of Prince Emanuel of Liechtenstein (1700 – 1771) and Countess Maria Anna Antonia of Dietrichstein-Weichselstädt, Baroness of Hollenburg and Finkenstein (1706 – 1777).

Franz Josef had twelve younger siblings:

  • Prince Karl Borromeo of Liechtenstein (1730 – 1789), married Princess Maria Eleonore of Oettingen-Spielberg, had seven children
  • Prince Philipp Josef of Liechtenstein (1731 – 1757), unmarried, died in battle
  • Prince Emanuel Josef of Liechtenstein (1732 – 1738), died in childhood
  • Prince Johann Josef of Liechtenstein (1734 – 1781), unmarried
  • Prince Anton Josef of Liechtenstein (1735 – 1737), died in childhood
  • Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein (1736 – 1739), died in childhood
  • Princess Maria Amalia of Liechtenstein (1737 – 1787), married Johannes Siegmund Friedrich, 2nd Prince of Khevenhüller-Metsch, had seven children
  • Princess Maria Anna of Liechtenstein (1738 – 1814), married Count Emanuel Philibert von Waldstein, had eleven children
  • Princess Franziska Xaveria of Liechtenstein (1739 – 1821), Charles-Joseph, 7th Prince of Ligne, had seven children
  • Princess Maria Christina of Liechtenstein (1741 – 1819), married Count Franz Ferdinand Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, had four children
  • Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein (1741 – 1766), married Count Karl Joseph Pálffy ab Erdöd, Chancellor of Hungary, had two children
  • Prince Josef Leopold of Liechtenstein (1743 – 1771), unmarried

Franz Josef’s father was the younger brother of Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein who reigned from 1712 – 1718, was Regent from 1732 – 1745, and then reigned again from 1748 until he died in 1772. Joseph Wenzel had five children, including three sons, and all five died in early childhood. Noting that his nephew Franz Josef might be a future Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein, Joseph Wenzel took him under his wing.

Franz Josef’s uncle Joseph Wenzel; Credit – Wikipedia

From the age of 20, Franz Josef accompanied his uncle Joseph Wenzel on military campaigns during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740 – 1748). He fought in the Battle of Piacenza where his uncle led the troops of the Holy Roman Empire to victory. Liechtenstein was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire. The Wars of the Austrian Succession ensured that Maria Theresa, the only surviving child of Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI, would be the sovereign ruler of the Habsburg territories. However, because only males could be elected Holy Roman Emperors, Maria Theresa arranged for her husband Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany to be elected Holy Roman Emperor. Despite the snub, Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia wielded the real power. Maria Theresa was the sovereign ruler of the Habsburg territories from 1740 until she died in 1780, which coincides with the years of Franz Josef’s adulthood and his reign as Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein.

Franz Josef’s wife Leopoldine; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 6, 1750, Franz Josef married Countess Leopoldine von Sternberg, the daughter of Count Franz Philipp of Sternberg and Countess Leopoldine of Starhemberg.

Franz Josef and Leopoldine had eight children:

Franz Josef participated in a number of diplomatic missions on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1760, Franz Josef accompanied his uncle Joseph Wenzel on a trip to the Duchy of Parma, now in Italy, where they accompanied Princess Isabella of Parma to Vienna, Austria where she married Archduke Joseph of Austria, the future Holy Roman Emperor. In 1761, Franz Josef accompanied Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, brother of Holy Roman Emperor Francis Stephen, who was a Field Marsal of the Imperial Army, and Governor of the Austrian Netherlands to Mergentheim Palace, the administrative seat of the Teutonic Order, then in Bad Mergentheim, Fraconia, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. There Prince Charles Alexander was unanimously elected the 52nd Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.

In 1763, Franz Josef traveled to Spain during the marriage negotiations for Archduke Leopold of Austria, the future Holy Roman Emperor, to give his potential (and future) bride Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain a portrait of Archduke Leopold. In 1767, Franz Josef was made a member of the Imperial Privy Council and in 1771 he became the 802nd Commander of the Order of the Golden Fleece. In 1778, Franz Josef was appointed president of the Lower Austrian nobility assembly.

When Franz Josef’s uncle Josef Wenzel, Prince of Liechtenstein died on February 10, 1772, with no surviving sons, he was succeeded by his nephew as Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Franz Josef immediately resigned from all his governmental duties of the Holy Roman Empire. Instead, he devoted himself to the administration of his estates. Franz Josef’s wealth significantly increased in 1772 when he received an inheritance from Maria Theresia, Duchess of Savoy-Carignano who had been born Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, the only surviving child of Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Maria Theresia’s only child predeceased her and Franz Josef was her distant, but nearest, relative.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Czech Republic: Credit – Von Ojin – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6438939

Franz Josef I, Prince of Liechtenstein, died August 18, 1781, aged 54, in Metz, France. He was buried in the Old Crypt at Chuch of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vranov, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic. After Franz Josef’s death, his widow Leopoldine lived with one of her daughters in Vienna, Austria. She survived her husband by twenty-eight years, dying at the age of 75 on June 27, 1809, and was buried at St. Andrew’s Church in Vienna-Hütteldorf, Austria.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Franz Josef I. (Liechtenstein) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Josef_I._(Liechtenstein)> [Accessed 4 December 2021].
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