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:

• Princess Maria Leopoldine of Liechtenstein (1793 – 1808), died in her teens
• Princess Karoline of Liechtenstein (born and died 1795), died in infancy
• Alois II, Prince of Liechtenstein (1796 – 1858), married Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, had eleven children
• 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

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.

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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].