The Kingdom of Poland, a remarkably egalitarian society, officially had no title rankings within its nobility. It therefore had very few families with the titles duke or princes within its borders—those that did bear higher titles received them from foreign powers, either the Holy Roman Empire or Russia. Amongst these, one stands out as alsoContinue reading “Jablonowski—Polish princes, kin to French royals”
Category Archives: Austria, Bohemia and Hungary
The Leslies: Just one Duke of Rothes but many generals in Scotland, Russia and Austria
‘You know nothing, Jon Snow’, is perhaps a fitting introduction to the family history of Rose Leslie, an actress famous for playing Ygritte the Wildling in Game of Thrones. Snow did in fact know nothing about his own true ancestry in the story, but he also did not know that his real-life counterpart, Kit Harington,Continue reading “The Leslies: Just one Duke of Rothes but many generals in Scotland, Russia and Austria”
The Hills are Alive! Auersperg princes: Lords of Slovenia and Relatives of the Von Trapp Singers
I was recently talking to some students about the character Captain von Trapp in the film ‘The Sound of Music’. Students are always curious how someone from a landlocked country like Austria could be a retired naval commander. We also got to talking about his rank, since he is called a baron in the filmContinue reading “The Hills are Alive! Auersperg princes: Lords of Slovenia and Relatives of the Von Trapp Singers”
Kinsky Princes: From Bohemian Forests to Viennese Palaces
Once upon a time, in a far-off forest in Bohemia, a princess was attacked by a ferocious wolf. Her attendant bravely fought off the wild beast, and in gratitude, the princess ennobled her hero and granted him a coat-of-arms depicting the bold swipe of wolf’s claws on a blood-red field (some modern descriptors call theseContinue reading “Kinsky Princes: From Bohemian Forests to Viennese Palaces”
Schönburg, Schönberg, Schomberg: Beautiful Princes from Dresden to Dublin
If a beautiful fortress in French-speaking lands gave its name to a dynasty or two of dukes and princes (‘Beaufort’), then attractive castles in German-speaking lands can too. There are certainly a number of castles in Germany and Austria named schön burg, or the similar yet different schön berg, referring to a mountain, not aContinue reading “Schönburg, Schönberg, Schomberg: Beautiful Princes from Dresden to Dublin”
Dukes of Beaufort-Spontin: Belgians who went Bohemian
On the northern edge of the deep forested valleys of the Ardennes in what is now eastern Belgium was an ancient fortress overlooking a bend in the River Meuse, not far from the town of Huy between Namur and Liège. It seems to have had an attractive aspect so was called the bellum forte or Beaufort. TheContinue reading “Dukes of Beaufort-Spontin: Belgians who went Bohemian”
Lobkowicz Princes: Survivors of the Great Bohemian Purge
The Kingdom of Bohemia has a unique place in European history. As the only kingdom within the boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire, and the only mostly Slavic state in a sea of German principalities, it was an anomaly, as were its leading noble families in the middle ages. These Bohemian lords, speaking Czech, alwaysContinue reading “Lobkowicz Princes: Survivors of the Great Bohemian Purge”
Dukes and Princes 