Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo
Encyclopedia
Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo (16 September 18546 September 1927) was one of the highest court officials of Emperor Francis Joseph I of Austria
. Among his ancestors were members of the Habsburg family.
, Austrian Empire
, only son of William Albert, 1st Prince of Montenuovo
(1819–1895), (son of Adam Albert, Count of Neipperg
and Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria
) and his wife, Countess Juliana Batthyány-Strattmann (1827–1871), (daughter of Count János Baptist Batthyány-Strattmann and Countess Marie Esterházy de Galántha). His paternal grandmother Marie Louise was the Empress consort of Napoleon I of France
from 1810 to 1814 and Duchess of Parma from 1814, she married morganatically
to his grandfather Adam Albert in 1821.
Alfred married on 30 October 1879 in Vienna
to Countess Franziska Maria Stephania Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau (1861–1935), daughter of Ferdinand Bonaventura, 7th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, and his wife, Princess Maria Josepha of Liechtenstein. They had four children:
At the death of his father in 1895 he inherited the title of Prince of Montenuovo. The prince in 1927 died in his palace at Löwelstrasse 6 in Vienna's city centre after a heart attack. His corpse was interred at his family's burial place at Bóly (Német-Bóly) in Hungary.
, from 1896 successor to the throne. Montenuovo was said to have been a life-long enemy of Franz Ferdinand. In 1898 Francis Joseph I. made him Second Obersthofmeister of the court of the emperor (besides Prince Rudolf of Liechtenstein). In 1900, Montenuovo was honoured by the Order of the Golden Fleece
, the personal order of the dynasty. After Prince Rudolf's death, Montenuovo advanced to First Obersthofmeister in 1909. The Obersthofmeisteramt, as his office was called, among other duties was supervising the court theatres. Montenuovo supported the decision to make Gustav Mahler
conductor and director of the I.R. Court Opera
. In 1917, the new emperor Charles I replaced Montenuovo with Prince Karl von Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.
Foreign Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Among his ancestors were members of the Habsburg family.
Private life
Prince Alfred of Montenouvo was born at ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, only son of William Albert, 1st Prince of Montenuovo
William Albert, 1st Prince of Montenuovo
William Albert, 1st Prince of Montenuovo was an Italian prince and Field Marshal Lieutenant of the Austrian Empire.-Early life:...
(1819–1895), (son of Adam Albert, Count of Neipperg
Adam Albert von Neipperg
Adam Albert, Count von Neipperg was an Austrian general and statesman. The son of a diplomat, famous for inventing a letter-copying machine, and a French mother, he was the grandson of Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg....
and Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria
Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma
Marie Louise of Austria was the second wife of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French and later Duchess of Parma...
) and his wife, Countess Juliana Batthyány-Strattmann (1827–1871), (daughter of Count János Baptist Batthyány-Strattmann and Countess Marie Esterházy de Galántha). His paternal grandmother Marie Louise was the Empress consort of Napoleon I of France
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
from 1810 to 1814 and Duchess of Parma from 1814, she married morganatically
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
to his grandfather Adam Albert in 1821.
Alfred married on 30 October 1879 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
to Countess Franziska Maria Stephania Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau (1861–1935), daughter of Ferdinand Bonaventura, 7th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, and his wife, Princess Maria Josepha of Liechtenstein. They had four children:
- Princess Juliana Rosa of Montenuovo (15 November 1880 – 27 June 1961), (1) Married in 1903 to Count Dionys Maria Draskovich of Trakostjan, had issue, but divorced. (2) Married in 1914 to Karl, Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Wallerstein, no issue.
- Princess Marie of Montenuovo (20 October 1881 – 10 August 1954), married in 1909 to Count Franz Maria of Ledebur-Wicheln, had issue.
- Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Montenuovo (29 May 1888 – 2 May 1951), married in 1927 to Baroness Ilona Solymossy of Loós and Egervár, had issue.
- Princess Franziska of Montenuovo (22 August 1893 – 3 November 1972), married in 1878 to Count Antal Apponyi de Nagy-Appony, had issue.
At the death of his father in 1895 he inherited the title of Prince of Montenuovo. The prince in 1927 died in his palace at Löwelstrasse 6 in Vienna's city centre after a heart attack. His corpse was interred at his family's burial place at Bóly (Német-Bóly) in Hungary.
Career
After studying at the Catholic seminary in Salzburg, Alfred started a career as court official, in 1896/97 becoming Obersthofmeister (literally: highest master of the court) of Archduke Otto of Austria, brother of Archduke Franz FerdinandArchduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
, from 1896 successor to the throne. Montenuovo was said to have been a life-long enemy of Franz Ferdinand. In 1898 Francis Joseph I. made him Second Obersthofmeister of the court of the emperor (besides Prince Rudolf of Liechtenstein). In 1900, Montenuovo was honoured by the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
, the personal order of the dynasty. After Prince Rudolf's death, Montenuovo advanced to First Obersthofmeister in 1909. The Obersthofmeisteramt, as his office was called, among other duties was supervising the court theatres. Montenuovo supported the decision to make Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
conductor and director of the I.R. Court Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
. In 1917, the new emperor Charles I replaced Montenuovo with Prince Karl von Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.
Honours
Austrian- Knight of the Order of the Golden FleeceOrder of the Golden FleeceThe Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
- Knight of the Order of Saint Stephen of HungaryOrder of Saint Stephen of HungaryThe Royal Hungarian Order of Saint StephenThe Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary, the royal Hungarian order, founded in 1764 by the empress Maria Theresa of Austria, consisted of the grand master , 20 knights grand cross, 30 knights commanders and 50 knights...
Foreign Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...