Kinsky
Encyclopedia
The Kinsky family of the Count
s and later Prince
s was one of the oldest and most illustrious families originating from Bohemia
(now Czechia). The family is recorded in the Almanach de Gotha
.
, the Kinsky story began in Central Europe
over 1000 years ago, when a beautiful King's daughter out hunting in the forest was attacked by a pack of wolves. Her attendants all fled the terrible scene except for one young man, who saved the princess
by killing some wolves and driving the rest away. In gratitude, the girl's father ennobled the young man, granting him a coat of arms
featuring three wolves' teeth as an emblem of his bravery.
The first factual mention of an ancestor of this clan dates to 1282 – during the reign of king Wenceslaus II of Bohemia. In the next three centuries they were only minor nobles with estates in northwest Bohemia, around village Vchynice
. As late as 1611 one of the family's members, Radslav Vchynský of Vchynice the Elder, was ennobled as lord , becoming a member of the Diet of Bohemia. The rise of the family to prominence began in the turbulent era of religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants which finally led to the cataclysm for Bohemia of the Thirty Years War.
The family were elevated to the rank of Count
in 1628 – after the loss of Czech independence in 1620 when the majority of local Protestant aristocracy was banished and their possessions expropriated in favour of nobility faithful to the Catholic House of Habsburg. They were raised to the rank of Princes in 1747. Many members of the family served in high diplomatic or military positions in the Habsburg Monarchy
and subsequently in the Austrian Empire
.
) branch of the family were confiscated under the so-called Beneš decrees
due to their declared German nationality and active collaboration with the Nazis
. Estates of the other branches, Kostelec
and Chlumec
, had been confiscated by the Nazis during the occupation
, were returned in 1945, and confiscated again, this time by the Communists in 1948. After the fall of Communism, these possessions – for example the Karlova Koruna Chateau – were restored.
In post-Communist Czechoslovakia, the senior member of the princely branch was Franz Ulrich, 11th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau
. He sued the Czech Republic
for return of the properties confiscated in 1945 under the Beneš decrees only because, he maintained, that the confiscation implicitly labeled his family as historical traitors against Czechoslovakia and as willful collaborators during the Nazi occupation. The Kinsky family has denied such charges, arguing that Prince Franz Ulrich was just two years old at the time of his father's death in Vienna (December 19, 1938) and that his mother, Princess Kinsky (née Baroness Mathilde von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen -- whose family reputedly plotted against Hitler
) left the occupied country and went into exile
in Argentina
in December 1939.
The prince died in 2009 after a brief illness, being survived by his widow, née Countess Lena Hutten-Czapska. He left as heir to his title, properties and claims against the Czech state, his son Karl ("Charlie"), and three grandchildren.
Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt
to build their residence the Palais Kinsky
in Vienna
, which remained in the family's ownership until 1987. In addition to this home, from 18th century the family also owned the vast baroque
Kinsky Palace in Old Town Square, Prague
. Another family home was Choceň Chateau, a medieval Bohemian fortress rebuilt in the neo-gothic style in the half of 19th century. All of these homes were filled with priceless treasures and artifacts.
As a patron of the arts along with Archduke Rudolf and Prince Josef Lobkovic, Ferdinand
Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau contributed 1.800 fl. to a yearly salary of 4.000 fl. (abbr. for florin, gulden, Austrian - Hungarian gold coin from 1754 - 1892) for Ludwig van Beethoven
. Ferdinand arranged his share to be paid on as a pension until Beethoven died in March 1827.
ordered the Kinsky family to develop their stud farms, and breed horses of such quality as to provide superior mounts for the officers of the elite cavalry regiments of the empire. In 1776, the quality of the Kinsky horses was further improved by bloodstock from England
.
In 1838, Count Oktavian Kinsky
expanded still further the Kinsky studs, famous throughout Europe
for their high equine quality, known as the Kinsky horse
.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
s and later Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
s was one of the oldest and most illustrious families originating from Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
(now Czechia). The family is recorded in the Almanach de Gotha
Almanach de Gotha
The Almanach de Gotha was a respected directory of Europe's highest nobility and royalty. First published in 1763 by C.W. Ettinger in Gotha at the ducal court of Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, it was regarded as an authority in the classification of monarchies, princely and ducal...
.
Rise of the family
According to romantic medieval legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
, the Kinsky story began in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
over 1000 years ago, when a beautiful King's daughter out hunting in the forest was attacked by a pack of wolves. Her attendants all fled the terrible scene except for one young man, who saved the princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
by killing some wolves and driving the rest away. In gratitude, the girl's father ennobled the young man, granting him a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
featuring three wolves' teeth as an emblem of his bravery.
The first factual mention of an ancestor of this clan dates to 1282 – during the reign of king Wenceslaus II of Bohemia. In the next three centuries they were only minor nobles with estates in northwest Bohemia, around village Vchynice
Vchynice
Vchynice is a village and municipality in Litoměřice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 305 ....
. As late as 1611 one of the family's members, Radslav Vchynský of Vchynice the Elder, was ennobled as lord , becoming a member of the Diet of Bohemia. The rise of the family to prominence began in the turbulent era of religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants which finally led to the cataclysm for Bohemia of the Thirty Years War.
The family were elevated to the rank of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
in 1628 – after the loss of Czech independence in 1620 when the majority of local Protestant aristocracy was banished and their possessions expropriated in favour of nobility faithful to the Catholic House of Habsburg. They were raised to the rank of Princes in 1747. Many members of the family served in high diplomatic or military positions in the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
and subsequently in the 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...
.
Post-1945
In 1945, estates of the princely (ChoceňChocen
Choceň is a town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has c. 9,100 inhabitants.First written document mentions this place in 1227. In 1562 building of large Choceň Castle started....
) branch of the family were confiscated under the so-called Beneš decrees
Beneš decrees
Decrees of the President of the Republic , more commonly known as the Beneš decrees, were a series of laws that were drafted by the Czechoslovak Government-in-Exile in the absence of the Czechoslovak parliament during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II and issued by President...
due to their declared German nationality and active collaboration with the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. Estates of the other branches, Kostelec
Kostelec nad Orlicí
Kostelec nad Orlicí is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic located about 7 km southwest of Rychnov nad Kněžnou and 29 km east-southeast of Hradec Králové. It has 6,220 inhabitants .-External links:*...
and Chlumec
Chlumec nad Cidlinou
Chlumec nad Cidlinou is a city of the Czech Republic in Bohemia, Hradec Králové Region.It is situated near Hradec Králové at the confluence of the rivers Cidlina and Bystřice. The town lies at an average height of 206 metres above sea level...
, had been confiscated by the Nazis during the occupation
Occupation
Occupation may refer to:*Job , a regular activity performed for payment, that occupies one's time**Employment, a person under service of another by hire**Career, a course through life**Profession, a vocation founded upon specialized training...
, were returned in 1945, and confiscated again, this time by the Communists in 1948. After the fall of Communism, these possessions – for example the Karlova Koruna Chateau – were restored.
In post-Communist Czechoslovakia, the senior member of the princely branch was Franz Ulrich, 11th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau
Franz Ulrich, 11th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau
Franz Ulrich, 11th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the titular pretender Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau as well the head of the House of Kinsky.-Early life:...
. He sued the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
for return of the properties confiscated in 1945 under the Beneš decrees only because, he maintained, that the confiscation implicitly labeled his family as historical traitors against Czechoslovakia and as willful collaborators during the Nazi occupation. The Kinsky family has denied such charges, arguing that Prince Franz Ulrich was just two years old at the time of his father's death in Vienna (December 19, 1938) and that his mother, Princess Kinsky (née Baroness Mathilde von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen -- whose family reputedly plotted against Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
) left the occupied country and went into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in December 1939.
The prince died in 2009 after a brief illness, being survived by his widow, née Countess Lena Hutten-Czapska. He left as heir to his title, properties and claims against the Czech state, his son Karl ("Charlie"), and three grandchildren.
Princely members of the family
- Stephan Wilhelm (1679–1749)
- Franz Joseph (1726–1752)
- Franz de Paula Ulrich (1726–1792)
- JosephJoseph, 4th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and TettauJoseph, 4th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the 4th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau.-Early life:Rudolf was born at Vienna, Habsburg Monarchy second son of Franz de Paula Ulrich, 3rd Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau and Countess Maria Sidonie of Hohenzollern-Hechingen...
(1751–1798) - FerdinandFerdinand, 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and TettauFerdinand, 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau.-Early life:Rudolf was born at Vienna, Habsburg Monarchy as the elder son of Joseph, 4th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau and Countess Rosa of Harrach of Rohrau and Thannhausen . He became...
(1781–1812) - RudolfRudolf, 6th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and TettauRudolf, 6th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the 6th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau.-Early life:Rudolf was born at Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia elder son of Ferdinand, 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau and Baroness Maria Charlotte Caroline of Kerpen...
(1802–1836) - Ferdinand Bonaventura (1834–1873)
- Karl (1858–1919)
- RudolfRudolf, 9th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and TettauRudolf, 9th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the titular pretender Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau.-Early life:Rudolf was born at Hermanmiestetz, Kingdom of Bohemia the third child and second son of Ferdinand Bonaventura, 7th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau and Princess Maria of...
(1859–1930) - UlrichUlrich, 10th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and TettauUlrich, 10th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the titular pretender Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau.-Early life:Ulrich was born at Chotzen, Kingdom of Bohemia the eldest child Count Ferdinand Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau and Princess...
(1893–1938) - Franz UlrichFranz Ulrich, 11th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and TettauFranz Ulrich, 11th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the titular pretender Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau as well the head of the House of Kinsky.-Early life:...
(1936–2009) - KarlKarl, 12th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and TettauKarl, 12th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau is the current titular pretender Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau as well the head of the House of Kinsky.-Early life:...
(born 1967)
Residences
Like many of the aristocratic families of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Kinskys were great landowners, and patrons of the arts. They employed between 1713 and 1716 the celebrated architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt
Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt
Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt was an Italian-trained Austrian architect who designed many stately buildings and churches...
to build their residence the Palais Kinsky
Palais Kinsky
Palais Kinsky is a Baroque palace in Vienna, Austria. It was originally built for Count Wirich Philipp von Daun, the garrison commander whose son Leopold Josef Graf Daun became a Field Marshal of empress Maria Theresa...
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...
, which remained in the family's ownership until 1987. In addition to this home, from 18th century the family also owned the vast baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
Kinsky Palace in Old Town Square, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. Another family home was Choceň Chateau, a medieval Bohemian fortress rebuilt in the neo-gothic style in the half of 19th century. All of these homes were filled with priceless treasures and artifacts.
As a patron of the arts along with Archduke Rudolf and Prince Josef Lobkovic, Ferdinand
Ferdinand, 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau
Ferdinand, 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau was the 5th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau.-Early life:Rudolf was born at Vienna, Habsburg Monarchy as the elder son of Joseph, 4th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau and Countess Rosa of Harrach of Rohrau and Thannhausen . He became...
Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau contributed 1.800 fl. to a yearly salary of 4.000 fl. (abbr. for florin, gulden, Austrian - Hungarian gold coin from 1754 - 1892) for Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
. Ferdinand arranged his share to be paid on as a pension until Beethoven died in March 1827.
Stud farms
In 1723, the Emperor Charles VICharles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
ordered the Kinsky family to develop their stud farms, and breed horses of such quality as to provide superior mounts for the officers of the elite cavalry regiments of the empire. In 1776, the quality of the Kinsky horses was further improved by bloodstock from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
In 1838, Count Oktavian Kinsky
Oktavian Kinsky
Count Oktavian Kinsky was a member of the Kinsky dynasty and noted horse breeder. He married Agnes Schaffgotsch genannt Semperfrei von und zu Kynast und Greiffenstein . Recorded in the Almanach de Gotha, the couple were amongst the grandest elite of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
expanded still further the Kinsky studs, famous throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for their high equine quality, known as the Kinsky horse
Kinsky horse
The Kinsky horse or Equus Kinsky was Europe's original sport horse. It was bred until the middle of the 20th century in Bohemia, a part of the modern-day Czech Republic. At one time it was the most prominent breed in that part of the world....
.
See also
- Bertha von SuttnerBertha von SuttnerBertha Felicitas Sophie Freifrau von Suttner was an Austrian novelist, radical pacifist, and the first woman to be a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.-Biography:Suttner was born in Prague, Bohemia, the daughter of an impoverished Austrian Field Marshal,...
- Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau
- Wilhelm KinskyWilhelm KinskyWilhelm Kinsky was a Bohemian Count of Wichinitz and statesman.The Kinsky family were members of the Bohemian aristocracy. In 1628, Kinsky was elevated to the rank of count in the Bohemian nobility when the Wallenstein family, to which he was connected, were ennobled.Kinsky was killed at Eger as...
- Marie, Princess of LiechtensteinMarie, Princess of LiechtensteinMarie Aglaë, Princess of Liechtenstein is the wife and cousin of Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein...
External links
- The Truth About Family Kinsky – dynastic history and proprietary quarrels with CR from the family point of view
- Kinsky Family tree – at Genealogy.euweb.cz pages