Harrach

The Harrach family[1] is a Bohemian and Austro-German noble family. The Grafen (Counts) of Harrach were among the most prominent families in the Habsburg Empire. As one of few mediatized families, it belongs to high nobility.

Coat of arms of the family

History
Arms of the Counts of Harrach zu Rohrau und Thannhausen

The two main family branches — Rohrau in Austria (until 1886) and Jilemnice in Bohemia — came from two sons of Karl von Harrach (1570–1628). Two branches were later founded by grandsons of Friedrich August von Harrach-Rohrau — Ernest Christopher Joseph (d. 1838) and Ferdinand Joseph (d. 1841).[2]

  • 1195 — first mentions of the family in Ranshofen monastery.
  • 14th century — owned lands in Austria, Carinthia and Styria.
  • 1524 — Leonhard III von Harrach acquired Rohrau Castle.
  • 4 January 1552 — Leonhard IV von Harrach (d. 1590) received the title of Imperial Baron from Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.
  • 6 November 1627 — Karl von Harrach (1570–1628) received the title of Imperial Count from Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor.
  • 1701 — Ferdinand Bonaventura I purchased Jilemnice.
  • 1708 — Aloys Thomas Raimund von Harrach married Cecilia von Thannhausen and attached her surname to his family name.

Residences

The family owned the following properties at various times:

  • Rohrau Castle, Rohrau, Austria: formerly the seat of the elder branch; with notable private collection of paintings known as Graf Harrach’sche Familiensammlung[3] (from 1870–1970 kept in Palais Harrach). Rohrau has meanwhile been inherited by the counts of Waldburg-Zeil.
  • Prugg Castle, Bruck an der Leitha, Austria: still the seat of the younger branch.
  • Palais Harrach an der Freyung, Vienna, Austria (sold to the city in 1975).
  • Palais Harrach in der Ungargasse, Vienna, Austria.
  • Palais Harrach, Prague, Czech Republic.
  • Harrachov (Harrachsdorf): town in Czech Republic with family's glass manufactory (since 1712), well known as Harrachglas brand.[4]
  • Hrádek u Nechanic, Czech Republic.
  • Jilemnice, Czech Republic.
  • Konárovice, Czech Republic.
  • Kunín, Czech Republic.
  • Lodín, Czech Republic
  • Náměšť na Hané, Czech Republic.
  • Strkov, Czech Republic.
  • Krzeczyn Mały, Poland.
  • Rohrau Castle in Rohrau, Austria
  • Prugg Castle in Bruck an der Leitha, Austria
  • Palais Harrach in Vienna, Austria
  • Palais Harrach in Prague, Czech Republic
  • Hrádek u Nechanic, Czech Republic
  • Jilemnice, Czech Republic

Notable family members
Aloys Thomas Raimund Graf Harrach (1669–1742), viceroy of Naples
Auguste von Harrach, princess of Liegnitz (1800–1873), second wife of king Frederick William III of Prussia

Many of its members bear the title of Graf (count/earl) or Gräfin (countess). Notable members of the family are, among others:

  • Przibislaus Harrach (d. 1289) — founder of the family
  • Leonhard IV von Harrach (d. 1590)
  • Karl von Harrach (1570–1628) — his grandson, Imperial envoy to German sovereigns' courts, Ferdinand II's favourite. His children:
    • Ernst Adalbert von Harrach (1598–1667), Archbishop of Prague and Cardinal Bishop of Trento.
    • Leonhard (d. 1645), founder of the Rohrau line, the Superior Marshall at the Emperor Ferdinand III Habsburg's court.
    • Otto Frederick (d. 1639) founder of the Jilemnice line, soldier and diplomat, brother-in-law of Albrecht Wallenstein. His son:
      • Ferdinand Bonaventura I Graf Harrach (1637–1706), ambassador in Spain before War of the Spanish Succession. His children:
        • Franz Anton Graf von Harrach (1665–1727) — Bishop of the Archdiocese of Vienna and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Salzburg
        • Aloys Thomas Raimund Graf Harrach (1669–1742), viceroy of Naples. His children:
          • John Ernest Emmanuel (d. 1739) the Bishop of Nitra
          • Ferdinand Bonaventure II (1708–1778) Governor of Milan
          • Friedrich August von Harrach-Rohrau (1696–1749), interim governor of the Austrian Netherlands. His grandsons:
  • Johann Philipp Graf Harrach (1678–1764), Austrian field marshal
  • Ernst Guido (1732–1783)
  • Maria Josefa von Harrach (1727–1788), princesse of Liechtenstein, wife of Johann Nepomuk Karl, Prince of Liechtenstein
  • Karl Borromäus von Harrach (1761–1829) — honorary Chief Physician at the Elisabethine Hospital in Vienna.
  • Johann Nepomuk von Harrach (1828–1909) — Czech politician
  • Lieutenant Colonel Count Franz von Harrach (1870–1934), Franz Ferdinand's bodyguard when he was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.
  • Countess Stephanie Harrach, Johann Harrach's (d. 1945) widow, current member of family
  • Beppo Harrach, modern rally pilot, count Ernst Harrach's son

See also

Notes
  1. Possibly from Czech word hrách ("pea"). First known member of the family owned definitely Slavonic name Przibislaus. Indirect evidence of pea's theory — Harrach's coat of arms with an element described in heraldry as "golden ball".
  2. "Śląska szlachta i arystokracja". www.arekkp.pl. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  3. "The Collection Of Count Von Harrach". Archived from the original on June 27, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  4. "A Brief Introduction to Harrach Glass". Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.

References
  • Reichenberger, Arnold G., The Counts Harrach and the Spanish Theater
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