House of Schwarzenberg

Infobox Former Country
native_name = "Gefürsteter Landgrafschaft Schwarzenberg"
conventional_long_name = Princely Landgraviate of Schwarzenberg
common_name = Schwarzenberg
continent = Europe
region = Central Europe
country = Czech Republic
era = Middle Ages
status = Vassal
empire = Holy Roman Empire
government_type = Principality
year_start = 1347
year_end = 1789
event_start =
date_start =
event1 = Acquired by Seinsheim
date_event1 = 1405 or 21
event2 = Raised to Imperial county
date_event2 = 1599
event3 = Raised to princely county
date_event3 = 14 July 1670
event4 = Raised to princely
spaces|4landgraviate
date_event4 =
1671
event_end = Partitioned from
spaces|4Stephanswald-Franconia
spaces|4as Klingenberg
date_end =

1789
p1 =
flag_p1 =
image_p1 =
s1 = Klingenberg
image_s1 =
image_s2




symbol = :

symbol_type = Coat of arms, 1792*


image_map_caption =
capital = Schwarzenberg (to 1670s)
Český Krumlov (from 1670s)
footnotes = * The coat of arms, "ca" 1792 is shown here, but see the coat of arms of Aue-Schwarzenberg, the erstwhile comital capital, for an older coat of arms, with silver wolves' teeth on a red field

Schwarzenberg ( _cz. ze Švarcenberka) is the name of a Frankish and Bohemian aristocratic family which was first mentioned in 1172. A branch of the Seinsheim family (the non-Schwarzenberg portion died out in 1958) created when Erkinger I of Seinshein acquired the Frankish barony of Schwarzenberg, the castle Schwarzenberg and the title Baron of Schwarzenberg, in 1405–21. At this time they also possessed some fiefdoms in Bohemia. In 1599 the Schwarzenbergs were elevated to Counts and in 1670 to Princes. The House of Schwarzenberg came into extensive land holdings in Bohemia in 1661 through a marriage alliance with the House of Eggenberg. In the 1670s, they established their primary seat in Bohemia. Until 1918 their primary residence was in Český Krumlov, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic).

The House of Schwarzenberg produced many exceptional military commanders, politicians, church dignitaries (including an Archbishop of Prague), innovators and patrons of the Arts. Their property in Bohemia included the Duchy of Krumlov ( _de. Krumau or _de. "Krummau"), Prachatice and Orlík belonged. They also acquired property of the Rosenberger Family ( _cz. Rožmberkové). They created ponds, planted forests and introduced new technologies in agriculture. They were related to a number of European aristocratic families, notably to the Lobkowicz ( _cz. Lobkovicové) family.

The famous General and Field Marshal, Prince Karl Philipp I of Schwarzenberg, was from this illustrious family.

The Schwarzenberg holdings included the following castles:
* Schloß Schwarzenberg by Scheinfeld, Bavaria
* Krumlov Castle (in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic, held by the Schwarzenbergs from 1719 to 1947)
* Hluboká Castle ( _de. Schloss Frauenberg, in Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czech Republic)
* Vimperk Castle (Vimperk / Winterberg, Czech Republic)
* Trebon Castle (Wittingau), Czech Republic (until 1947)
* Orlik Castle ( _de. Schloss Worlik) in Orlik nad Vltavou, Czech Republic
* Cimelice Castle in Cimelice, Czech Republic
* Zvikov Castle, Czech Republic
* Palais Schwarzenberg in Prague, Czech Republic (until 1947)
* Palais Schwarzenberg in Vienna, Austria
* Palais Salm in Prague, Czech Republic (until 1947)

In the 18th century, the House of Schwarzenberg was divided into two titled lines. One line died out in the male line in 1965 with Heinrich Schwarzenberg, the 11th Prince of Schwarzenberg. The second line was established with Prince Karl I of Schwarzenberg in Austria (Murau and Vienna). Today the two lines are united under the current head of the house Prince Karl VII of Schwarzenberg who is foreign minister in the new Czech cabinet.

Titles

Titel of the head of the family:
* H.S.H. The Prince of Schwarzenberg, Duke of Krumlov, Count of Sulz, Princely Landgrave of Kelttgau ( _de. S.D. Fürst von und zu Schwarzenberg, Herzog von Krummau, Graf von Sulz, gefürsteter Landgraf im Klettgau)All the other members of the family are not Dukes of Krumlov and they should be addressed without the "the" in front of the title prince. In the German language they are just "Prinz" and the son of the head of the family should be addressed with the titel "Erbprinz".

Lords Seinsheim

Erkinger († 917)
*Conrad
*...
*Apollonius d. Ä. († 1311)
*...
*Hildebrand († 1386)
*Michael (I.) († 1399)
*Erkinger (VI.) (* 1362; † 1437) received Schwarzenberg 1420, became baron of Schwarzenberg in 1429 and bought Hohenlandsberg in 1435: All Schwarzenbergs descend from Erkinger and his two wives, Anna von Bibra (+ 1418) and Barbara von Abensberg (+1448).

Barons of Schwarzenberg

* 1420–37: Erkinger I
* 1437–69: Michael II
* 1469–99: Michael III
* 1499–1510: Erkinger II
* 1510–26: Wilhelm I
* 1526–57: Wilhelm II
* 1557–99: Adolf, count until 1600

"In 1599, the barony was raised to an Imperial county."

Counts of Schwarzenberg

* 1599–1600: Adolf, baron since 1557
* 1600–41 Adam, Count of Schwarzenberg Adam I
* 1641–70: Johann Adolf I

"On 14 July 1670, the county was raised to an Princely county and, the following year, to a Princely landgraviate."

Princes of Schwarzenberg

* 1670–83: Johann Adolf I
* 1683–1703: Ferdinand Wilhelm Eusebius
* 1703–32: Adam II Franz Karl
* 1732–82: Joseph I Adam
* 1782–89: Johann II
* 1789–1833: Joseph II
* 1833–88: Johann Adolf II
* 1888–1914: Adolf Joseph
* 1914–18: Johann II

Heads of the House of Schwarzenberg

* 1918–38: Johann II
* 1938–50: Adolf — childless; adopted his younger cousin, Joseph III, son of his brother, Heinrich, Duke of Krumau
* 1950–79: Joseph III
* 1979–"present": Karl VII

External links

* [http://genealogy.euweb.cz/schwarzb/schwarzb1.html#E1 Family tree of the House of Schwarzenberg]
* [http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/mesto/histor/t_schwar.htm Pictorial family tree]
* [http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/mesto/histor/t_schzna.htm Coat of arms of the House of Schwarzenberg]
* [http://www.naturparkreisen.net/Prag/sternberg_3.jpgPhoto Schwarzenberg Palais Prague]