Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2013) |
Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg | |
|---|---|
Privy Council) | |
| In office 1615–1634 | |
| Monarch | Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor |
| Succeeded by | Count Maximilian von Trautmansdorff |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 1568 financier |
| Profession | Statesman, nobleman |
Biography
Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg may only have been of simple parentage and had a Lutheran
His career, however, developed too quickly and too successfully for it to go unnoticed and unenvied. Contemporaries and historians have had differing opinions regarding Eggenberg's character: seeing him as a man ... who is successful at everything he does, a fellow of good fortune, with a reputation of being completely loyal to the Emperor, highly gifted and reliable, but also a corrupt and slippery customer. Both contemporaries and historians are, however, in agreement about his brilliant diplomatic talent, his personal charm and cleverness, and his extraordinary manner of dealing with people.
Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg was born in June 1568 in
After completing his studies, he embarked on the
With Eggenberg's help, Archduke Ferdinand was elected Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation in 1619.[3] In his positions as the President of the Geheimrat (Privy Council) and Lord Chamberlain (Obersthofmeister) to his new Emperor, Hans Ulrich, the son of a merchant family from Graz, had risen to become one of the most significant and influential statesmen of his time during the period of the Thirty Years' War.
Being something akin to a prime minister according to contemporary political understanding,[4] it is said that between the years of 1619 to 1634, Ferdinand II never made one single significant political decision without seeking the advice of his friend Hans Ulrich,[5] who remained loyal to him throughout the whole of this highly confusing and turbulent period and also throughout the rest of his life.
The grateful Emperor rewarded his loyal adviser by bestowing on him the highest honors and ranks of the realm. In 1598, his cousin
Hans Ulrich reached the pinnacle of his career in 1625 when he was made Gubernator (Governor) of
His office also prompted him to commission the conversion of the
As an imperial minister, Hans Ulrich had skilfully succeeded in guiding his master on the throne despite facing numerous dangers and constant upheavals during these times of great change. He slowly and consistently worked on his ideas of a united "empire", which he saw as a strengthened central imperial power, at the expense of the feudal interests of the old noble families and the desire for autonomy of the princes of the realm. This way, he became one of the major architects of the absolutist
In Austria, Hans Ulrich has left a historical legacy behind. His masterpiece, Schloss Eggenberg, was the main motif on one of the most famous silver collectors coins: the 10 euro Eggenberg Palace coin minted on 10 September 2002.
On 1 August 2010, UNESCO expanded the registry listing of the City of Graz - Historic Centre to include Schloss Eggenberg among the World Cultural Heritage Sites.
References
- ^ "von Eggenberg". genealogy.euweb.cz. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ "Eggenberg Palace coin". Austrian Mint. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
- ^ a b c Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 16–17.
- ^ a b Die Fürsten und Freiherren zu Eggenberg und ihre Vorfahren. 1965, p. 90.
- ^ Schloss Eggenberg. 2006, p. 43.
- ^ Die Fürsten und Freiherren zu Eggenberg und ihre Vorfahren. 1965, p. 44.
- ^ Die Fürsten und Freiherren zu Eggenberg und ihre Vorfahren. 1965, p. 91.
- ^ Die Fürsten und Freiherren zu Eggenberg und ihre Vorfahren. 1965, p. 95.
- ^ Schloss Eggenberg. 2006, p. 85.
Literature
- Hans Ulrich Fürst von Eggenberg: Freund und erster Minister Kaiser Ferdinand II. By Hans von Zwiedineck-Südenhorst. Charleston, SC: BiblioBazaar, 2009. (new edition of digitally preserved original German text printed in Vienna in 1880, printed in Leipzig by Amazon Distribution GmbH) ISBN 1-113-02782-7
- F. Mareš, Beitrage zur Geschichte der Beziehungen des Fursten J. U. von Eggenberg (Prague, 1893)
- Schloss Eggenberg. By Barbara Kaiser. Graz: Christian Brandstätter Verlag, 2006. ISBN 3-902510-96-X (German Edition) (available in German or English editions through the Universalmuseum Joanneum)
- The Thirty Years War. By Cicely Veronica Wedgwood. Garden City, NY: Anchor Books, 1961. (Re-issued by NYRB Classics, 2005. ISBN 1-59017-146-2)
- Die Fürsten und Freiherren zu Eggenberg und ihre Vorfahren. By Walther Ernest Heydendorff. Graz: Verlag Styria, 1965.
External links
