Brockdorff Explained

The Brockdorff family is a Schleswig-Holsteiner old noble house that belonged to German and Danish nobility.

History

It first appeared in a document from 1167 where Eilwardus de Bruchthorp was mentioned by Duke Henry the Lion of Saxony. Members of the family founded Brokdorf, Holstein, now part of Germany, from where the family originated.

Titles

On 24 May 1672 the family was granted the title of Lensgreve by King Christian V of Denmark heritable by masculine primogeniture, while on 3 June 1706 the family was awarded with the title of Imperial Count by Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor.^[1] Later, in 19th century the family also obtained the title of Count in Prussia.

Notable People

• Joachim von Brockdorff (1643–1719), father of:
  • Anna Constantia von Brockdorff, Countess of Cosel, mistress of Augustus the Strong.
• Baron Joachim von Brockdorff, who built the Brockdorff's Palace
• Count Cay Lorenz von Brockdorff (1766–1840), Last Chancellor of Schleswig-Holstein and first High Court President of Schleswig-Holstein
  • Count Cay Lorenz von Brockdorff (1844–1921), grandson of above, German anthroposophist
    • Count Cay von Brockdorff, German Sculptor, himself a count, grandson of above, Erika's husband
    • Countess Erika von Brockdorff (1911–1943) German resistance fighter against the Nazi régime during World War II, herself a countess by marriage
• Count Charles Frederick von Brocktorff, (1775/85–1850) painter
• Count Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt, (1887–1943) German general in World War II
• Count Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau, (1869–1928) German diplomat

See also

• Brockdorff's Palace

External links

• Family Tree at roskildehistorie.dk

Notes and References

1. Web site: Counts - B .