Harrach Explained

The House of Harrach^[1] is the name of an old and influential Austro-German noble family, which was also part of the Bohemian nobility. The Grafen (Counts) of Harrach were among the most prominent families in the Habsburg Empire. As one of a small number of mediatized houses, the family belongs to the High nobility (ancient nobility).

History

The family first appeared in 1195 in the documents found in Ranshofen Abbey, Duchy of Bavaria. There are two main family branches — the Rohrau branch in Austria (until 1886) and the Jilemnice branch in Bohemia. They were formed by two sons of Count 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 mention 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.
• 1706 — Franz Anton von Harrach was raised ad personam to the rank of Fürst by Joseph I^[3]
• 1708 — Aloys Thomas Raimund von Harrach married Countess 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^[4] (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.^[5]
• 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.

Notable family members

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, Cardinal and Prince-Bishop of Trent.
  • 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 von 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 Vienna and Archbishop of Salzburg
      • Aloys Thomas Raimund Graf Harrach (1669–1742), Viceroy of Naples. His children:
        • Johann Ernst Emanuel (d. 1739), Bishop of Nitra
        • Ferdinand Bonaventura II (1708–1778), Governor of Milan
        • Friedrich August von Harrach-Rohrau (1696–1749), Governor of the Austrian Netherlands. His grandsons:
          • Ernest Christopher Joseph (1757-1838)
          • Ferdinand Joseph (d. 1841). His children:
            • Auguste von Harrach (1800–1873) — second wife to king Frederick William III of Prussia
            • Karl Philip (d. 1878). His son:
              • Ferdinand (1832–1915) — painter.
• Johann Philipp Graf von Harrach (1678–1764), Austrian field marshal
• Ernst Guido (1732–1783)
• Maria Josefa von Harrach (1727–1788), Princess 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 (1870–1937), Franz Ferdinand's friend who was present when he was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.
• Stephanie von Harrach (b. 1967), writer
• Beppo Harrach, modern rally pilot, count Ernst Harrach's son

See also

• List of counts of Austria-Hungary
• Mediatized houses

References

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

External links

• Harrach family collection in Rohrau Castle
• Count Harrach Collection at liechtensteinmuseum.at
• Pedigree list

Notes and References

1. Possibly from the 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. Web site: Śląska szlachta i arystokracja. www.arekkp.pl. July 29, 2019.
3. https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/MGSL_119_0231-0259.pdf
4. Web site: The Collection Of Count Von Harrach. https://web.archive.org/web/20090627150308/http://www.oldandsold.com/articles34/art-vienna-galleries-11.shtml. dead. June 27, 2009. July 29, 2019.
5. Web site: A Brief Introduction to Harrach Glass. July 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20120224043836/http://www.glasscollector.net/ProjectHarrach/ProjectHarrachIntroduction.html. February 24, 2012. dead.