Joseph Franz, Prince of Dietrichstein

Joseph Franz, Prince of Dietrichstein (28 March 1798 – 10 July 1858), was a German prince, Major general, 9th Prince (Fürst) of Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg, Count of Proskau-Leslie, Baron (Freiherr) of Hollenburg, Finkenstein and Thalberg.

Joseph Franz, Prince of Dietrichstein

Early life and ancestry

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Born in St. Petersburg, as a member of an ancient House of Dietrichstein, one of the most distinguished families of the Austrian nobility, he was the only son and only child of Franz Joseph, 8th Prince of Dietrichstein, and his wife, Countess Alexandra Andreevna Shuvalova (1775-1847), Court lady at the Imperial court of Austria, a daughter of the Russian senator and writer, Count Andrei Petrovich Shuvalov (1742-1789) and his wife, Countess Ekaterina Shuvalova, a Court lady of Catherine the Great. Both his mother Alexandra and his maternal grandmother Ekaterina were famed for their crafted court intrigues.

Biography

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Shortly after the birth of Joseph Franz, the marriage of his parent ended. His mother moved to Italy, where she remained the rest of her life. The child was left under the care of his father, who raised him with English views, which are considered at that time as the most progressive. Joseph Franz studied in Prague and Vienna, where he attended to lectures of the called "Austrian Bolzano", Vincenz Weindtridta, later provost of Nikolsburg.[1]

Shortly after his marriage in 1821, Joseph Franz received from his father the Bohemian states of the family, and thanks to this he was one of the members of the family who became more close to the Czech nobility.[1] Often stayed in Prague, he came into contact with Czech patriots and his ideas.

Joseph Franz was one of the initiators of the Unity to encourage industry in the Czech Republic (Jednota ku povzbuzení průmyslu v Čechách), which was founded in Prague on 1 March 1833, and during 1833-1840 he was his President.[1] He further participated in the associational Prague life: he was a member of the Economic Company (Hospodářské společnosti) and the Society of the National Museum of the Kingdom of Bohemia (království českého a Společnosti vlasteneckého muzea království českého).[1]

An avid collector of art and paintings, when he assumed the title of Prince of Dietrichstein after his father's death (10 July 1854), he called from Prague the sculptor Emanuel Max to create his sculpture, which was placed after his completion in the Hall of Ancestors at Nikolsburg Castle.[1]

Having fathered only four daughters and also neither of his male relatives had surviving male issue, in the 1850s for Joseph Franz was clear that the House of Dietrichstein was doomed to extinction. In 1856, he entered into an agreement with the last surviving male of the family, his uncle Moritz about the future of the family's heritage. Moritz, following the primogeniture, assumed the succession of the princely title, but the lands and properties where divided among the four daughters of Joseph Franz.[1]

During a visit to his youngest daughter, Joseph Franz died at Frýdlant Castle in 1858, aged 60. He was buried in the family crypt at Nikolsburg Castle.[1]

Marriage and issue

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Countess Gabriele von Dietrichstein-Proskau-Leslie (1804-1880), born Countess Wratislav von Mitrowitz, wife of Prince Joseph Franz

On 21 February 1821, Joseph Franz married with Countess Gabriele Antonia Maria Apollonia Johanna Nepomuzena Felizitas (1804-1880), daughter of Josef Antonín, Count Wratislav von Mitrowitz (1764-1830) by his wife, Countess Marie Gabriele Valentine Des Fours-Walderode (1771-1840).[2][3] They had four daughters:[4][5]

An important and extensive ancestral graphic collection, which dates have not yet been processed, were inherited by both Theresia and Gabriele. The four sisters also shared a collection of paintings and family portraits later held in Vienna. The core of the family portraits, however, remained intact at Nikolsburg Castle.

In late 1868, Alexandrine's husband, Count Alexander of Mensdorff-Pouilly, obtained from the Emperor the title of Prince of Dietrichstein-Nikolsburg, thus reviving the title of his wife's family. The title of Count of Proskau passed to the only son of Theresia, who in 1896 changed his title to Count of Herberstein-Proskau.

Ancestry

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Josef František – 8. kníže Dietrichstein-Nikolsburg, hrabě Proskau-Leslie". rmm.cz. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. ^ Marek, Miroslav. "Genealogy of the Wratislav z Mitrowicz family". genealogy.euweb.cz. Retrieved 22 April 2015.[self-published source]
  3. ^ "Gabrielle, Gräfin Wratislawova z Mitrovic : Genealogics".
  4. ^ Marek, Miroslav. "Genealogy of the House of Dietrichstein (Nikolsburg branch)". genealogy.euweb.cz. Retrieved 22 April 2015.[self-published source]
  5. ^ "Joseph, Fürst von Dietrichstein zu Nicolsburg : Genealogics".