Anton Heinrich Friedrich von Stadion

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Anton Heinrich Friedrich Graf von Stadion zu Thann und Warthausen, Portrait of Johann Heinrich Tischbein the Elder (around 1752)

Anton Heinrich Friedrich Graf von Stadion (born April 5, 1691 in Würzburg , † October 26, 1768 in Warthausen ) was the Grand Chamberlain at the Electoral Court of Mainz under the Elector Johann Friedrich Karl von Ostein, who was related to him . Stadion is considered a pioneer of the Enlightenment in Kurmainz and was responsible for numerous reforms in the electoral Mainz due to his high office.

Family and youth

He came from the aristocratic family of Stadion , Stadion-Warthausen and was the son of Johann Philipp von Stadion (1652–1741), from 1711 Reichsgraf von Stadion, and his second wife Maria Anna von Schönborn (1669–1703) from the family of Schönborn . His father already held the post of Grand Chamberlain under Elector Lothar Franz von Schönborn from 1709 . Other relatives of his were also active in high offices in the electoral service in Mainz (e.g. Christoph Rudolf von Stadion ) or held high church offices such as B. that of the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg . He married on June 27, 1724 in Ebnet (Freiburg) Maria Anna Auguste Antonia Euphemia Euphrosina von Sickingen (1706–1774) with whom he had three daughters, including Maria Maximiliana von Stadion and two sons.

Anton Heinrich Friedrich von Stadion studied law and camera science at the University of Mainz . On one of his cavalier tours he met Voltaire , who made a great impression on him. He made Voltaire's attitude his own, such as "his views on Jesuits and religion" and "still further the intercourse with the pioneer of all negation of the religious". His father resigned from all his offices at the electoral court in Mainz in 1737 (he died four years later), paving the way for his son to succeed him. In the same year he bought Rollingschen Hof, which was later renamed Stadioner Hof .

Offices at the electoral court

Anton Heinrich Friedrich von Stadion served three different electors: first Philipp Karl von Eltz-Kempenich , then Johann Friedrich Karl von Ostein and, in the last years of his work at the electoral court, also Emmerich Joseph von Breidbach zu Bürresheim . Especially under Elector Johann Friedrich Karl von Ostein, he gradually took over all the offices that his father had already held: Privy Councilor, Court Marshal, Oberamtmann in Bischofsheim an der Tauber . After all, as Grand Chamberlain he was the highest state and court minister of Kurmainz.

Reforms in the spirit of the Enlightenment

As the Grand Chamberlain, Stadion was directly responsible for various reform projects. He introduced general land law in the electoral state and modernized the judiciary. A piece of legislation that was drawn up with the future Elector Emmerich Joseph von Breidbach zu Bürresheim (as a member of the Court Council) came into force on January 1, 1756. At his instigation, various orders were issued between 1747 and 1750 to promote trade and traffic, which were summarized in 1752 in the “Collection of their in Policen u. Commercial matters issued by the Churf.-Mainzischen Ordinances ”were laid down in writing.

For example, by ordinance of December 22, 1747, two 14-day trade fairs were introduced in Mainz, which took place annually from 1748 onwards. Regulations on the trade fair credit and payment dates were also issued. Stadion set up a large warehouse on the Rhine and intensified the wine trade , which is very important for Mainz, by introducing a new wine market. Also passed in 1747, ordinances came into force that led to the formation of a representation of the trading class under the direction of the Vice Cathedral Office. This committee is considered the forerunner of the later of the French prefect Jean Bon Saint-André founded Chambre de Commerce . The committee had the task of deliberating on all matters, "what would be enough to take on the trade and sales team and prevent damage and loss". At the same time the shipping system was reorganized - the Rhine was still the most important trade route for Mainz. Stadium reforms also included new regulations in areas such as pawn shops, extinguishing or begging in the health resort.

These measures turned out to be very effective and remained in effect until the end of the electoral state.

literature

Web links

  • d'Alquen - Information from a family closely related to the von Stadion family

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ quoted from: Biographical Lexicon of the Austrian Empire by Dr. Constant Wurzbach, Volume 37, Vienna 1878
personal data
SURNAME Stadium, Anton Heinrich Friedrich von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Grand Chamberlain in the Electorate of Mainz
DATE OF BIRTH April 5, 1691
PLACE OF BIRTH Wurzburg
DATE OF DEATH October 26, 1768
Place of death Warthausen