Elisabeth zu Fürstenberg

Princess Elisabeth zu Fürstenberg, b. Princess von Thurn and Taxis, widow of Prince Karl Aloys (around 1800)

Maria Elisabeth Alexandrina Augusta Carolina Josepha Walburga, Princess of Fürstenberg (born November 30, 1767 in Regensburg ; † July 21, 1822 at Schloss Heiligenberg ) was a driving force behind the mediated German imperial estates from 1806 to 1816 , which tried to regain their old privileges . At the Congress of Vienna on October 22, 1814, she asked the Austrian Emperor Franz to accept the German imperial crown again.

Life

Elisabeth was born as the daughter of Prince Alexander Ferdinand von Thurn und Taxis and Princess Maria Henriette zu Fürstenberg, the second daughter of Prince Joseph Wilhelm Ernst zu Fürstenberg .

The family was wealthy in Bohemia and Elisabeth spent most of her youth in Prague . Elisabeth married her cousin Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg on November 4, 1790 , who died on March 25, 1799 in the Battle of Stockach . In the same year Elisabeth also lost two daughters and Karl Maria Gabriel zu Fürstenberg, the only 14-year-old ancestor of the Bohemian line of the Fürstenberger zu Pürglitz , whom her only son Karl Egon inherited, died. On May 17, 1804, Prince Karl Joachim zu Fürstenberg , head of the Fürstenberg main line , died without any direct descendants. Elisabeth's son Karl Egon now became the ruling prince of the empire at the age of seven as Karl Egon II zu Fürstenberg.

Mediatization of the Principality of Fürstenberg

At a time when Napoleon was in the process of reshaping Europe and the principality's neighbors (Württemberg, Baden and Hohenzollern) were doing their utmost to get the largest possible share of the cake to be distributed, the Fürstenberg government was in the hands of one distant uncle, Landgrave Joachim Egon from the line to Fürstenberg-Weitra, who had taken over the guardianship according to imperial and family law. Karl Joachim was already considered a weak prince and the government with Joseph Kleiser - later "von Kleisheim" - tried to adapt to the constantly changing political conditions.

On May 24, 1805, Elisabeth and her children came from Prague to Donaueschingen to receive hereditary tribute for their son. Here she got to know the forester Joseph von Laßberg . In the second half of the year, however, it returned to Prague due to the uncertain situation in the German southwest. Despite official declarations of neutrality, the Fürstenberg were considered partisans of Austria, especially since the princess and the landgrave resided in Austrian territories. On November 3, 1805, Napoleon ordered his General Augereau to occupy the principality. The sequestration was soon lifted again, although it remained unclear which of the many interventions by the Fürstenberg family led to this preliminary success.

In 1806, Minister von Kleisheim made the late attempt to position Fürstenberg as an ally of France, similar to Württemberg and Baden, in order to benefit from the impending country chess, but the others had been working towards this for a long time and, from the French point of view, the Fürstenberg were stamped as followers of Austria.

The Rheinbund act resulted in the mediatization of the principality of Fürstenberg and its division into Baden , Württemberg and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen . Elisabeth now began her struggle to save as many privileges as possible in her house. In 1809, under French pressure, Baden asked Landgrave Joachim Egon to move his residence to the Fürstenberg home country or to give up the guardianship of Elisabeth's son Karl Egon and transfer it to the princess mother, who then took it over. From Heiligenberg Castle she now exerted greater influence on politics.

Elisabeth zu Fürstenberg, b. from Thurn and Taxis

The Baden court had made Minister von Kleisheim - with the consent of Joachim Karl - the counter-guardian and tried to bring him into a predominant role, which met with resolute resistance from Elisabeth. In 1811 von Kleisheim succeeded in negotiations with the Baden government in restoring the Fürstenberg sovereignty of justice. Nevertheless, the relationship with his princess was strained and in 1814 he joined the service of the Grand Duchy of Baden as court judge.

Congress of Vienna

Now von Laßberg came to the fore as the princess's general representative. Together with him, Elisabeth tried to unite the mediatised imperial princes against the princes of the Rhine at the Congress of Vienna. After the death of Prince Emich Carl zu Leiningen , Count Friedrich Ludwig Christian zu Solms-Laubach became Elisabeth's most important comrade. Elisabeth used family and personal relationships to pursue her diplomatic goals. She also counted the Freiherr vom Stein among her allies , although he did not share the efforts of many mediatized imperial estates to restore the old empire. On October 22nd, 1814, during an audience , Elisabeth asked the Austrian Emperor Franz on behalf of the mediatized imperial estates to reassume the title and dignity of German Emperor. Although Franz reacted evasively, the mediatized continued to try to reach their goal and to restore the old empire. Laßberg founded the "Nobility Association for the Chain" which ostensibly pursued cultural-political goals, but should be seen in the context of politics. With the return of Napoleon from Elba the environment changed fundamentally and the military engagement of the former Rhine Confederation states against Napoleon strengthened their position. The only thing left for the mediatized was the definition of a few privileges in the German federal act . Back at Heiligenberg Castle in 1816, Elisabeth tried in a letter to Emperor Franz to urge him to make a declaration for the mediatised at the opening of the German Bundestag ; without success.

Elisabeth now withdrew and initiated the handover to her son Karl Egon, who wanted to reconcile with the Baden house. However, she insisted that Karl Egon's bride, Amalie von Baden, a daughter of Karl Friedrich from his morganatic marriage to Countess Hochberg, before his marriage to Karl Egon , was declared equal by the incumbent Grand Duke Karl .

Elisabeth now lived with Laßberg, who said goodbye when Karl Egon took office, at Heiligenberg Castle or Eppishausen Castle and supported him in his collection of old German literature. She died on July 21, 1822 at Heiligenberg Castle.

Marriage and offspring

Elisabeth zu Fürstenberg 1797

From his marriage to Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg there were five children, only two of which reached adulthood:

• Maria Leopoldine (September 4, 1791 - January 10, 1844) ⚭ May 20, 1813 Karl Albrecht zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst
• Karl Egon (born October 28, 1796 - † October 22, 1854)

Three girls died in childhood:

• Maria Josepha (* / † September 9, 1792)
• Antonia (October 28, 1794 - October 1, 1799)
• Maria Anna (September 17, 1798 - July 18, 1799)

From 1805 to 1822 she was in a relationship with Freiherr Joseph von Laßberg and had an illegitimate son from him:

• Hermann von Liebenau (born October 3, 1807, † July 28, 1874), doctor and historian

Individual references / comments

1. ↑ s. Bader, p. 129
2. ↑ Anton Karl von Baden was won over as head of the aristocratic association
3. ↑ s. Article 14 online
4. ↑ s. Bader p. 131; an arrogance of class that seems inappropriate today in view of one's own illegitimate son
5. ↑ Laßberg's first wife Anna Maria Ebinger von der Burg did not die until 1814

literature

• Karl Siegfried Bader : Princess Elisabeth zu Fürstenberg in the struggle to preserve the rights of her mediatized house, in: Writings of the Association for History and Natural History of the Baar and the adjacent parts of the country in Donaueschingen, XXIV. Issue 1956, Donaueschingen 1956; Pp. 119–153 online (PDF; 41.9 MB)
• Günther Reichelt: Elisabeth Fürstin zu Fürstenberg pays tribute to the Association for History and Natural History, in: Writings of the Association for History and Natural History of the Baar, 47th Volume 2004, Donaueschingen 2004; Pp. 148–151 online (PDF; 30.8 MB)
• Hugo Siefert: Think of Elisabeth! - Traces of the Fürstenbergische "Fürstin teutscher Frauen …… ..", in: Writings of the Association for History and Natural History of the Baar, 51st Volume 2008, Donaueschingen 2008; Pp. 59–76 online (PDF; 36.1 MB)