Friedrich von Pranckh

Later view of Hof Palace

Count's coat of arms of the von Pranckh family in Siebmacher's book of arms for the Lower Austrian nobility, 1918

Friedrich Freiherr von Pranckh zu Rickerstorf (also Rickersdorf) , lord of Schloss Hof , Grafenweiden and Niederweiden († 1627) came from the Lower Austrian line of the old Styrian noble family of the von Pranckh family . He was a knight of the Order of Malta the Coming Fürstenfeld and is considered to be the builder of the early Marchfeldschloss Schloss Hof.

After his father Eustachius von Pranckh zu Rickersdorf acquired the Veste Hof an der March, the fortress passed to Friedrich in 1572 at the latest, who at that time was already listed as the owner in Gültenbuch in Lower Austria.

Due to ongoing flood damage, he moved the castle to the higher Hofberg, which proved to be more advantageous as a location for the manor. The two-storey fort still had a defensive character at that time. A ditch and a wall formed the protection, while an arcade courtyard was located inside the complex. In the eastern arcades, the Pranckh family's coat of arms can still be seen today. Likewise, north outside of the castle area, Friedrich der Meierhof, as well as the stable, town, gardens and Tuchteneln were added and built, as can be seen from the Schloßhofer Urbarium ex 1639 .

From this point on, the fort was called Schloss Hof auf dem Hoferberg . After his death, the lords of Schloss Hof and Markthof passed into the possession of his daughter Elisabeth. It retained its original shape for more than a century until it was acquired by Prince Eugene of Savoy in 1725 and expanded into a baroque palace. The original walls were retained and are still a characteristic part of the palace complex today. To the south and north they form a bastion-like boundary, while the projecting walls of the park terraces form the end to the east.

Furthermore, until 1901 a guiding sword was kept in the fort , with which a young Hungarian was hanged under the rule of the Pranckh, who had stolen from his masters and severely wounded a witness with a pitchfork.

Friedrich von Pranckh was with Rosina, geb. Dörrin von Deutsch-Altenburg married. The grave monument is in the old parish church in Markthof on the north wall of the fourteen helpers in need. As the oldest proven owner of Engelhartstetten , the community of Schloss Hof, the family coat of arms is still to be found today, two red crossbars on both sides of the lords of Pranckh in the community coat of arms .

Web links

Entry from Schloss Hof on Burgen-austria.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} ObstLt Max Haller, History of Schlosshof: Cultur-historical sketch of the kuk Lustschloss Schlosshof ad March Buchhandlung Carl v. Hölzl, 1903 digital version
2. ↑ Engelhartstetten market town, Schloßhof
3. ↑ Federal Chancellery | Legal information system, announcement about the award of a coat of arms ... for the market town of Engelhartstetten ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.