Knežević (noble family)

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Knežević
Kneževići od Svete Jelene (Croatia) .jpg
Country Croatia ,
Habsburg Monarchy
Parent company Knežević
founding 15th century
Ethnicity Croatian
title Barons
founder Filip Knežević (?)
Current chief extinct
(1924)

Knežević ( German Knesevich / Knesewitsch ; Hungarian Knezsevics ) was from the medieval village Brocno (near present-day Čitluk ) in Herzegovina derived Croatian noble family. First mentioned there in historical documents from the 15th century, they moved a little later to the west and north, first to the Lika region . Later in the early 19th century they moved to Meußerimurje in the far north of Croatia. The most famous members of the family reached high military ranks of the Habsburg imperial army.

historical overview

Like many old Croatian noble families from the southeastern part of the medieval Croatian Kingdom and neighboring states and territories ( Kingdom of Bosnia , Zahumlje , Travunia ), the Kneževićs were forced to move to the northwest in the second half of the 15th century due to the constant pressure of Ottoman expansionism. After Bosnia fell into Ottoman hands in 1463, the Croatian-Hungarian King Matthias Korvin confirmed the nobility to the nobleman Ivan (Johann) Knežević, a son of noble Filip (Philipp) Knežević, who had fallen during the defense of Jajce . Likewise, on July 2, 1466, he got new property in Gračac and Grab in the Lika region.

Ivan's great-grandson Franjo (Franz) Knežević, one of the commanders in the defense of the Krbava area, received confirmation of the title of nobility and possession from Emperor Ferdinand II. Martin (1708–1781), a son of Juraj (Georg) on May 15, 1628 Knežević and his wife Katarina born. Stibor, born in Senj , achieved another rise in the family and had great success in his military career. While his father was (only) a major in the Likaner Border Infantry Regiment , on February 11, 1759 he achieved the rank of General of the Habsburg Army. He participated in many battles and several wars, such as B. the Austrian War of Succession (1740–1748) and the Seven Years War (1756–1763). On April 7, 1763 he was raised to the baron status.

With his wife Uršula geb. Vukasović (1717–1776), Martin Knežević had many children, including six sons:

  • Juraj (Georg) (1733–1805), major general (since August 24, 1801)
  • Antun (Anton) (1737–1809), Lieutenant Colonel
  • Ivan (Johann) (1743–1809), major general (since February 5, 1797)
  • Petar (Peter) (1746–1814), Major General (since October 5, 1799)
  • Lavoslav (Leopold) (* ?; † 1788/89), captain
  • Vinko (Vincenz) (1755–1832), general of the cavalry (since September 22, 1815)
  • Cecilia, who later married Joseph Freiherr Portner von Höflein (1710–1800). Her daughter Anna Portner von Höflein (May 10, 1774 - November 28, 1838) married Count Franz Jellacic von Buzim, Croatian nobleman, Austrian Lieutenant Field Marshal and knight of the Maria Theresa Order.

In 1802 the Knežević brothers (Ivan, Petar and Vinko) moved to the Međimurje rule in the far north of Croatia. They bought former Pauline land in Sveta Jelena , Mačkovec, Zasadbreg, Knezovec, Štrigova and Leskovec. After the most famous and important place Sveta Jelena ( Saint Helena ) they were called Kneževićs by Saint Helena ( Croatian Kneževići od Svete Jelene ; Hungarian Szentilonai Knezsevics ).

Of the six brothers, only two had offspring of their own. Petar and Vinko each had two sons, all of whom also entered military service, but with less success. In his second marriage (with Viktorija nee Bender) Petar had the son Maksimilijan Ivan (Maximilian Johann) in 1804 and Aleksandar Franjo Kazimir (Alexander Franz Kasimir) in 1809. From the marriage of Vinko with Baroness Karolina geb. Hogger emerged from Aleksandar in 1810 and Konstantin in 1811.

After the death of General Vinko Freiherr Knežević in 1832, the property in the Sveta Jelena area was sold to the Feštetić family . The property in the Štrigova area, however, remained the property of Petar's descendants for almost a century. 1898 Viktor Knežević, unmarried retired Hussars - captain , mentioned as landowners in Štrigova.

Immediately after the First World War , one of the last ranks of the noble family, Aleksandar Baron Knežević, lived in Međimurje. According to available sources, Ivo Knežević was the very last member of the sex. After his death in 1924, the collection of all family portraits was given to the Croatian Historical Museum in Zagreb .

Members

Martin Knežević (1708-1781) .jpg
Martin , kuk major general
(1708–1781)
Juraj Knežević.jpg
Juraj (Georg) , kuk
major general (1733–1805)
Vinko Knežević.jpg
Vinko (Vincenz) , kuk general of
the cavalry (1755–1832)

See also

Web links