Thun and Hohenstein

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Family coat of arms of those of Thun

Thun or Thun and Hohenstein is the name of an ancient noble family from the Principality of Trento , which can be traced back to the 12th century. The headquarters of the episcopal ministerials was on the Nonsberg . The family soon guarded and ruled almost the entire Non Valley from a number of castles , several early hilltop castles are located near the eponymous town of Ton ( Thun in Tyrol ). Individual branches are still located in Trentino ("Welschtirol" in Italy), whose once highly esteemed areas came to the County of Tyrol in the Austrian Empire from 1803 . Since the beginning of the 15th century, the family had also owned properties in the neighboring county, i.e. in what is now South Tyrol .

Around 1600, Zweig went to Bohemia and Moravia , where they acquired extensive property. Representatives of the family also lived in Vienna and other regions of the Habsburg monarchy , to whose important noble families they rose. 1604, the family has been in the baron collected in 1629 by Emperor Ferdinand II. In the imperial counts . With the above direct imperial county Hohenstein today: Hohenstein (Thuringia) , was Christoph Simon Thun invested in 1628 during the Thirty Years' War, but only for a short time until 1648, and added their name to his added.

In 1911, in Cisleithanien (the western part of Austria-Hungary ), Emperor Franz Joseph I raised him to the rank of prince with the title "Highness". The noble family provided many bishops , archbishops and a cardinal as well as the Imperial and Royal Prime Minister in Old Austria in 1898/1899 . From 1861 to 1918, the Counts of Thun and Hohenstein held a hereditary seat in the manor house .

Etymology and name development

At the beginning of their existence, the Lords of Thun were exposed to various linguistic influences in the Alpine region . They were also called Thunne, Tunnum, Tonnum, Tonno, Tono and Tunno in Latin documents from the 11th to 13th centuries. The language border ran along the Nonsberg, only the villages on the northern edge of the valley were German-speaking, the others predominantly Ladin .

When Simon von Thun joined the Elephant League in 1407 , the name Thun finally established itself and was used from then on. With the beginning of rule over the County of Hohenstein from 1628 this became part of the family name.

The various lines are registered in the aristocratic archives as Thun and Hohenstein .

Genealogy with the following main lines:

  • Line Castel Thun (n)
  • Castel Caldes line († 1633)
  • Castel Brughier line
    • Bohemian line
      • Line Klösterle
      • Tetschen line
      • Choltic line
      • Ronsperg-Benatek line
    • Castel Brughier line - also Tyrolean or South Tyrolean line
      • Castel Croviana line († 1743)
      • Second line Castel Caldes († 1741)
      • Last line Castel Caldes († 1850)

Origin and possessions in the Hochstift Trento and in Tyrol

Castel Thun near Ton ( Thun in Tirol ) in the Non Valley, Province of Trento

The origins of sex Thun and Hohenstein, that is until the 12th century mentioned in documents and legends even with the Holy Vigilio , the patron saint of Trento is brought (4th century), in conjunction, lying on the Nonsberg in Trento (now Trentino ). There is still the community of Ton ( Thun in Tirol ), which encompasses several villages , and where the parish of the same name, which existed from immemorabili , had its seat . The first family seat was probably on the Dosso del Castelletto , where the little church of S. Margherita stands today; Albert von Tonne was enfeoffed in 1199 with the Visione hill at the Rocchetta narrow point at the entrance to the Nonsberg. After the middle of the 13th century, the family was enfeoffed with today's Castell Thun in the municipality of Ton, which was called Castrum Novesini or Belvesini until the 15th century .

The family is mentioned for the first time with Bertholdus de Tonne in 1145 as a witness at the foundation of the Augustinian Canons of St. Michael by the Counts of Eppan . The rise of the Thuns began with the extinction of the Eppaners in 1273, which allowed them to expand their fiefdoms. The acquisition of land accelerated in the 14th century, at a time of great tension between the Duchy of Trento and the County of Tyrol . Thanks to their far-sighted marriage policy, the Thun family came into possession of numerous and important rights and possessions. The most important were Castel Thun and Castel Bragher / Brughier as well as Castel di Castelfondo. Castel Thun left the family in 1982 and is now a museum with original inventory; the latter two are still in the family's possession today.

Historical properties in Trentino and South Tyrol include: a .:

  • Castel Visione, the earliest seat (from 1199 at the latest) of the family on the road through the Non Valley , in the hamlet of Masi di Vigo, a fraction of the municipality of Vigo di Ton . Not received.
  • Castle Ton (Castel San Pietro) near Vigo di Ton in the Non Valley, built in the 12th century instead of a Roman watchtower, first mentioned in 1338, in ruins since the end of the 17th century.
  • Castell Thun near Ton ( Thun in Tirol ) in the Non Valley, built by the Thun around the middle of the 13th century; In 1926 it was acquired by the Bohemian branch. Owned by the family until 1982, today a museum.
  • Castell Brughier (Ladin / Italian: Castel Bragher ) in Coredo in the Non Valley, with lands acquired in 1321 by Simon von Thun from the Coreth family from neighboring Castel Coredo. Still owned by the family today.
  • Castel San Pietro, castle in Borgo Valsugana in central Valsugana , owned by the family from 1338 to the 20th century (?), Now in ruins
  • the goods of the Altaguarda in the Non Valley (1387), including the Castello di Altaguardia (1391–1895), ruins
  • Stein am Ritten Castle , South Tyrol, from 1429 to 1551
  • Königsberg Castle (Faedo) in the Adige Valley (from 1407 as castle captains, 1474–1559 in pledge possession, 1627–1648 as custodian)
  • Summersberg Castle in Gufidaun / South Tyrol, owned from 1458 to 1551
  • Castell Caldes in Caldes (Trentino) in the Val di Sole (1464-1870), as heir of the Caldes family
  • Castello di Castelfondo in Castelfondo in the upper Val di Non, not far from the border with Deutschnonsberg (owned by the Thun since 1471, the abandoned castle was sold in the 18th century by the Bohemian branch to the branch on Castell Brughier, who still owns it today)
  • the Rocca di Samoclevo , Caldes. In the 15./16. It was owned by the family in the 19th century, now in ruins.
  • one half of Castel Cagnò
  • Castel Mocenigo
  • Castel Rumo
  • Castel San Ippolito
  • Questionsstein Castle (Zirl / Tirol), owned from 1525 to 1537
  • Palazzo Thun , Trento , built by Sigmund von Thun († 1559), seat of the Castel Thun line until the 2nd half of the 19th century, since then town hall
  • Campan residence , in Kaltern / South Tyrol, owned by the family from 1598 to 1641
  • Castel Telvana , a castle north of Borgo Valsugana, owned by the family in the 17th century
  • Croviana : Castello dei Pezzen (the Pezzèn, a family from the Vatellina, transferred it in 1650 to the Thun, who held it until 1870, after which it came to the Taddei de Salis from Tirano)
  • Reinegg Castle (South Tyrol) , owned from 1609 to 1635
  • Maretsch Castle , Bozen / South Tyrol, owned from 1658 to 1851
  • Welsperg Castle in the Puster Valley (South Tyrol), owned since around 1900 until today

such as

Another story

In the 15th century the Thun were able to further increase their power and possessions. At the same time, their prestige also grew . In 1469 they were given the hereditary court office of cupbearer of the Principality of Trento and in 1558 the same office in the Principality of Brixen . In 1604 they received the title of baron from Emperor Rudolf II .

Until the second half of the 16th century, the family managed to keep their wealth undivided, although several lines had already emerged; after that, Sigmund (1537–1597), in his capacity as the senior of the family, divided the property into three parts. After a long and problematic transaction, which was sealed by the formal deed of April 9, 1596, the division into the three lines of Castell Thun , Castell Brughier and Castell Caldes (expired in 1633) was confirmed.

After Sigmund's death, the Castell Brughier line was again divided among his three sons:

  • Johann Cyprian (1569–1631) received jurisdiction over Castelfondo ;
  • Georg Sigismund (1573–1651) got Castell Brughier;
  • Christoph Simon (1582–1635) inherited a number of properties, but not a castle.

The latter nevertheless made great leaps thanks to the Thirty Years' War : from Nonsberg to Bohemia, from lord of mountain farms to owner of huge castles and lands, from knight to imperial count. During the Turkish war he gained the trust of Emperor Ferdinand II (1578–1637), later became a trainer and close confidante of his son, the Hungarian king and later emperor Ferdinand III. , and was able to take part in the exploitation of the confiscated goods of the Protestant Bohemian exiles after the suppression of the Bohemian uprising , which made him one of the largest landlords in the Egertal . In 1629 he even reached out to Thuringia and there acquired the large County of Hohenstein , which until recently had been imperial. Since he was subject to celibacy as a knight of the order, he left everything to his brother Johann Cyprian, who left Castelfondo, and his nephew, who, however, had to vacate the Hohenstein county again in 1642 as the war continued. The Bohemian possessions, however, remained with the family until 1945 and were increased through inheritances and acquisitions.

Together with him, on August 24, 1629 , the brothers were raised to the rank of imperial count with high and well-born :

Cardinal Guidobald von Thun and Hohenstein (1616–1668), Prince Archbishop of Salzburg

A Thun becomes imperial prince for the first time in 1654 : Guidobald von Thun and Hohenstein (1616–1668) from Castelfondo as Prince Archbishop of Salzburg; In 1662 Emperor Leopold I appointed him Principal Commissioner at the Perpetual Diet in Regensburg and in 1667 he became a cardinal .

The family had a decisive influence on the history of Welschtirols. In her home country, the bishopric of Trento, she soon established three ruling prince-bishops (from the Castell Thun line):

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Thun family's Tyrolean lines consolidated the power and wealth of their house. The numerous descendants of the Castell Brughier line founded other branches: the so-called second and last line of Castell Caldes, the Croviana line and the Castelfondo line . Among the many personalities who achieved high-ranking positions in the political, military and ecclesiastical fields, only Emanuel Maria Graf von Thun and Hohenstein from the Castell Brughier line should be mentioned, who was the only ecclesiastical office of bishop in Trento during the difficult period 1800–1818 clothed.

Bohemia and Moravia

Johann Cyprian went to Bohemia , where he founded the Bohemian line of the Thun family. This in turn split into the three majorates Klösterle (acquired in 1621), Choltitz (acquired around 1621, with Pětipsy since 1629) and Tetschen (acquired in the middle of the 17th century), with Jílové u Děčína (Eulau) acquired in 1629 , and the Benatek - Ronsberg branch (from the 1st half of the 19th century, most recently Kinsky ).

With the Nobility Repeal Act in April 1919, all Austrian families lost their titles of nobility and nobility attributes, so that their official name has been Thun-Hohenstein for all Austrian citizens of this family . The Tridentine and South Tyrolean branches officially retained their title of nobility in the Kingdom of Italy until 1946, the Germans use it as part of their name.

The possessions in Bohemia and Moravia (from 1918 in Czechoslovakia ) were lost as a result of the expropriations in the course of the Beneš decrees in 1946, the family members were expelled .

coat of arms

The family coat of arms shows a golden diagonal right bar in blue. On the helmet with blue and gold covers, two blue buffalo horns, covered with a gold oblique right or oblique left bar.

The red-white / silver-red striped heart shield, which is occasionally seen, comes from the Lords of Caldes from Caldes (Trentino), inherited by the Thun in 1464, and was carried by the corresponding line and also included in the count's coat of arms.

  • Coat of arms of the tribe, barons and counts of Thun and Hohenstein

  • Coat of arms from Johann Siebmacher's coat of arms book, 1605

  • Coat of arms with heart shield

  • Coat of arms of the count's line on a tombstone, Catholic cemetery on Hermanstrasse

  • Coat of arms of Prince-Bishop Jakob I Maximilian von Thun-Hohenstein as a ceiling painting in Grades Castle

Well-known namesake

Christoph Simon von Thun (1582–1635) from Castel Brughier; Chief steward and confidante of Ferdinand III. , Acquirer of the Bohemian estates (Klösterle, Tetschen and others) and the County of Hohenstein, 1604 baron, 1629 imperial count.

literature

Web links

Commons : Thun-Hohenstein  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Other important families in the Val di Non in the Middle Ages were the Counts of Pflaum ( Flavon ) and the lords (later barons and counts) of Spaur on Castel Sporo in Sporminore and Castel Valer in Tassullo ; The latter are also located there to this day.
  2. ↑ see [1] and [2]