Althann
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Arms_of_the_house_of_Althann_%281%29.svg/173px-Arms_of_the_house_of_Althann_%281%29.svg.png)
The House of Althann (also spelled Althan, Altham or Altheim) is the name of an ancient German noble family that originated in Lower Bavaria, whose members occupied many important political and clerical positions within the Holy Roman Empire. From 1714, they held the position of hereditary Cup-bearers for the Holy Roman Emperor.
History[edit]
They are one of the oldest extant German noble families, going back to at least 1129.[1] By 1400, they had moved to Austria, where they were created Barons, in 1574, and Imperial Counts, in 1610. After Brandenberg-Prussia annexed Silesia in the First Silesian War, a branch of the family joined the Prussian nobility.[2] In the nineteenth century, they had seats in both the Austrian and Prussian Herrenhauser, or House of Lords.[3]
Notable members[edit]
- Michael Adolph von Althann (1574-1636), Austrian military commander and a diplomat.
- Count Michael Friedrich von Althann (1680-1734), Bishop of Waitzen and Viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily.
- Countess Maria Anna Josepha von Althann (1689-1755), politically active Austrian countess.
References[edit]
- ^ Landkreis Dillingen an der Donau (2005). Der Landkreis Dillingen a. d. Donau in Geschichte und Gegenwart: 3. neu bearbeitete Auflage, Dillingen an der Donau. pp. 223–224, 248.
- ^ von Hefner, Otto Titan (1857). J. Siebmachers's großes Wappenbuch, Band 3, Abt. 1: Der Adel des Königreichs Preußen. p. 1.
- ^ Chronik der preussischen Herrenhauses. Berlin. 1885. p. 150.
Bibliography[edit]
- Wilhelm Hauser, Das Geschlecht derer von Althann. Dissertation: Vienna, 1949.
- Joseph Kögler, Die Chroniken der Grafschaft Glatz. Neu bearbeitet von Dieter Pohl, (Köln, 1992ff): Volume 2: 257–259; Volume 4: 220–225.