House of Koháry

House of Koháry
CountryKingdom of Hungary
Archduchy of Austria
Founded11th century
FounderGyörgy Koháry
Final rulerFerenc József Koháry
Titles
Dissolution1826, upon the death of Ferenc József Koháry
Cadet branchesHouse of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry (through female line)

The House of Koháry (Hungarian: Koháry-ház) was the name of an ancient and wealthy Hungarian noble family[1] with seats at Csábrág and Szitnya (now Čabraď and Sitno Castle) and the palace of Szentantal (now Svätý Anton, Slovakia).

History

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Origin

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The origin of the family is in Zala County in Hungary. In 1470, a "Georg Koháry" is mentioned in the court of King Matthias I Corvinus.[2] The first notable member of the family was Peter Koháry (1564–1629), who was rewarded as the Baron of Csábrág by Emperor Ferdinand II and became commander of the fortress of Érsekújvár. His son Stephan I Koháry (1616–1664) fought against the Turks and died in the battle of Léva.

  • Stephan (Istvan) Kohary (1616–1664)
    Stephan (Istvan) Kohary (1616–1664)

Counts and generals

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In 1685, Stephan II Koháry (1649–1731) became the first count in his family. He fought against the Ottoman Empire and the Kuruc. After his death, his fortune went to his nephew Andreas Koháry (1694–1757). All Kohárys had been officers and generals of the Habsburg emperors.

Princely title

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On 15 November 1815, the head of the house, Ferenc József Koháry (1760–1826), who served as the Hungarian Chancellor, was given the title of Fürst von Koháry (Prince of Koháry)[3][4] by Emperor Francis I of Austria.[5]

House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry

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Upon the death of Ferenc József, his only surviving child, a daughter named Mária Antónia (1797–1862), was proclaimed "heiress of the name" (fíúsított). When she married in 1816 (January 2), her husband Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha took the name Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry. Among the descendants of Mária Antónia and Ferdinand are the last emperor of Austria (Charles I), the last four kings of Portugal (Pedro V, Luís I, Carlos I, Manuel II), and the last three tsars of Bulgaria (Ferdinand I, Boris III, Simeon II).

Notable members of the family

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Koháry palaces

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The Kohárys belonged among the magnates of Hungary. Their holdings were calculated to be around 150,000 hectares, making Princess Maria Antonia Koháry one the richest heiresses in Europe at the time of her marriage to Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Reuben Percy, The Mirror of literature, amusement, and instruction, Volume 34, J. Limbird, 1839 [1]
  2. ^ Jurendende´s Mährischer Wanderer, Band 131
  3. ^ [2] Almanach de Gotha 1825
  4. ^ "Vienna Cathedral Archive"[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ Ignaz Ritter von Schönfeld (1824). Adels-Schematismus Des Österreichischen Kaiserstaates (in German). Schaumburg. p. 13.
  6. ^ "Čabraď :: Slovak castles". Archived from the original on 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  7. ^ "Sitno :: Slovak castles". Archived from the original on 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  8. ^ "M?zeum Sv?t? Anton - History". Archived from the original on 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
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