Kolowrat-Krakowsky

Kolowrat-Krakowsky is the name of a Czech noble family. It is a branch of the Kolowrat family.

History of the Family

As with all noble families, the Kolowrat family has its own legend. The legend by Bohuslav Balbín tells the story of a strong man who saved a Czech king and his little son when he grabbed the fellies of their cart, stopping their runaway horses. The family name Kolowrat is a combination of the world "kolo" (wheel) and "vrátit" (turning/spinning). In tribute to the above-mentioned legend, the Kolowrat coat of arms shows a wheel with eight fellies.

The first historically-based references to the Kolowrat family originate in the 13th century. The surviving written sources connect the Kolowrat family with an eagle coat of arms. The first recorded eagle comes from 1205 and it is displayed on the coat of arms of a certain Mladota of Kolovraty, who was connected with the village of Kolovraty (near Uhříněves). However, the true founder of the family, and the first historically-based nobleman of Kolowraty, was Albrecht of Kolowraty (1320-1391), whose ancestors came from the above-mentioned village of Kolovraty. The Captain and Marshal of Queen Anna Svídnická (wife of Karel IV), observer of the Provincial and Feudal Court, was first written about in 1347 as a witness to the sale of the town of Rožmitál. He fathered eight children with three different wives. Six of his children were sons, who laid the foundations of one of the most branched Czech families. In 1373 Albrecht of Kolowraty founded the Augustinian monastery of the Assumption of Virgin Mary in Ročov, where he was buried after his death. According to an ancient legend, if the monastery’s founder’s gravestone moistens or 'cries', it forebodes misfortune for the family.

Division of the Noblemen of Kolowraty

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Kolowrat family split into eight family branches:

The noblemen of Kolowraty have played an important role in Czech history. They have always held important posts such as Burgraves, Captains, Supreme Judges of Provincial Courts, church dignitaries as well as Royal Governors and High Chancellors. In the 17th century the noblemen of Kolowraty received the title Count.

One of the most significant people among the noblemen of Kolowraty was undoubtedly Count František Antonín Kolovrat-Libstejnsky (1778–1861), an educated and generous man who supported the Habsburg family. At the age of 24 he became Prague City Commissioner (the Police Director) and later Supreme Burgrave (1811–1826). In 1826 he was called to Vienna to serve as the Minister of State for the Interior. He was a good economist and in 1830 he succeeded in putting the public finances in order. As a supporter of the Czech National Revival, a moderate liberal and critic of Prince Metternich, in 1848 he became the Prime Minister of the Austrian Monarchy, but only for a short time. He also managed to establish a short-lived constitutional monarchy. After the abdication of Ferdinand I., Franz Joseph ascended the throne and established a new neo-absolutist system, leading Count Kolovrat to leave politics in 1848. In 1818 he played an important role in the foundation of the Patriotic (National) Museum, to which he donated his mineralogical collection as well as his library amounting to 35 thousand volumes.

The Kolowrat-Krakowsky Line

The name of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky line derives from Krakovec Castle. The castle was bought in 1443 by Albrecht of Kolowraty (1422–1470), who thus created the largest family branch. Vilém Albrecht Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1600–1689), High Chancellor, received the title Count of the Empire in 1671, and three years later also the title of Bohemian Count.

Count Leopold Vilém Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1727–1809) is another significant member of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky line who, as well as being an educated and talented politician, was also a favorite of Marie Terezie. He held numerous high-ranking positions, including Chamberlain and Private Counselor (1769–1772), President of the Royal Chamber (1772–1782), Bohemian-Austrian High Chancellor (1782–1796) first State Minister (1796–1808), Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Leopold Vilém sired 17 children with two wives. His youngest son František Xaver Kolowrat-Krakowsky is the mutual ancestor of all surviving descendants of the noblemen of Kolowraty.

Another significant member of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky line was Jan Nepomuk Karel, known as Hanuš (1794–1872). The last member of the Březno branch, pure patriot and philanthropist, he supported the Matice Česká and made the largest donation to the construction of the National Theatre. Due, in no small part, to his patriotism and readiness to help people in need he inspired the character of Count Březenský in the novel The Village Under the Mountains by Božena Němcová.

Modern History

Leopold Filip Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1852–1910) became the administrator of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky family property in the second half of the 19th century. He was a member of the Imperial Council and the Czech Assembly, Second Class Knight of the Order of the Iron Crown. Apart from the Přimda estate and the estate in Klatovsko, he also administered the Kolowrat Palace and the New Kolowrat Palace at Na Příkopě 17 in Prague.

The successor of Count Leopold Filip and the new owner of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky estate became his oldest son Alexandr Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1886–1927). Alexandr, called Sascha, was not only a successful car and motorcycle racing driver but also a very successful film producer whose biggest contribution to the world’s film industry was the discovery of Marlene Dietrich. As a racing driver he received many awards and became the right hand of Václav Klement, owner of Laurin and Klement car factory. In his honour there is an annual gathering of historic cars, together with a tour around Přimda and a visit to the neighbouring towns in Bavaria.

When Count Sascha lost his battle with cancer in 1927, his brother Jindřich Vilém Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1897–1996) became administrator of the estate. Count Jindřich built one of the most modern buildings of its time, the Functionalist Palace Chicago. He founded the Wooden Houses Kolowrat where he employed 600 permanent workers, and duly administered the family estate until 1943, when the estate was nationalized by the German Empire. Although the estate was given back to him in 1945 by a Decree of President Edvard Beneš, in 1948 it was again nationalized, this time by the Communist regime. Count Jindřich, a holder of the War Cross, received during World War II. from President Edvard Beneš, for whom he served from 1945 to 1948 as Ambassador in Ankara, then emigrated with his family to the United States.

The property of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky family was nationalized after February 1948, and in 1950 the timber company was dissolved. From 1960 the hunting lodge Diana served as a retirement home.

The property was returned to the Kolowrat-Krakowsky family through the restitution process in 1992 and Count Jindřich Kolowrat-Krakowsky returned to Czechoslovakia together with his youngest son František Tomáš Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1943–2004). In 1991 Count Jindřich received the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Second Class, from President Václav Havel. In 1993 he rented the Kolowrat Palace to the National Theatre for a symbolic amount of 1 Czech Crown per year.

Count Jindřich Vilém Kolowrat-Krakowsky died in 1996 at the age of 98 and his son František Tomáš Kolowrat-Krakowsky became his only heir and successor. František Tomáš was the only one of Jindřich’s children who came back with his father from the United States and who stayed in Czechoslovakia for good.

Count František Tomáš repaired the Hraničky Ponds and the Václavský Pond, which came to form part of an important sporting event – the Přimda Triathlon. He built private wood roads that became part of cycle paths, and which now connect different areas of the Upper Palatine Forrest. In an effort to increase tourism and develop the town of Přimda, he bought the ruins of Přimda castle and converted it into the attractive Mountain Hotel Kolowrat.

Count Tomáš continued the patronal tradition of his ancestors and participated in the cultural and social development of the region. He also helped people in difficult social situations. In 1997 he bought three new bells for the Roman St. George’s Church in Přimda, as the original bells had been destroyed after World War II. He personally donated a considerable amount of money to the Red Cross to help people in need and to remedy damage caused by an extensive flood in 2002. He made regular charity donations and always supported people who found themselves in difficult social and health situations. He also supported schools, culture and other important events. In 2001 the Forestry of František Tomáš Kolowrat-Krakowsky was ranked in the top 100 companies of agricultural production, food industry and forestry. He was recognized by Comenius - the Pan-European Society for Culture, Education and Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

František Tomáš Kolowrat-Krakowsky died prematurely in 2004. After his death, his life partner and mother of his children, Maximilian Alexander and Francesca Dominika, Mrs. Dominika Kolowrat-Krakowska became the new administrator of the family property.

Besides Leopold’s Kolowrat-Krakowsky branch, there are also descendants of Leopold’s younger brother Theodor Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1806–1875) living in the Czech Republic. Their residence in Rychnovsko is administered by Jan Egon Kolowrat Krakowsky-Libstejnsky, the son of Count Kryštof Jaroslav Kolowrat Krakowsky-Libstejnsky, who, after 1989, returned from exile in Austria.

History of the Přimda Estate

The Kolowrat family came to the Přimda region in 1675. Jan Václav Novohradsky of Kolowraty (1638–1690) received the title of Count in 1660 and bought the Přimda estate together with the historic castle, which he connected to the estate of Velké Dvorce. The Přimda castle was in a very bad condition, as its previous owners, the Švamberks, had abandoned it in 1580 and let it fall into ruin. Jan Václav thus built a new residence in Velké Dvorce – the Velké Dvorce Castle. In 1690, in his last will and testament, he created the family trusteeship (fideikomis) Přimda-Košátky.

The estate than passed to František Zdeněk (1659–1716) and his son František Václav (1689–1738), who moved their residence to Diana, where members of the Novohradsky branch later built the hunting lodge Diana, allegedly according to a design by the famous architect Jan Blažej Santini. The first recorded reference to the Castle comes from 1742. The estate was then administered by František Ferdinand (1714–1763). The last male heir of the trusteeship Přimda-Košátky was František Antonín (1739–1802), the last Count Novohradsky of Kolowraty. After his sister’s death the trusteeship passed to the last surviving member of the Kolowrat-Libstejnsky branch, Count František Antonín (1778–1861).

František Antonín Kolowrat Libstejnsky was undoubtedly one of the most significant members of the noblemen of Kolowraty. The Supreme Burgrave, critic of Prince Metternich, the Minister of State for the Interior and Czech patriot. After his death the trusteeship passed to the Novohradsky of Kolowraty – again to the last surviving member, this time of the Březno branch of Kolowrat-Krakowsky - Jan Nepomuk Karel, called Hanuš (1794–1872), pure patriot and philanthropist. After his death the property of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky family, i.e. the estate Týnec and Běšiny and the trusteeship of the Novohradsky of Kolowraty, passed to Leopold Kolowrat-Krakowsky (1852–1910). His uncle Theodor (younger brother of Leopold’s father) inherited the trusteeship of the Libstejnsky branch – the estate in Rychnovsko.

With the arrival of Leopold, the hunting lodge Diana once again became the residence of the noblemen of Kolowraty.

The Kolowrat Coat of Arms

The original Kolowrat coat of arms is a blue shield featuring a silver and blue halved eagle with a golden spring on her breasts. From the 15th century onwards a three-leaf golden crown has adorned the eagle’s neck.

The eagle of the Kolowrat family has changed little through the centuries and is one of the oldest Czech coats of arms.

The eagle first appeared in historical sources in 1205 on the coat of arms of a certain Mladota of Kolovraty. Its existence can be proven by seals from the first half of the 13th century. The original eagle image was kept by the Krakowsky branch of the Kolowrat family, the Libstejnsky branch added a label for Austria on the eagle’s breasts in 1624, and the Novohradsky branch exchanged the eagle for a double-headed silver and red lion. The granting of earldom in 1671 had no effect on the coat of arms' image.

The coat of arms is usually represented by the helm and the crest. The crest consists of closed eagle wings. The front wing is red with a golden spring and the rear wing is silver. The helm is decorated with red and silver mantling. The coat of arms is often accompanied by the family motto "Devotedly and Incessantly".

Important Persons

(†5th July 1391)

The documented and certified genealogical succession of the Lords of Kolowraty begins with Albrecht Sr., about whose parents is only known that they had a daughter, Přibyslava (†1379) as well. The origin of the family is, however, hidden somewhere in the shadows of antiquity. Historian chronicler, Dalimil, regarded Duke Vlastislavof Lucany as the first ancestor of the family, but there is no way to prove it today.

Several of Lord Albrecht´s seals have been preserved. A particularly intact seal from 1378 shows that he was using an eagle in the coat of arms and had two eagle wings in the jewel, the same symbol used by the Kolowrat family to the present day.

František Palacký indicated all families using the eagle in their symbols as Janovic and, from this family tree, many other families branched out: i.e. the Lords of Janovice,  Winterberg, Adlar, Žirotín, Žďár, Čejkas and the Dvořeckys of Olbramovice and of course the Lords of Kolowraty.

According to tradition and documentary forgeries, the Kolowrat family originates from the late 13th century and its birthplace is at Uhříněves near Prague where a fortress once stood. According to this forgery, a member of the Zosimir family of Kolowraty and of Průhonice is mentioned in 1297.

Albrecht´s name appears for the first time in historical materials in 1347, when he was among the witnesses of the Rožmitál sale and, two years later (1349), he is mentioned as Burgrave in Kadaň. He was the owner of Rocov from 1352.

In 1355 he accompanied the Czech King to the Imperial coronation in Rome. He experienced many adventures and dangers on the journey. On the return they even had to fight for their lives against rebels in Pisa. It was then that he made a vow that, if he survived, he would found a monastery for the St. Augustine's Order, which he later did.

Between 1361 and 1362 he was Marshal to Queen Anna Svídnická († 11 July 1362). At that time, he resided at Kornhaus and Žehrovice. In 1362 he was also mentioned as patron of the church in Hřivice. He is also mentioned in the villages of Očikov (1365), Bezděkov and Selmice (1368), Želec (1369) and Vlčkova Lhota (1371). In 1373 he became Commissioner (Hejtman) of the Crown feudality of Milín. From 1374 to 1380 Albrecht of Kolowraty was Commissioner of Vogtland, that is the area around the town of Plauen in Saxony. From 1381 to 1390 he was Assessor at the Provincial and Feudal Courts.

Lord Albrecht was married three times and, according to the available sources, fathered eight children. The first name is unknown of his first wife, with the maiden name of Hřivice. She gave birth to Jesek (mentioned in 1357, 1362 and 1363) and Anežka (mentioned in 1367). However, she died already in 1362. He remarried Anna of Seeberg, who is also known as Anna of Slavětín (mentioned from 1375 to 1380). The exact date of their marriage is unknown. According to Dolní Ročov monastery tradition, they both longed for male offspring.

They both independently had a dream in which the Virgin Mary appeared to them. She revealed to them that they had to found a monastery close to Ročov fortress at a location bordered by a golden thread. According to another version, the place was supposed to be covered with snow even in summer.

The couple received their anticipated male offspring — out of five children they had four sons:

(1369–1416)

(first mentioned in 1369 until 1413 or 1416)

We do not know when and where the son of Albert Sr. of Kolowraty (†1391) and Anna of Seeberg was born. His name appears for the first time in a Charter dated 1369 where he is listed as co-benefactor of a church in Ročov. He is also mentioned in 1379 as a tax-collector in the Pilsen region and in 1380 as co-founder of the Augustinian monastery in Dolní Ročov. Between 1383 and 1392, like his father before him, he was Governor (provincial administrator) of Vogtland in Saxony. He held the position of Governor in the Loket region from 1405 to 1412.

At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, he worked as an Assessor at the Municipal and Feudal Court. He was also a Judge at the Capital Court for the Pilsen and Žatec regions.

After his father´s death, he became master of Krašov Castle near Krakovice. However, from 1396 he was also resident at Kolešovice and Libštejn Castles which were obtained for the Kolowrats by his father in 1379. From 1397, he is mentioned at Bezděkov as well. In 1413 he became master of Jezeří.

He also resided in Hradiště, in Kozojedy and in Milíčov, where he was the patron of local churches. He was also patron in Obora (1405) and in Albrechtice (1410).

Albrecht Jr. married Katerina Tistava of Hedčany, who was most probably the daughter of the founder and builder of Libštejn Castle, Oldřich Tista of Hedčany ((†1379). They had sons, Bedřich ((†1432 in Libštejn), Hanuš I (died already in 1453) and probably Jan as well (mentioned 1416–1418), master of Bezděkov and Kolosovice, from whom the direct line of Lords and later the Earls Krakowsky of Kolowraty followed.

Albrecht Jr. thus was the ancestor of the Libštejnsky line and most probably of the Krakowsky line as well.

(mentioned 1479 – 1530)

Governor of Rakovník region (1502)

The highest Feudal Court Judge in Bohemia (1500–1510)

He was the only son of Albrecht of Kolowraty (1422–1470) and his second wife Barbara of Waldstein (mentioned 1469–1482), born in approx. 1459 according to some genealogists.

His half-sisters were assigned as guardians of Jindřich who was an orphan and a minor. He was also known as Čeněk Berka of Dubá. However Čeněk was not a good manager, he neglected Krakovec Castle, which deteriorated to the extent that its roof leaked so badly that some of the beams rotted. The turning point came in 1479 when Jindřich Albrecht reached adulthood and took Krakovec and other property over. To avoid potential problems associated with succession in feudal tenure, he asked King Vladislav II Jagellonsky to transfer his estate into allodial goods. In 1947 the King granted his wish and released Krakovec from feudal tenure. Therefore, the Castle was erased from feudal records and passed into family possession as a free hereditary property. However, until the 16th century, one feudal commitment remained for the Castle, which involved the obligation of the holder to attend to the Křivoklát Castle defence with four lancers when necessary and when compelled to do so.

In 1509 Jindřich Albrecht bought the whole of Libyně, Lhotsko and Hluboko villages from Jetřich of Gutštejn. In 1511 he financially supported the church in Rousínov. In 1509 it is stated that he held the estates of Krakovec, Kolešovice, Vysoká Libyně and Hostouň, which he received in 1497 after the death of his cousin, Ctibor Jr. of Volštejn. However, he later sold it to Kryštof of Gutštejn. In 1522 he is also mentioned as the owner of the Očihov and Soseň estates and as collateral holder of  Pochvalov goods. In 1503 he also bought a house in Loretánská Street (the present no. 178/11), which he combined with the neighbouring house. He also built a brewery below Krakovec Castle.

He married Kateřina of Wartenberg and Blankenstein (i.e. of Stráž and Blansko) before  1483. She is mentioned in documents between 1476 and 1487 as the daughter of Jan of Wartenberg and  Anna Dubská. Their marriage was blessed with four daughters (the name of the eldest is unknown, then Žofie, Ludmila and Anna) and three sons (Albrecht, Hynek and Jan).

(1503 – 1542)

Governor of Rakovník region (1540–1541, according to A. Sedláček 1531–1542)

The eldest son of Albrecht of Kolowraty (†1530)

The eldest son of Albrecht of Kolowrat (†1530) and Kateřina of Wartenberg and Blankenstein. After the death of their father, he and his brothers, Jan and Hynek, inherited part of Krakovec. In 1541, he is referred to as Lord of Kolešovice, Všesulov, Šípy and Slabce, then later of Rousínov, High Libyně and Dolany. At his own expense, about 1 530 stone fortresses were built in Podmokly (southwest of Křivoklát).

On 10 August 1530, the inherited wealth was split among the brothers. Albrecht received Libyně, Krakov, Všesulov and Šípy (10 km east of Krakovec), Slabce, Rousínov, Bělbožice and two barren fields in Holovousy with Dolanský dvůr in Všesulov (12 km southwest of Rakovník).

Krakovec Castle remained in the possession of all three brothers, with each inhabiting a separate part. However, in 1537 disputes began arising between them, ending on 26 May 1538, when Albrecht left his part of Krakovec Castle with a brewery, bakeries, tavern, garden, some forests and a pond, which supplied water to the Castle, to his brother, Jan. In exchange, the latter gave him his parts of the forests which bordered Albrecht´s forests. Albrecht then left Krakovec and moved to Všesulov with his whole family, where he had a fortress built (it was mentioned for the first time in 1542) and where he created a centre for his new estate.

Sometime prior to 1542, Sir Albrecht married Countess Barbora Schliková (1542 – 13.5.1570), daughter of Count Mikuláš Schlik and Barbora Schenková von Trautenberg. A son, Kryštof Jindřich (†2. 6.1596) and also possibly Bernard (†18.1.1576) and daughter Kateřina (†8.11.1581) were born from this marriage.

Sir Albrecht died in 1542 and was buried in the Church of St. Martin in Všesulov, where his wife and later his children were also buried. This church then became the burial place of this Krakowsky of Kolowraty family line for a long period of time. Five Renaissance stone figural tombstones for the Krakowsky of Kolowraty are preserved from 1575, 1576, 1582, 1592 and 1596. The widowed Barbora then ruled Všesulov until her son Kryštof Jindřich's coming of age.

(26th December 1700 – 14th June 1769)

51st  Czech Grand Prior of the Order of Malta (1754–1769)

Born to Earl Maxmilián Norbert Krakowský of Kolowrat (1660–1721) and Countess Marie Barbora of Wrbno and Freudenthal (1666–1712).

He was predestined for  the Order of Malta by his parents from the age of three. His studies focused on politics and the military. He joined the Order in 1731 and became Comtur and 3rd User of the Corpus Christi Commandery (Body of Christ) in Vratislav and Losiów (in what are called Family Commendams, commenda iuris patronatus, the members of the family for which they were established have exclusive rights over all other members of the Order).

He then spent several years in Malta with the Grand Master of the Order, Fra Manoel Pinto de Fonseca (1741–1773). Václav Emanuel must have become his favourite, as the Duke–Grand Master promoted him to the rank of Grand Bailiff and assigned the Hungarian Priory to him. When the Czech Grand Prior, Václav Jáchym Earl Čejka (Czeyka) of Olbramovice died on 5 July, Grand Master Pinto named Earl Kolowrat as the new Grand Prior in the Palace of the Order in Prague´s Lesser Town on 3 October 1754. It was also stated that, in addition to the Vratislav Family Commendam, he could also retain the Losiów Commendam. Prussian King Friedrich II, the new ruler of that part of Silesia, finally expressed his consent, even though he had initially had completely different plans and intentions for both commendams.

The new Czech Grand Prior then left Malta and returned to the Czech lands to take over the management of the Grand Priory. One of his first acts was to extend the Church of St. Mary of the Sorrows in Podsrpy near Strakonice, which had been built by his predecessor, Čejka. Pilgrimages to the Virgin Mary of Podsrpy had become very popular at that time, paradoxically weakening attendance to the other pilgrimage site of the Order of St. John the Baptist at Radomyšl. This even had economic consequences for the inhabitants of Radomyšl, where the previously thriving Guild of Gingerbread Bakers faded out, followed also by the Linen and Draper´s Guilds. On the other hand, thanks to the Grand Prior's munificence, the Radomyšl priest, Fra Mathias Mindlent (1762–1768) could repair the derelict rectory and agricultural hinterland. He started common land emphyteutic sales (based on the law of hereditary ownership) of dominical (feudal) land, which did not benefit the finances of the estate, especially with regard to the tax burden.

Besides the distinction of Grand Prior, Earl Emanuel Václav Krakowský of Kolowrat was also Chamberlain, Supreme Burgrave, Cavalry General and owner of the "Kolowrat" Dragoon Regiment, which saw action in the Seven Years' War. Grand Prior Earl Kolowrat was buried in the burial chamber in the Order's Church of St. Prokop at Strakonice Castle.

(21st January 1759 – 28th March 1833)

(5th June 1803 – 15th June 1873

58th Czech Grand Prior of the Order of the Knights of Malta (1867–1873)

Born to Earl Arnošt Josef Krakowský of Kolowrat (1174–1830) and Baroness Johana Helversenová of Helversheim (1176–1839).

After joining the Order, he held various positions, particularly the role of Receptor. Prior to his appointment as Grand Prior, he was appointed as Ambassador to the Imperial Court in Vienna by Fra Alessandro Borgia (1865–1872).

He was inducted as Grand Prior on 2 December 1867 at the Assembly of the Order and took charge of his office. Grand Prior František Xaver Earl Krakowský of Kolowrat achieved many distinctions. He was Supreme Burgrave and Chamberlain, he was Knight of the Order of Leopold and Comtur of the Portuguese Military Order of Christ. He became a Life Member of the Imperial House of Lords.

When he was not on the road or residing at the Viennese Court, he lived mainly in Strakonice, where he died and was buried in the crypt of the Church of St. Prokop in Strakonice.

His influence is also noted in the Order of the Maltese Knights' main Church of the Virgin Mary under the Chain in Prague's Malá strana where, on the epistle side of the wall above the first arch, his oval shield with a painted coat of arms on a gilded plate hangs on the side of a ship.

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