Origins and family ties of courtiers and officials of the Liechtenstein primogeniture in the years 1655-1712

The present study deals with questions concerning the aristocratic court of the princely House of Liechtenstein in the Baroque period. In particular, it investigates the question of the origins, family connections, and possible family strategies of the courtiers and highest officials of Princes Charles Eusebius († 1684) and John Adam I of Liechtenstein († 1712). For the Liechtensteins’ courtiers and officials, there is as yet no complete database with the necessary genealogical and professional data. This text, however, provides for the first time a substantial amount of detailed personal data about these persons. The necessary information comes primarily from parish registers. The court of the Princes of Liechtenstein was a cosmopolitan community with courtiers of different linguistic (ethnic) origins. In addition to Italians, there were cooks from France and even a tympanist from England. The court also employed personal barbers and saddlers from France. A quite specific and also cosmopolitan group at the court of the Princes of Liechtenstein were the private tutors and preceptors of the little princes and princesses, namely the French governess and the German Hofmeisterin. The dancing teachers came from Germany and Italy, and finally from France. There were also music teachers at court from German-language backgrounds. In addition to music, emphasis was placed on foreign language teaching, which was provided by native speakers of Italian and French. The unifying language of the Liechtenstein residence was German. However, this is a very general term, and its native speakers certainly did not come from one geographical area. The courtiers included people from Prussia, Bavaria, the Tyrol or the Czech lands. The prince was very exacting in choosing his lackeys, who came from various places, including present-day Slovenia and Upper Hungary. Some members of the court and senior officials at the Valtice residence, on the other hand, came from nearby places such as Valtice and Lednice. However, Czech could often be heard in the princely residence.