House of Auersperg
The House of Auersperg (Slovene: Auerspergi or Turjaški) is an Austrian princely family and formerly one of the most prominent European noble houses. The family originates from the comital line of Auersperg in the Duchy of Carniola during the Middle Ages and belongs to the high nobility (one of the Mediatised Houses, or former Sovereign families).
House of Auersperg
12th century
Carl Adolf
Wilhelm I
Auersperg-Breunner
Auersperg-Trautson
The Auerspergs held the rank of Princes of the Holy Roman Empire from 1653 and had an individual vote (Virilstimme) in the College of Princes of the Imperial Diet from 1664.[1] They also held at various times the duchies of Münsterberg and Gottschee. Following the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire 1806, their Imperial State was mediatised to the Grand Duchy of Baden. The Auerspergs remained one of the most prominent families in the Austrian Empire and later Austro-Hungarian Empire, most notably serving as generals, prime ministers of the western half of the empire (Minister-President of Cisleithania) and presidents of the Austrian House of Lords.
Principality of AuerspergFürstentum Auersperg
Goldegg Castle, Lower Austria
The Auerspergs were among the largest landowners in Carniola. In addition to Turjak Castle, which was their central possession, for centuries they were the owners of many other properties, both within and outside their territories. Among these were two Baroque palaces in the center of Ljubljana, Turjaška palača (Auersperg Palace) and Knežji dvorec, which means 'Princely Palace'. They were both damaged in the 1895 Easter earthquake, and the land was sold to the municipality. The Slovene National and University Library was built on the site of the Princely Palace in the 1930s, modelled on the latter's size and form. The City Museum of Ljubljana was opened at the Auersperg Palace in 1937.[6]
Palais Auersperg is a Baroque palace at Auerspergstrasse 1 in the Josefstadt or eighth district of Vienna. The palace was owned by the family from 1777 to 1953.
Turjak Castle and all the other Slovenian property was seized by the government of Yugoslavia in 1946. It has never been returned to the head of the family. However, other branches still own property in Austria and Southern Tyrol (Italy):