Princely House of Fugger von Babenhausen
 

I wanted to know more about the history of the Fugger Babenhausens.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards.

Fugger von Babenhausen
 

The Fugger family originated in Swabia and can be traced back to 1357 or 1367. The family was involed in commerce in the mid-to-late 1400s, and became bankers and industrialists in the early 1500s.

Jacob Fugger (1459-1525) became the most famous member of the dynasty. He was made a Count of the Holy [Roman] Empire in 1514, and in 1519 made a loan to the Habsburg Charles V which enabled Charles to procure the election as Holy Roman Emperor over Francis I of France. Jacob is considered to be one of the richest persons of all time.

The line of Fugger von Babenhausen was founded by another Count Jacob (1542-1598). The title of Prince of the Holy Empire was granted in 1803 when Babenhausen was elevated to a Principality.

The Head of this branch and his wife bear the title of Fürst and Fürstin [Prince and Princess] Fugger von Babenhausen with the qualification of Serene Highness; cadet members bear the title of Graf or Grafin [Count or Countess] Fugger von Babenhausen, Illustrious Highness.

Hubertus Viktor, 8th Fürst Fugger von Babenhausen (b 1946) married 1977 Princess Alexandra (b 1948), the daughter of the Fürst zu Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Spielberg. They have five children:

Leopold, Erbgraf [Hereditary Count] Fugger von Babenhausen, b 1980
Count Alexander, b 1981
Count Nikolaus, b 1993
Countess Franziska, b 1979
Countess Anastasia, b 1986

The family residences: Fuggerschloss Babenhausen, Swabia; Die zwei Fuggerhäuser ("the two Fugger houses"), Dillingen a. d. Donau; Fuggerschloss Kirchheim, Swabia; Fuggerschloss, Oberkirchberg, B-W; Fuggerschloss Wellenburg, Augsburg, Bav.

Here is a pic taken in 2004, courtesy Seegerpress, showing Fürst Hubertus and Fürstin Alexandra (L) with the Duchess of Marlborough (R);
and Schloss Babenhausen, cortesy www.ireg.de

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...d/b7c227d4.jpg http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...d/2b13625a.jpg

Thank you very much!

I believe there are/were two other branches - Fugger von Gloett, and Fugger of Kirchberg and Weissenhorn. Are they still extant? Presumably they are descended from the famous Jacob too?

Fugger Branches
 

The "famous Jacob" (d 1525) left no descendants. The sons of an earlier Jacob Fugger were given the right to bear Arms by Emperor Frederick III in 1473, and the lines descend from these sons.

Line I
Fugger von Kirchberg - extinct in the male line 1968
Founded by Raimund, Count of Kirchberg and Weissenhorn (1480-1535)

Clemens, Graf Fugger von Kirchberg und zu Weissenhorn (1905-1968)
had an only child:
> Countess Marie Elisabeth (b 1948), known from 1969 as 'Thun-Hohenstein-Countess Fugger von Kirchberg und zu Weissenhorn'
m 1969 Jaroslav, Count von Thun und Hohenstein.

Line II
Founded by Anton, Count Fugger von Kirchberg und zu Weissenhorn (1493-1560); the two branches below descend from his sons.

First Branch: Fugger von Glött - extinct in the male line 1981

Josef Ernst, 2nd Fürst Fugger von Glött (1895-1981)
married (1) 1920 (div 1943) Princess Stephanie of Hohenzollern; adopted his nephew:

Albert, Count Fugger von Glött, formerly Count von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (b 1932), adopted 1961;
name legally changed and acknowledged by the Family Elders 1962 with equal status to the other Heads of the Family;
married 1961 Baroness Elisabeth von Hertling (b 1932); issue incl
> Count Ulrich (b 1963)

Second Branch: Fugger von Babenhausen

(see previous post)

Fugger - few more:

Branch 1. FUGGER VON KIRCHBERG - the members of this line bear the title Graf/Gräfin Fugger von Kirchberg u.zu Weißenhorn (Illustrious Highness).

Branch 2. FUGGER VON GLÖTT - the members of this line bear the title Graf/Gräfin Fugger von Glött (Illustrious Highness).

Branch 3. FUGGER VON BABENHAUSEN - the members of this line bear the title Graf/Gräfin Fugger von Babenhausen (Illustrious Highness).

Genealogy: http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/fugger.html
and http://www.gen.heinz-wember.de/fugger/Anton1493.htm

The Fuggers have established themselves in the US business community in recent years.
Prince Hubertus Fugger owns Barnsley Gardens Resort, a high-end resort in northeast georgia that made Conde Nast's Top Ten Small Luxury Resorts list a couple of years ago.
Countess Mariela (a condensation of her given name Maria Elisabeth) Fugger owns a large pecan orchard in Perry Georgia. On this farm she also has a stables operation with one of her horses (Black Vengence) becoming an International Grand Champion in one of the walking horse divisions.

Very interesting information. I knew that "our" prince of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg (I live in Oettingen) has had business interests in the US together with his in-laws but didn't know what these are. I guess he is doing it with Prince Hubertus who is married to "our" princes's sister.

I still remember when I was a child I saw the wedding of one of the Oettingen-princesses - maybe that was the "Fugger"-wedding as it could have been 1977.

Franziska is married to an Argentinian soccer player.

Here's a link to a small pic of her from Yahoo/worldroots

http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs4...ringwedd13.jpg

Leopold Fugger von Babenhausen (hereditary Graf) will marry Annina Kammer this summer.

Augsburger Allgemeine has a portrait of Princess Gunilla Fugger for her 90th birthday.

http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/...geid,4498.html

This is interesting the more I come here the more I start to see and hear of dynastic houses I have never heard of before.Happy belated birthday to the princess wow 90 yrs.of age and still kicking what an amazing blessing hope she has more birthdays.

Fugger emigrates to Canada in the 1800's ?
 

My mother always had the portrait of Jacob Fugger on the wall when i was growing up. The family lore was that her father, Henry Harris Fudger, was a descendant of the Fuggers. He owned Simpsons department store in Toronto around 1920. He anglcized his name from Fugger to Fudger.

Though I traveled to Augsburg to trace the genealogy, i didn't find it then, though I had a very nice visit at the Fugger castle just outside of Augsburg.

Anyway, I wonder if you, much more skilled in research than i, have access to any record of a branch of the Fugger family eventually settling in Canada in the late 1800's.

Thank you for your attention.

I update my post concerning Fugger-Babenhausen family.

Hochzeit im Hause Fugger - Oktober 1977 in Oettingen in Bayern

Den Traualtar stiftete der Brautvater.

Die kleine Residenzstadt Oettingen im Ries erlebte am Wochenende die schwäbische Traumhochzeit des Jahres. Mit weißen Orchideen im Brautstrauß, im schneeweißen Kleid und mit rund 10 Meter langem Spitzenschleier betrat am Samstag (22.10.1977) Prinzessin Alexandra Maria von Oettingen-Spielberg (29) am Arm ihres Bruders Fürst Albrecht die Pfarrkirche St. Sebastian. Vor dem Hochaltar vermählte Abt Vitalis Maier von Ottobeuren die Prinzessin mit Hubertus Victor Graf Fugger-Babenhausen (31).

Das Hauptportal der St. Sebastians-Kirche glich am Samstagmittag einer belagerten Festung. Viele hundert Zuschauer drängten sich um den von fürstlichen Revierförstern in Gala-Uniform abgesperrten Eingang. Die zahlreichen Hochzeitsgäste, die Braut und ihr Bruder, Fürst Albrecht, mussten sich durch die Menschen-masse den Weg zur Kirche bahnen. Die kleinen Schleppenträger und -trägerinnen in Pagenkleidung hatten Mühe, in der Menge den langen, kostbaren Brautschleier zu entfalten.

Unter den ersten Klängen von Mozarts Missa brevis geleitete Fürst Albrecht
Prinzessin Alexandra Maria vor den Altar zu Graf Hubertus. Den Altar hatte vor einigen Jahren der Brautvater, der verstorbene Fürst Alois, der Pfarrgemeinde gestiftet. Die Kirche prangte verschwenderisch im Blumenschmuck. In den Farben des fürstlichen Hauses Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Spielberg waren blaue Iris, gelbes Herbstlaub und rote Gerbera kunstvoll arrangiert worden. Über die acht Stufen vom Kirchenschiff bis zum Altar wallte die Spitzenschleppe der Braut. Abt Vitalis überbrachte Grüße und Segenswünsche vom Augsburger Diözesanbischof Dr. Josef Stimpfle und vollzog die Trauung. Fast unhörbar hauchte die Braut ihr Jawort.

Empfang in der Residenz

Nach dem feierlichen Auszug empfing das Paar in der Residenz die Gäste zur Gratulationscour. Ihre Glückwünsche überbrachten dabei auch der bayerische Wirtschaftsminister Anton Jaumann, Schwabens Regierungspräsident Frank Sieder und Augsburgs Oberbürgermeister Hans Breuer. Bei den Hochzeitsfeierlichkeiten nicht anwesend sein konnte der Vater des Bräutigams, da er - so die offizielle Erklärung - an einer "chronischen Erkrankung" leidet.

Wedding in the house Fugger - October 1977 in Oettingen in Bavaria

The bride father donated the wedding altar. The small Residenzstadt Oettingen in the Ries experienced the Swabian dream wedding of the yearly on weekend. With white Orchideen in the Brautstrauß, in the snow-white dress and with approximately 10 princess Alexandra Maria von Oettingen Spielberg (29) at the arm of her brother prince Albrecht the parish church pc. Sebastian entered meters long point veil on Saturday (22.10.1977). Before the high altar vermählte abbott Vitalis Maier of Ottobeuren the princess with Hubertus Victor count Fugger Babenhausen (31). The Hauptportal of the pc. Sebastians church resembled one at Saturday noon besieged fortress. Many hundred spectators pushed themselves around the entrance closed off by fürstlichen Revierförstern in Gala uniform. The numerous wedding guests, the bride and her brother, prince Albrecht, had to clear by the people mass the way to the church. The small dragging carriers and - carrier inside in PAGE clothes had trouble to unfold in which quantity the long, precious Brautschleier. Under the first sounds of the Mozarts Missa brevis led prince Albrecht Princess Alexandra Maria before the altar to count Hubertus. The bride father, the deceased prince Alois, the Pfarrgemeinde had donated the altar some years ago. The church prangte wastefully in the flower decoration. In the colors of the fürstlichen house Oettingen Oettingen and Oettingen Spielberg blue iris, yellow autumn leaves and red Gerbera ornate had been arranged. Over the eight stages from the church ship to the altar wallte point-drag the bride. Abbott Vitalis brought greetings and benediction desires of Augsburger the Diözesanbischof Dr. Josef Stimpfle and carried out the wedding. Nearly inaudibly the bride their word of consent hauchte. Receipt in the residence After the solemn excerpt the pair in the residence received the guests to the Gratulationscour. Her congratulations brought thereby also the Bavarian minister of economics Anton Jaumann, of Swabia head of the provincial government Frank Sieder and Augsburg mayor Hans Breuer. With the wedding ceremonies to be present the father of the bridegroom could not, since he - so the official explanation - " at one; chronic Erkrankung" suffers.

I was wondering why Hubertus is Fürst while he has an elder brother who married a Princess de Polignac. The online gotha says that he renounced his rights in 1970 (before his marriage), does anybody know the reason for this decision?

It seems to be a Fugger-thing. Hubertus and his two sons have decided as well that the second born son is going to be heir of both title and estate of the family, while his elder brother is given only the part of the inheritance that he has a right to according to German law. As Hubertus said in 2009, when the change of heir took place (with the sons being 27 and 29 years old): The Fugger have always believed that the ability of family members is more important than the right of first birth. It was not possible to react like that in times of the monarchy, as the laws of nobility bind them, but since then it has always been the son who was judged to be the most able who inherited.

So I guess Hubertus was believed to be more able thanh his elder brother and if it is true what I found, then the older brothers have acceped that.

:previous:
What an interesting situation.
Has there ever been an example of a younger brother inheriting in this family, or is it a relatively new tradition?

I don't know. But in 1968 the inheritance of the Fugger line of Kirchheim-Weißenhorn went to Countess Maria-Elisabeth, the only child of the Count Georg Fugger of Kirchheim and Weißenhorn, who is married to a Count of Thun and Hohenstein instead of reverting to the next male line heir. That was the first time a daughter inherited. So I guess the Fugger are pretty modern in that...

In 1961 the second Fürst Fugger zu Glött adopted his nephew, Count Arco-Zinneberg, the son of his siter Marie as his heir, including name change from Arco-Zinneberg to Fugger zu Glött.