Fugger von Babenhausen
BurberryBrit said:
I wanted to know more about the history of the Fugger Babenhausens.
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
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