House of Hohenberg | |
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Coat of arms of the Dukes of Hohenberg
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Titles | Duke of Hohenberg Prince of Hohenberg |
Founded | 1900 |
Founder | Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg |
Current head | Georg, Duke of Hohenberg |
House of Hohenberg |
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HH The Duke
Extended family
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The Ducal House of Hohenberg is an Austrian noble family that descends from Countess Sophie Chotek (1868–1914), who in 1900 married Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Este (1863–1914), the heir presumptive to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As their marriage was a morganatic one, none of their children were in the line of succession to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Still, they represent the senior agnatic line of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
The House of Hohenberg was established by imperial decree of Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria when, upon the couple's marriage in 1900, he created Francis Ferdinand's wife Fürstin von Hohenberg (Princess of Hohenberg) in her own right with the style of Durchlaucht (Serene Highness) and the specification that this name and title should also be borne by her descendants.
In 1909, the Emperor raised Sophie to the more senior title of Herzogin von Hohenberg (Duchess of Hohenberg) with the superior style of Hoheit (Highness). Since that title had been granted ad personam, it expired upon Sophie's assassination in 1914.
In 1917, Emperor Charles of Austria granted the eldest son of Francis Ferdinand and Sophie the title of "Duke" with the style of Highness. The other members of the family retained the titles of "Prince" or "Princess" with the lesser style of Serene Highness. Thus, Maximilian became the first "Duke of Hohenberg", with the dukedom being hereditary according to primogeniture in the male line. Following the collapse of the monarchy, the Austrian nobility, along with hereditary titles and such nobiliary particles as "von", were abolished by law in 1919.