The Coat of Arms of the Thun-Hohenstein Family

The Family Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of the Thun-Hohenstein family consists of a gold slanting beam against an azure background. The helmet shows two blue buffalo horns, each with a blue, diagonal beam. The crest is in azure and gold.

Unification of different coats of arms

After the line of the Counts of Eschenlohe [1] died out at the start of the 14th century, the Counts of Tyrol initially received their coat of arms [2] and their holdings. Since Königsberg Castle was granted by Duke Friedrich IV to Simon von Thun and his son, Balthasar , at the start of the fifteenth century, it has been in the possession of the Thuns. On 22 May 1516 [3], Bernhard von Thun received permission from Emperor Maximilian I to incorporate the coat of arms of Königsberg into the Thuns' own coat of arms, thus recording the increase in their holdings in the Thun family's coat of arms. [4] This coat of arms remained in use until the family's elevation to the status of Counts in 1629 and is as divided into quarters, as follows: Fields 1 and four show a gold, diagonal bar against an azure background in reference to the family's original coat of arms. Fields 2 and 3 are divided, and at the front contain a displayed and expanded red (gules) eagle edged in black with a silver crossbar against a black (sable) background in reference to Königsberg. Above the coat of arms is a crowned helmet with two blue buffalo horns with golden oblique bars. The crest is in azure and gold. On the left hand side, there is a crowned helmet, with a red eagle displayed and expanded red (gules) eagle and a silver crossbar against a black (sable) background. The crest is in red and silver or black and silver.

Unification with the Caldes and the current Thun-Hohenstein Coat of Arms

As early as 14 July 1464, the entire estate of Pretel von Caldes came into the possession of the Thuns by way of gift decree. [5] Pretel von Caldes, who was himself without issue, transferred all his possessions to Sigmund's sons, Simon , Jakob and Balthasar . [6] In December 1603, the patriarchs of the various branches of the family [break] laid claim to a barony and simultaneously sought the incorporation of the Caldes coat of arms into the family's own [7], which was settled on 9 March 1604 by Archduke Maximilian when they were elevated to the rank of baron. approved. [8] As, however, the Caldes coat of arms was the same as that of the Austria, it was agreed that a red star would be added to the white transom. The Thun-Hohenstein family declined to add the star, and in the list of nobles that appeared in 1629, the star had in fact disappeared. [9] The contemporary coat of arms of the Thun-Hohenstein family is divided into quarters and contains an additional, silver escutcheon with a red (gules) transom. Fields 1 and four show a gold, diagonal bar against an azure background. Fields 2 and 3 are divided, and at the front contain a displayed and expanded red (gules) eagle edged in black with a silver transom against a black (sable) background. Three golden crowned helmets are arranged above: with two blue buffalo horns on the right, accompanied by an oblique right-angle and sloping beam; in the centre with a rearing (forcené) unicorn; left and front a displayed and expanded red (gules) eagle against a silver background and a silver transom against a black (sable) background. The crests are a mixture of blue and gold, red and silver, and black and silver. [DL] General information on heraldry

Bibliography

Ausserer, Carl: Der Adel des Nonsberges (The Nobility of the Nonsberg). With 72 illustrations of castles, coats of arms, and seals. In: Jahrbuch der k.k. heraldischen Geselleschaft (Yearbook of the Royal Heraldic Society); Vol. 9, Vienna 1899. pp.13-241. Gluckselig, Legis: Denkwürdigkeiten des Grafenhauses Thun-Hohenstein (Memorabilia of the House of Thun-Hohenstein) Festgabe zu dem achtzigsten Geburtstag seiner Excellenz des hochgeborenen Herrn Franz Grafen von Thun-Hohenstein, Prague 1866. (On the occasion of the 80th birthday of His Excellency, Franz Count of Thun-Hohenstein) Haidacher, Christoph: Die Grafen von Eschenlohe-Hertenberg (The Counts of Eschenlohe-Hertenberg). Ein Beispiel für die Adelspolitik Meinrads II., gesehen unter dem Blickwinkel der Landeswerdung Tirols, in: Tiroler Heimat. (An example of Meinrad II's policy on the nobility from the perspective of Tyrol) in Tiroler Heimat: Jahrbuch für Geschichte und Volkskunde (The Tyrolean Homeland: Yearbook of History and Folklore); Vol.57, Innsbruck 1993, p.7-16.