Johann Rudolf, Count Chotek of Chotkow and Wognin


Johann Rudolf, Count Chotek of Chotkow and Wognin was an Austrian finance minister and Government President in the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Life

Johann Rudolf was born at Vienna, Habsburg Monarchy, the only son of Johann Karl, Count Chotek of Chotkow and Wognin and Countess Anna Maria Kottulinsky of Kottulin and Krzizkowitz.
In 1770 he served in the Lower Austrian government, and in 1776 he was Councilor at the chancellery. In 1788, he allegedly resigned on account of his health, but in fact did so because of his poor relationship with the Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph II.
Under the reign of Joseph II's successor Leopold II, in 1790 he was appointed president of the newly-constituted Finanzhofstelle. In 1793 he was dismissed, but in 1802 was elevated to Minister of State and Colonel Burgraves of Bohemia. He particularly superintended road construction, and established factories with English looms and spinning machines. From 1805 to 1809 he was a member of the ministry conference after the Treaty of Schönbrunn, President of the normal political Hofkommission in legislative matters.
In 1808, he was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Marriage and family

Johan Rudolf married on 18 May 1772 in Vienna to Countess Maria Sidonia of Clary and Aldringen, second daughter of Franz Wenzel, 1st Prince of Clary and Aldringen, and his wife, Countess Josepha of Hohenzollern-Hechingen.
They had eight children: