The Thun und Hohenstein family, also known as Thun-Hohenstein, belonged to the historical Austrian and Bohemian nobility. One branch of the family lived at Děčín, Bohemia, for more than 200 years.
History
A feudal family originally from Ton, Trentino, formerly an Italian speaking part of Tyrol, today part of the Trentino province of Italy, the male line traces back to Manfreinus of Tunno in 1187. In 1469 they became hereditary Cup-bearers of the Prince-bishopric of Trento and in 1558 of the Prince-bishopric of Brixen. All males of the family were granted the title of Baron in 1604, and Counts of the Holy Roman Empire in 1629. The title of Prince was conferred upon the head of the family, along with the style of Durchlaucht , in the Austrian Empire in 1911. They were hereditary members of the Austrian House of Lords, in right of possession of the entailed lordship of Tetschen since 1879. In 1621 the family acquired The Chateau at Klášterec nad Ohří, Bohemia, in 1629 :File:Jilove_DC_CZ_zamek_119.jpg|Eulau Castle, expropriated in 1946, in the second half of the 17th century :File:Decin.JPG|Děčín Castle, then the family's main seat until it was sold in 1932. Later they also acquired Choltice Castle and Benátky nad Jizerou Castle, and several palaces in Prague.
Of the three sons of Count Franz Anton and his wife Countess Theresia Anna Maria, the eldest, :de:Friedrich von Thun und Hohenstein|Friedrich von Thun und Hohenstein, entered the diplomatic service. After holding other posts he was in 1850 appointed president of the restored German Diet at Frankfurt, where he represented the anti-Prussian policy of Prince Felix Schwarzenberg, and often came into conflict with Prince Bismarck, who was the Prussianenvoy. He was afterwards ambassador at Berlin and St. Petersburg. After his retirement in 1863 from the public service in the Bohemian Landtag and the Austrian Reichsrat he supported the federal policy of his brother Leo. In 1879 he was made a hereditary member of the Upper House. In this position he was, on his death 24 September 1881, succeeded by his eldest son Franz.
Count Leopold von Thun und Hohenstein was a leading Austrian statesman who was later a minister in the cabinets of Schwarzenberg and Bach.
Franz Anton von Thun und Hohenstein
Count Franz Anton von Thun und Hohenstein, hrabě František Antonín z Thunu a Hohensteina was an Austro-Hungarian nobleman and statesman. He was Governor of his native Bohemia from 1889 to 1896 and again from 1911 to 1915. He was elevated to princely rank by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria on 19 July 1911. Leaving no sons, he was succeeded in the princely title by his brother Jaroslav.
Róża Maria Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein, usually shortened to Róża Thun, married Franz Graf von Thun und Hohenstein in 1981. She is a European Parliament Member from Poland since 2009.
