Wolfgang von Graben


Wolfgang von Graben, also Wolfgang de Groben and Wolfgang Grabenski was born in Kornberg castle, Styria and a member of the Austrian nobility. He held the titles as a Lord of Graben, Kornberg, Marburg, Obermarburg, Radkersburg and Viscount of Saldenhofen.

Biography

Wolfgang was a descendant of the Von Graben von Stein family, who descend from the Meinhardiner dynasty. His parents were Ulrich III von Graben and Agnes Närringer. Virgil von Graben was his cousin.
He was first named in 1470 as heritage Jörg II. Steinwalds of some manors of 30 styrian Stubenberg fiefs. In 1481 Fredericks III of Austria pledged him castle Gurnitz.
In 1483 von Graben moved to Holland where he married and from whom the sons Pieter and Abraham were born; both sons called Graeff resp. Op den Graeff. Graeff was the Dutch spelling of Von Graben in the 14 and 15th century. Pieter Graeff, who became the ancestor of the Dutch Graeff/De Graeff family. In the Diploma of Nobility from 19 July 1677 loaned to Andries de Graeff, it was affirmed that the family de Graeff was formerly called von Graben, which is the same as de Graeff. This family today shows the same coat of arms as the De Graeff family.
Returning to Austria in 1485, Wolfgang became one of the emperor Fredericks mayor captains in the war against Matthias Corvinus.
In 1489 Von Graben succeeded his father as lord of Marburg, castle Obermarburg and the citypalace Marburg an der Drau. In the following zear he succeeded his cousin Georg Breuner as lord of some smaller styrian and imperial fiefs. In the same year he was in of castle Neidenstein.
Later he became burggraf of Saldenhofen, bailiff of Bad Radkersburg and Tabor and since 1510 as successor of his brother Andre von Graben of Slovenj Gradec.
In 1509 he was made advisor to Emperor Maximilian I of Austria.
In 1520 he inherited together with his brothers Andre and Wilhelm von Graben Schloss Graben near Novo Mesto in Carniola.

Descendants of Wolfgang von Graben

During the Dutch Golden Age the Graeffs said that they descend from Wolfgang von Graben, who was in Holland in 1483. In the Diploma of Nobility from 1677 loaned to Andries de Graeff it was affirmed that the family De Graeff was formerly called von Graben.