Burggraf von Saldenhofen

**Burggraf auf (von) Saldenhofen** (english: _Burgrave of Saldenhofen_) was an austrian-styrian administrative title during the Middle Ages. The title was also used as _Pfleger_ (sort of a _Viscount_).

## History

Saldenhofen (today's Vuzenica) is located in the historical region of Lower Styria (Untersteiermark / Spodnja Štajerska). Its in present-day Slovenia. The village was first mentioned in 1238 and is one of the oldest settlements in the valley. It had a stregis significance. The Habsburg rulers of Austria (Styria) left Saldenhofen to burgraves (Burggrafen or Pfleger). They administer and secure the valley.

### House of Graben

The **Graben zu Kornberg** family held the title of **Burggraf von (auf) Saldenhofen** _(Burgrave of Saldenhofen)_ between 1494 and 1509. It started in 1494, when Wolfgang von Graben and his two brothers Wilhelm and Andree von Graben. They negotiated with the Roman-German King Maximilian I about the Glauning forest (municipality of Sankt Peter am Ottersbach). That including villages, farmers and two ponds. In return, they became owners of the lordship and the castle of Saldenhofen. In 1498 Wolfgang was named imperial burggraf of Saldenhofen. In 1509 Sigmund von Eibiswald became the new lord.

The Graben-titles _Burggraf von (auf) Saldenhofen, Herr von Kornberg, Marburg, Obermarburg, Radkersburg, Neudenstein, Weinberg und Graben_, were not passed on from Wolfgang von Graben zu Kornberg († 1521) to his son Peter von Graben "Graeff" (* 1450/60). In 1476, Wolfgang and young Peter went to Holland in the entourage of Archduke Maximilian of Austria (the later Holy Roman Emperor). Peter stayed in Holland and took the name _(Pieter)_ _Graeff_. In the 15th century that was the dutch translation of the german name _Graben_. For certain reasons (illegitimate, renunciation?), Pieter was not entitled to inherit. The titles and honors passed to Wolfgang's younger brothers Andree von Graben († 1521), possibly Georg von Graben († 1522), and Wilhelm von Graben († 1523).

#### Burggrafen Von Graben

|width="20%"|Portrait|width="20%"|Name|width="20%"|Titles|width="10%"|State|width="10%"|Start term|width="10%"|End term|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
||Wolfgang von Graben († 1521)|_lord of Graben, Kornberg, the lordship Marburg with Obermarburg and Maribor Castle, Radkersburg, Neudenstein, Weinberg and burggrave (viscount) of Saldenhofen_|Austria|1494|1509|||||||
||Andree von Graben († 1521)|_lord of Kornberg, burggrave (viscount) of Saldenhofen_|Austria|1494|1498|||||||
||Wilhelm von Graben († 1523)|_lord of Graben, Kornberg, the lordship Marburg with Obermarburg and Maribor Castle and burggrave (viscount) of Saldenhofen_|Austria|1494|1498|||||||

### House of Graeff

Pieter Graeff had one son, Jan Pietersz Graeff (before 1500 - 1553). Hw founded various lines of the family De Graeff:

- De Graaff (Holland; later also in Prussia)
- Graeff / De Graeff / De Graeff van Polsbroek (mainly in Amsterdam; later also in South Africa)
- (De) Graeff / Gräff (Holland; later also in Saxony, Austria)

The members of the two older family lines had no claim to the titles of Wolfgang von Graben. The line to Amsterdam itself had various titles: _Vrijheer van Zuid-Polsbroek, Purmerland en Ilpendam_. The situation is different with the younger Austrian Gräff line, which has claimed the following titles and honors since at least the early 19th century: _Burggraf von (auf) Saldenhofen_ (Vuzenica), _Herr von Kornberg, Marburg_ (Maribor/Marburg an der Drau), _Obermarburg, Radkersburg, Neudenstein, Weinberg und Graben, Patrizier von Amsterdam_.

The austrian Gräff family held the title of **Burggraf von (auf) Saldenhofen** (Burgrave of Saldenhofen) since the late 19th century. The claim goes back to Lambert Gräf, OSB (1848-1933). Lambert was childless. He gave this title to his greatnephew Josef Gräff (1886-1950). Josef later gave it to his son Rudolf Gräff (1919-2006). He never claimed the title during his lifetime. His descendants also never used the title.