Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein

Karl I (30 July 1569 – 12 February 1627) was the first member of the Liechtenstein family to become a monarch of Liechtenstein; thus, he was the founder of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. Through his political activity Prince Karl I von Liechtenstein created the basis for the rise of the House of Liechtenstein to become one of the leading noble families of the Habsburg Monarchy. In 1608 he was the first of the family to be raised to the rank of prince, and acquired the Silesian duchies of Troppau (Opava) and Jägerndorf (Krnov). He was influenced in his taste for the arts by Emperor Rudolf II and gave commissions to major artists at the imperial court. Karl was the elder son of Hartmann II, Baron of Liechtenstein (1544–1585) and his wife, Countess Anna Maria of Ortenburg (1547–1601). Emperor Rudolf II of the Holy Roman Empire appointed Karl as chief intendant (Obersthofmeister), an important position at his court. Karl held this position until 1607. In a dispute over land between Rudolf II and the heir presumptive to the throne, Archduke Matthias, Karl sided with Matthias. Liechtenstein played a leading role as adviser and supporter of Matthias in the coup against Emperor Rudolf II. Now-Hungarian King Matthias made him a hereditary prince in 1608, in thanks for Karl's aid. In his politics and assertiveness as advisor to Matthias, he rivaled Melchior Khlesl, Bishop of Vienna, who ultimately prevailed over Liechtenstein and became the new minister-favourite of King and later Emperor Matthias. He became a Catholic in 1599. In 1605, Karl established the first branch north of the Alps of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, at Feldsberg in Lower Austria (now Valtice, Czech Republic).

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Category:1569 births
Category:1627 deaths
Category:17th-century princes of Liechtenstein
Category:Knights of the Golden Fleece
Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Lutheranism
Category:Liechtenstein princes
Category:Princes of Liechtenstein