Mathias Franz Graf von Chorinsky Freiherr von Ledske

Mathias Franz was a descendant of an eminent and ancient Bohemian-Moravian-Silesian noble house well known in this region since the 15th century, with earlier origins leading from the Piast dynasty of Poland and a Chorynski branch of the "Abdank szlachta" nobility,[1][2][4][9][10][11][12][13] in 1293 two noble Knight’s Babeslaus de Chorinsky and his son Laticus de Chorinsky served at the court of Henry V, Duke of Legnica and Duke of Silesia, seated in the Duchy of Silesia.[1][4]

The earliest known ancestral seat or estate, among many others later acquired across the Bohemian-Moravian-Silesian lands, was Chorin (Choryně) with its dominion in the Zlin region (Zlínský kraj) and Fortress Ledske with its dominion in the Königgrätz region (Hradec Králové Region) where today only remnants of the fortification can be found,[1][9][13][14] today the municipality is named Velká Ledská (Great Ledska) in the present-day Czech Republic.

Already established and recognized for centuries and highly esteemed within the Holy Roman Empire, Mathias Franz together with his equally eminent brothers[6] were each venerated for their own exceptional services to the Bohemian Crown and elevated as the first Counts of Chorinsky on 12 December 1761 by Empress of the Holy Roman Empire and Archduchess Maria Theresa in her sovereignty as Queen regnant of Bohemia.[1][2][3][4][8]

On 3 April 1798 the House of Chorinsky-Ledske were named chief banner-bearers (German Oberst-Erblandpanier-Träger) of the peerage of Bohemia.[1][2][4]

Blazon, altered and adopted post-1761: Gold (Or) shield, with two bison horns centred within, the right bison horn is black (Sable) with three silver (Argent) crayfish claws attached outwards, the left bison horn is silver (Argent) with three black (Sable) crayfish claws attached outwards, the shield (or mantel surrounding if present) is crowned with a nine pearl count-coronet ranking. The coat of arms is often found with a mantel surrounding; a purple cloak with ermine lining, tasselled and fringed with gold (Or) string, and shield supporters being two human male figures.

Some variations of the coat of arms are also seen with the addition of the bison horns represented again surmounted above a two-pearled leafed crown resting on a front facing barred Knight's helmet with jewelled necklace (a similar blazon as found on the original coat of arms borne prior to addition of the count-coronet ranking post-1761).

As name spellings were historically fairly fluid, especially given the different languages used in the region, the main name of "Chorinsky" is also sometimes found in documents as Chorynski, Chorensky, Chorenski, Chorynsky and Chorinska (the last being a female form), and "Ledske" is found as Ledska, Ledetz and Letske.

Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis (née Gräfin von Schönburg-Glauchau), of the German Princely House of Thurn und Taxis, has paternal ancestors from the House of Chorinsky-Ledske. Her paternal great-great-grandfather is Victor Paul Graf von Chorinsky Freiherr von Ledske (1883–1901) and her paternal great-grandmother is Franziska (Fanny) Anna Gräfin von Chorinsky Freiin von Ledske (1876–1963).

Veseli castle is located at Veseli nad Moravou.

Photos

The castle was once part of the count's family estates. It is a private restoration project supervised by the Czech Heritage Institute. Once a former moated 13th century castle, the castle and its estate were inherited in 1731 by Mathias Franz' father, Franz Karl Baron of Chorinsky and Ledske. It was later occupied by descendants of Mathias Franz' brother Franz Johann until April 1945. The estate was then confiscated by the state of Czechoslovakia, and this branch of the family fled to Austria.