Pranckh

The family traces its origins back to Feistritz bei Knittelfeld in Styria, where it first appeared in documents dated 1135, when Wolfkerus de Branka testified an endowment made by his brother Pilgrim von Feistritz to the Benedictine Abbey of Admont.[5][4] They were knights of the free nobles of Feistritz-Traisen, which subsequently, under Adalram von Waldeck, a descendant of the Aribonids, founded the Augustinian Abbey of Seckau in 1140, which explains the family's close relationship with Seckau.[3] After their principals had become extinct, they became ministeriales of the territorial lords and provosts of Seckau, among them Arnold, Ortolf, who decreed renovations and new constructions of the Abbey, as well as Ulrich II. von Pranckh.[1] The family crypt was located in Seckau as well, where to this day the red marble tombs of the nobles Johannes Pranckhher von Pranckh and Ernst Pranckhher of Pranckh are preserved.[3]

The continuous succession of the family begins in 1242 with Ulrich von Pranckh. In 1298 the marriage between Friedrich von Pranckh and heiress Anna von Pux, descendant of the Saint Countess Hemma von Gurk was officiated. Anna von Pux brought her coat of arms, estates in Styria and Carinthia and the future ruling seat of the family, the castle of Pux, located at the upper bank of the Mur near Teufenbach.[6] However, the ruling seat was not moved to Pux until 1425. A different part of the family remained in St. Marein, which saw increased invasions of the Turks during these times – they however did not dare to attack the castle of Pranckh.[1]

In 1459, Ernst Pranckhher Knight von Pranckh zu Katsch awarded the Benedictine Admont of Abbey the right to collect tithe and the Zehenthof zu Petersdorf in St. Peter am Kammersberg to further underline the family's relation with the Abbey.[6] Furthermore, the family maintained close relations with the Benedictine Abbey of Göss by for instance providing abbesses.[7]

The Lower Austrian line of the family was established by Ernst von Pranckh zu Bockfliess, governor of the lower quarter under the Manhartsberg (Weinviertel).[6] Descendants include Eustachius von Pranckh zu Rickersdorf, who acquired the Veste Hof located at the river banks of the March. His son Friedrich von Pranckh later moved the castle to the higher situated location Hofberg and thus laid the foundation of Schloss Hof, later owned by Prince Eugene of Savoy.[8] As the oldest owners of Engelhartstetten, the community where Schloss Hof is located, two mutually crenellated red crossbars of the Lords of Pranckh are shown in the municipal coat of arms.[9]

The progenitor of the thriving line is Ulrich von Pranckh († 1416/1420), from whom onwards descending lines are fully established. Closer progenitor is Rupprecht von Pranckh († 1575). His son Roman founded the Salzburg line of the family by marrying Anna Susanna von Überacker, who belonged to Bavarian Uradel. In 1628, Emperor Ferdinand II elevated Johann Christoph Knight von Pranckh, member of the imperial war council and seneschal, Lord of Pux, Poppendorf, Rhine Valley and Frondsberg, together with all blood relatives, to hereditary Barons of the Holy Roman Empire (Reichsfreiherrenstand), and raised to Salzburg state estates in 1651. In 1719, the brothers Ferdinand Josef and Georg Wilhelm, Lord of Schönau, Hallenau and Zinzendorf were raised to Imperial Counts of the Holy Roman Empire (Reichsgrafenstand) by Emperor Charles VI.[3][6] At the beginning of the 19th century, however, the counts’ line became extinct. In 1765 Leopold Count von Pranckh, colonel and commander of the praiseworthy 2nd Bavarian district regiment, became Lord and Landmann of Salzburg.[6][10]

Siegmund Amadeus Freiherr von Pranckh (* 1768), descendant from the Salzburg branch of the family, following services in the Prince-Archbishopric of Salzburg and Austrian military, relocated his seat to Bavaria where he was appointed royal treasurer and lieutenant colonel.[4][10] His son Siegmund (* 1821) became the royal Bavarian Minister of War and General and initiated the extensive army reform of 1868. He was also significantly involved in the conclusion of the Treaty of Versailles in 1870 and was granted an endowment of 100,000 crowns from the war compensation awards for his achievements. In 1873 he returned to Styria to take over the allodial entailed rule Pux from Ludwig († 1880), the last descendant of the Styrian line at the time.[4]

As of today, the castles Pux, Hautzenbichl and Windern as well as the former cave castles Schallaun and Luegg are privately owned by the family.

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  Pux
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  Hautzenbichl
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  Windern
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  Schallaun and Luegg

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  Pranckh zu Pux coat of arms (Styrian Roll of Arms, 1567)
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  Barons von Pranckh zu Pux coat of arms (Austrian Monarchy Roll of Arms, 1840)
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  Counts von Pranckh zu Pux coat of arms (Austrian Monarchy Roll of Arms, 1837)
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  Counts von Pranckh zu Pux coat of arms (Roll of arms of royal and comital houses of the Austrian Monarchy, 1856)
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  Counts von Pranckh zu Pux coat of arms (Siebmacher's Roll of Arms of Salzburg Nobility, 1883)
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  Counts von Pranckh zu Pux coat of arms (Siebmacher's Roll of Arms of Lower Austrian Nobility, 1918)

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  Coat of arms of Engelhartstetten