6 Abstract This diploma thesis deals with the life story of Ernest Prince of Schwarzenberg (1892- 1979). The 20th century was a century of upheavals and changes. All events of this hectic century are significantly reflected in Ernest's life. Ernest was born into the aristocratic family of Schwarzenberg, whose roots date back to the early 12th century. Members of Schwarzenberg's family held important position under the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. On this basis, Ernest received a proper upbringing and education. During the World War II he was a soldier on the front lines in Poland and Italy, but he also served in the imperial court in Vienna. After 1918, Schwarzenberg had to find its place in civil society in newly formed Czechoslovakia. In 1936, due to inheritance from his uncle Frederick II., Ernest became a landowner and tried to take care of his estate in Tochovice. During the World War II he had to defend Tochovice before Nazi rule and after the war he had to defend himself and his Czech nationality. After 1948, Ernest remained as the only one of the Schwarzenberg's family in communist Czechoslovakia. He lost all his assets, twice ended up in a communist prison, and yet refused to leave the country. The aim of this diploma thesis was to show the life and fate of Ernest Schwarzenberg with all the twists,...

The diploma thesis "Colloredo-Mansfeld in the 20th Century " describes the fate of the Austrian aristocracy, especially since the collapse of Austria-Hungary. It also recounts the evolution of the newly rising Czechoslovak Republic, and focuses on the problems that land reforms brought to the nobility. Other chapters depict the members of the family, namely Josef Colloredo-Mansfeld, the owner of the estate of the Colloredo-Mansfeld family, his brother Jeroným Hubert and his four sons Josef, Vicard, Jeroným and Bedřich. The Second World War indelibly affected the lives of these brothers, their property was confiscated by Germans and the family was gravely persecuted as well. After the war, they hoped in vain for the return of their possessions, which were, however, confiscated under the Benes Decrees. All their hopes faded with the Victorious February in 1948, when situation became unbearable for them, resulting in their emigration. Considerable changes were brought about by the fall of the communist regime in 1989. Restitution laws were issued and their estates were returned to them. Presently, there is still a long-lasting dispute over the Opocno castle , claimed by the heiress of Josef Colloredo-Mansfeld, Kristina from the Czech Republic.

The topic of the dissertation is the Theresian Institute for Noblewomen at Prague Castle, which from its founding by Maria Theresa in 1755 served as an institute for unmarried women of the old noble families. The dissertation maps out the development of the institution from its founding until its complete dissolution at the beginning of the 1950s, both within the broader historical context as well as in comparison with other such institutes for the care of ladies, particularly in Brno, Innsbruck, Graz and Vienna. It analyses the character of the foundation, its internal structure and the form of its economic provision while also focusing on the practical functioning of the institute, its significance in society and the everyday lives of its members. The dissertation represents a contribution to better understanding the social role of unmarried noblewomen in Habsburg society. In a broader context it illustrates the transformation of noble society in the second half of the 18th century and in the "long 19th century" as well as its fate in the confrontation with the changing relations in Czechoslovakia's first republic and finally with the totalitarian regimes in the first half of the 20th century.

The main aim of the thesis is to present an analysis of the younger Bohemian branch of Sternberg dynasty. The author follows the life of Zdeněk Sternberg († 1900) in his role of an owner and a successful caretaker of the dominions of Radnice, Český Šternberk and Jemniště. Furthermore, the problematic of aristocratic marriages is reconstructed through studying the fates of his sons Alois († 1907) and Filip († 1924). This theme was supplemented by identifying those values which were of consequence when an adequate partner for a member of aristocracy was sought. The problematic is demonstrated on the situations of both Alois who spent all his life as a bachelor and his younger brother Filip who married and enjoyed a family life. The private world of three Zdeněk's daughters is also reconstructed. The examples of Zdenka Schnönborn († 1915) and Kunhuta Lobkowicz († 1916) offer an insight into their daily dealings within their new families while the youngest sister Karolína († 1930) spent her years unwed and childless. The particular style of aristocratic life is demonstrated on interests and entertainment which the aristocracy fostered (travelling, hunt, horsemanship, artistic interests, sport, games, reading, theatre etc.). The final part of the work focuses on disputes surrounding the issue of...

in English: The topic of this Diploma Thesis is the Sychrov Castle Library, which belonged to the Rohan noble clan. The aim of this Thesis was to evaluate the proveniencial, thematic, linguistic and quantitative representation of individual titles. The introduction presents the aim of the work and its structure. The subsequent chapters focus briefly on the history of the Sychrov Castle and the history of the Rohans, mainly the Rohan-Guémené line, since the members of the clan who settled at the Sychrov Castle came from that line. Details are given about the representatives of the nobility clan who had substantial influence on the appearance and composition of the castle library. The fourth chapter is devoted to the Sychrov Castle Library itself and familiarises readers with catalogues, book quantities, document issue dates, information about the oldest and newest titles, the language composition of the library's collection and preserved exlibris, supralibros and ownership inscriptions. The most extensive chapter, the fifth one, focuses on the content characteristics of the Sychrov Castle Library's collection. The sixth chapter compares the library's collection with the library collections of two different nobility clans, the Beaufort-Spontin and the Mensdorff-Pouilly clans. The seventh chapter...

(in English): The aim of this dissertation is arranging of the library fund of zámecká knihovna Mladá Vožice. The main purpose of this paper is to define this fund with respect to the provenience and its content. Contemporary conditions of the library are outlined in the Introduction. In the following chapters the history of the castle as well as the history of the noble families involved in establishing of this collection is being described. The main emphasis lays on the family of the collections founders -the family of Küenburg. Fourth chapter describes history of the library on the basis of provenance research. In accordance with this is the identification of the books owners from Küenberg, Spiegefeld and Schönfeld family. In the same manner different families and persons with no direct lineage to Küenbergs are characterized. At the same time this part of the work engages the characteristics of the fund in respect to particular members and partially also including the content characteristics, which are being elaborated properly by means of thematic groups in the following chapter. The information about arrangement of the fund are mentioned on the basis of the archive material and sources. Conclusion is made as a summary of the work, including the overview of its aims and achieved results.

Vítězslav Prchal War, Arms, and Armour in the Representative Strategies of Bohemian and Moravian Aristocracy, 1550-1750 dissertation thesis, 2012 In Czech historical writing, history of aristocracy has been on a rise ever since the turbulent days of 1990s. It has always been characterized by application of various methods borrowed form different other fields, such as cultural or social history as well as historical anthropology, and its primary goal was to understand the mentality of the specific social class that is early modern aristocracy. Throughout time, several approaches emerged form the initial probing: first, study of political culture and power; second, study of aristocratic courts and residences; and, third, study of aristocratic family and its life-cycle. All this research was originally focused on 16th century aristocracy; however, it also successfully tackles topics of late 17th and 18th century in recent years as well. Study of aristocratic residences especially has quite a long tradition in Czech historiography, following the lines of socially interpreted art history. On the other hand, as military history is a rather neglected part of writing on the early modern era, this problem transpires into the connection of warfare and aristocracy in 16th to 18th century. For example, not...

1 Summary The medieval period characterized by tough struggle between the secular and ecclesiastical powers. Both may be trying to get as many resources to control the medieval community. Although they were constantly in dispute, they also collaborate together. We see that, for example, in connection with the Inquisition. In order to be executed ecclesiastical judgment must be convicted passed secular power. Only that could have done the maximum penalty, execution. In the High Middle Ages, there was a decline of the Church. That's why there was a new wave of heresy. It was more organized than in the past. The new movement, especially the Cathars, got the high-quality background facilities in the south of France, Languedoc. Here they had the support of the local nobility and burgess. It was a beneficial cooperation on both sides. Church did not like this cooperation. And soon this place of resistance was attacked the Church and the government of the country. The rebellion was suppressed. The Inquisition worked in this area after that. Must add that was very successful work. Soon Inquisition completely wiped out local heretic. Single human had in the Middle Ages difficult position. He had unconditionally belong to the Church and had to live according to its dogma. This meant that he had to renounce pleasures...

The thesis deals with the education in austrian aristocratic families in the 19th century and in the 1st half of 20th century. The education and upbringing of children had been influented by plenty of factors. The most important factors, which influenced education, were the environment (home or boarding school), specialization of education, the selection of schools and universities and the language of education, too. Parents, nannys and private teachers also had some influence on the upbringing of the children. In the 19th century we can find some common characteristic in some of the noble families (The Schwarzenbergs, the Sternbergs, the Mensdorffs and some others). The 1st half of the 20th century is an essential period for the history of aristocracy. Political changes reflected in its lifestyle and partially in the upbringing and education of the children of the aristocrats. These changes are illustrated on the education of children in the family of prince Johann Schönburg-Hartenstein. Keywords: aristocracy, childhood, education, languages, parents, nannys, teachers, schools, the Schwarzenbergs, the Schönburgs, the Mensdorffs.

Dissertation abstract This dissertation deals with the lowest segment of administration in Bohemia - regional offices - with respect to their personnel staffing in 1537-1848. The chronological limits of the work were determined by surviving archival sources of the central institutions and printed calenders and "schematizations" which enabled, with exceptions of a part of problematic years of the Thirty Years'War, to compile the line of the regional governors in this period. The first two chapters briefly discuss the development of the regions and regional governors'duties, and in this way delimit the frames of their activities in the society. The next two chapters form the basis of the study. They are focused on the participation of nobility in the administration of the regions in chronological order. Firstly, the share of the high nobility and particulary aristocracy within in holding the office is observed, dividing the period into three parts, first the period before the White Mountain Bettle, the second within the years 1631-1713 and last is limited by the years of the regions'reforms in 1714 and 1751. The reason for adopting the chronological division was the used method which enabled to specify the biggest land possesors in the regions after the White Mountain period and to clarify the involment of...