Franz, Duke of Hohenberg


Franz Ferdinand, Duke of Hohenberg, was an Austrian nobleman and the head of the Hohenberg family from 1962 until his death.

Background and Family

Franz Ferdinand was the eldest son of Maximilian, Duke of Hohenberg, and Countess Elisabeth von Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee. Through his father, he was the grandson of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his morganatic wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg.
As his grandparents' marriage was morganatic, the Hohenbergs were excluded from the line of succession to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Following the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the establishment of the Republic, the Austrian parliament passed the Law on the Abolition of Nobility in 1919. This law abolished all noble titles and the use of the particle "von" in legal names; consequently, his official name in Austrian records was Franz Ferdinand Hohenberg.

Marriage and Issue

On 9 May 1956 at Luxembourg City, Franz Ferdinand married Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg, the daughter of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. The couple had two daughters:
  • Princess Anna Charlotte Maximiliana Euphemia Maria Helena of Hohenberg. She married Romee de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure on 22 July 1978. They have four children. In 1998 they divorced and on 9 July 2005 she married Count Andreas von Bardeau.
  • *Gaetan de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure
  • *Alix de La Poeze, Countess d'Harambure
  • *Gabriel de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure
  • *Raoul de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure
  • Princess Sophie Felicitas Elisabetha Bona Maria Antonia of Hohenberg married Jean-Louis de Potesta on 18 June 1983. They have three children.
  • *Eleonore de Potesta
  • *Baron Charles de Potesta
  • *Elizabeth de Potesta
Franz Ferdinand died in 1977 and was succeeded as head of the house by his younger brother, Georg.

Family

He was born His Serene Highness Prince Franz Ferdinand of Hohenberg, but upon the death of his father in 1962, he became the 2nd Duke of Hohenberg and Head of the House of Hohenberg.
On 9 May 1956 in Luxembourg, Prince Franz married Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg, a daughter of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. They had two daughters:
  • Princess Anna Charlotte Maximiliana Euphemia Maria Helena of Hohenberg. She married Romee de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure on 22 July 1978. They have four children. In 1998 they divorced and on 9 July 2005 she married Count Andreas von Bardeau.
  • *Gaetan de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure
  • *Alix de La Poeze, Countess d'Harambure
  • *Gabriel de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure
  • *Raoul de La Poeze, Count d'Harambure
  • Princess Sophie Felicitas Elisabetha Bona Maria Antonia of Hohenberg married Jean-Louis de Potesta on 18 June 1983. They have three children.
  • *Eleonore de Potesta
  • *Baron Charles de Potesta
  • *Elizabeth de Potesta
Since he had no sons, he was succeeded by his younger brother Georg as Duke of Hohenberg and head of the House of Hohenberg.