Wien Maria-Theresien-Denkmal Wenzel Anton Kaunitz

Gundaker Thomas Graf von Starhemberg (

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, December 14, 1663 –

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, July 8, 1745) was an Austrian nobleman, politician and economist.

Early life

His parents were Konrad Balthasar von Starhemberg (1612–1687) and his second wife, Countess Franziska Katharina Cavriani (1640-1716). His half-brothers were

Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg Count Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg (12 January 1638 – 4 January 1701) was military governor of Vienna from 1680, the city's defender during the Battle of Vienna in 1683, Holy Roman Empire, Imperial general during the Great Turkish War, an ...

(1638–1701), the defender of Vienna against the Turks in 1683 and Maximilian Lorenz von Starhemberg (1640–1689). Field Marshal Guido von Starhemberg was his cousin.

Biography

Gundakar was designated early for an ecclesiastical career, but after studying a while at the Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum, he returned to Vienna and entered in the service of the Austrian Emperor. He was quickly noticed for his financial talents and became a protégé of

Prince Eugene of Savoy Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy-Carignano (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736), better known as Prince Eugene, was a distinguished Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the Army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty durin ...

, who urged for financial reforms to finance the many wars the Empire was waging. Gundakar became vice-president of the Court Chamber in 1698 and its president in 1703, and was president of the Ministerial Bank Deputation from 1706 until his death. In 1712 he also became a member of the Privy Conference, and in 1716 a member of the Privy Financial Conference. He returned to service in the crisis period after the death of Charles VI and prevented the financial collapse of the empire.

Marriage and children

He married first on 13 January 1688 with Countess Beatrix Franziska von Daun (1665-1701), daughter of Field Marshal Wirich Philipp von Daun. They had: * Maria Josepha (1689–1767) * Franz (1691–1743), whose daughter Eleonore would marry

Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg (, ; 2 February 1711 – 27 June 1794) was an Austrian and Czech diplomat and statesman in the Habsburg monarchy. A proponent of enlightened absolutism, he held the office of List of foreign ministers of Au ...

* Maria Theresia (1694–1752) After the death of his wife, he remarried on 3 February 1707 with Countess Maria Josepha Irene Jörger zu Tollet (1668-1746), and had 2 more daughters: * Marie Gabrielle (1707–1793), married

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

Rudolph Joseph von Colloredo (1706-1788) * Maria Dominika (1710–1736)

Sources

*
Vienna HistoryAustria Forum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Starhemberg, Gundaker Thomas 1663 births 1745 deaths 17th-century nobility from the Holy Roman Empire 17th-century politicians from the Holy Roman Empire Austrian politicians Austrian economists Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria 18th-century politicians from the Holy Roman Empire 18th-century Austrian nobility