The attic of Hochosterwitz Castle holds a true treasure of collected portraits. Discover the impressive history of the Khevenhüller-Metsch family and virtually see unique historical treasures.

History

Unreliable chroniclers report that the Khevenhüllers owned a castle on the Khevenhüll mountain as early as the 9th and 10th centuries and for unknown reasons are said to have migrated to Carinthia from Franconia with the Hohenstein dynasties in 1036.

The ancestor of the family at that time would have been Richard Khevenhüller, who built the castle Aichberg in his new home and is said to have connected with one of the most famous Carinthian families, the Schenken von Osterwitz, by marrying a daughter of this house.

Burg Hochosterwitz
Familie Khevenhueller 1

 

Later statements about the appearance of various bearers of the name of Khevenhüller also come from unreliable sources.

The first reliable document in which the name Khevenhüller appears is dated 24.07.1330, according to which an Ulreich Khevenhüller of a family originating from the Upper Palatinate is mentioned.

 

 

Another document from 1396 testifies to a Villach town judge named Hans Khevenhüller. It is a fact that the Khevenhüllers came to Carinthia from Khevenhüll in the Upper Palatinate in the wake of the bishops of Bamberg as their keepers and cupbearers.

The economically extremely efficient family established itself in Carinthia in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries and for centuries provided provincial governors and influential commanders. Raised to the hereditary Austrian nobility on 10.01.1572, as Counts of Hohenosterwitz and Annabichl, as well as Hoch- und Wohlgeboren, appointed to the imperial count rank on 27.06.1673.

hans khevenhueller
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