The House of Khuen von Belasi (older spelling: Khuen von Belasy) is an Austrian aristocratic family originating from the County of Tyrol, first documented in 1111.Franz Huter: Tiroler Urkundenbuch, I. Abt., Bd. 2. Wagner, Innsbruck 1937, Nr. 138 u. 139 Over time, the family established itself in Lower Austria and Bohemia, branching into several lines. In 1630, they were elevated to the rank of Counts.Gothaisches Genealogisches Handbuch – Lexikon, Band 15, 2022, S. 271 The family remains present in South Tyrol and in Austria to this day.
History The family was first documented on July 13 and 14, 1111, in Bolzano, when Egeno and Otto in der Grube von Tramin were mentioned.Franz Huter: Tiroler Urkundenbuch, I. Abt., Bd. 2. Wagner, Innsbruck 1937, Nr. 138 u. 139 The verified lineage of the Khuen family (also spelled Khuon, Khun, and others) begins with Egeno in the Grube of Tramin, who is recorded in sources between 1209 and 1229.Franz Huter: Tiroler Urkundenbuch, I. Abt., Bd. 2. Wagner, Innsbruck 1949, Nr. 587, 842, 857 u. 913. The family first appeared as a knightly lineage in 1311, when they served in the martial duties of the village community of Tramin.Otto Brunner: Zur älteren Geschichte der Khuen von Belasi. In: Festschrift zu Ehren Emil von Ottenthals. Innsbruck 1925, S. 228–234.
Egeno’s great-grandson, Dominus Chuonradus of Tramin, documented between 1342 and 1372, bore the epithet "Chuon" (the Bold). This name later evolved into "Khuen," which was adopted by his descendants. Around 1380, Arnold, a son of Cuanus of Tramin, acquired Belasi Castle in the Non Valley of Trentino.Hannes Obermair: Tirolensia im Nationalmuseum Prag. In: Denkmalpflege in Südtirol 1991–1995. Hrsg. vom Landesdenkmalamt Bozen. Folio-Verlag, Wien-Bozen 1997, S. 277–290, hier: S. 277. The acquisition occurred through his marriage to Elisabeth von Belasi, the last member of that noble lineage.
In 1422, Hans Jakob, governor of the Etsch region, married Margarethe von Niederthor, an heiress from a Bolzano noble family that resided, among other places, at Neuhaus Castle. This union significantly expanded the Khuen family's estates. Their coat of arms, a standing lion, was combined with that of the Niederthor family—a tower with an open gate.
The Khuen family gained greater prominence in the 16th century: Pankraz Khuen became an advisor to the future Emperor Maximilian I in 1496 and was granted the fiefdom of Lichtenberg Castle in Vinschgau by him in 1513. The castle remains in their possession to this day.
In 1541, Blasius Khuen was appointed as a councilor of the Lower Austrian regiment, later serving as an imperial privy councilor. From 1560 to around 1568, he held the position of Chamber President for Upper Austria in Tyrol. In 1573, Rudolf Khuen was granted the title "Khuen von Belasy von Gandeck, also Liechtenberg and Aur, Baron of Neu-Lempach," formally elevating the family to the rank of barons.Gothaisches Genealogisches Handbuch – Lexikon, Band 15, 2022, S. 271 By 1537, he had acquired the lordship of Gandegg in Eppan, where he constructed the present-day Gandegg Castle in 1550. In 1565, he purchased the lordship and castle of Neulengbach in Lower Austria, which remained in the family's possession until 1646. In 1571, the Ansitz Thurn in Bolzano also came into the hands of the Khuen family, remaining under their ownership until 1637.
In 1621, the family acquired Englar Castle, located above Gandegg, which they had already leased since 1530. The castle remains in the family's possession to this day, as do the Kallmünz residence in Merano and the Festenstein castle ruins.
In 1619, Johann Eusebius was elevated to the rank of Imperial Count.Gothaisch Genealogisches Handbuch– Lexikon, Band 15, 2022, S. 271 His male line ended, as his sole descendant, Maria Franziska, married Count Paul Pálffy von Erdöd. On October 30, 1630, Emperor Ferdinand II elevated the entire family to the rank of Counts. On July 27, 1640, Eusebius' nephews Matthias, Karl Balthasar, and Leopold were also granted the title of Imperial Count.Gothaisches Genealogisches Handbuch – Lexikon, Band 15, 2022, S. 271
Family Lines The family established itself in Bohemia in 1378, when Emperor Charles IV pledged a portion of the South Bohemian Frauenberg estate, including the town of Lišov, Oselno, and other surrounding villages, to Johann Khuen. Later, the family also settled in South Moravia, acquiring Svídnice in 1621 and Týnec in 1633. Through various branches, the Khuen family spread across the Habsburg Monarchy: the Khuen-Lützow in Moravia, the Khuen-Nuštar in Slavonia/Croatia, and the Khuen-Héderváry in Hungary (from 1873 onward as heirs of the Viczay-Héderváry family).
In 1880, the family came into possession of the Grusbach estate and castle in South Moravia through marriage. Both Hédervár and Grusbach remained in their ownership until they were confiscated in 1945. In the Salzburg region, the family also temporarily held extensive properties, thanks to Archbishop Johann Jakob Khuen von Belasi and his brother. Between 1568 and 1626, they owned Gartenau castle; Weißpriach castle belonged to them from 1587 to 1717, and Kammer Castle from 1610 to 1722.
Notable members of the Barons of Khuen von Belasi before 1622 Rudolf Khuen von Belasi († 1581 Vienna, since 1559 Prosector of Ferdinand I of Austria, later Geheimrat of Maximilian II. of Austria and Rudolf II. Titled to a Freiherr May, 8th of 1573 His son Johann Eusebius Freiherr Khuen von Belasi († 6. November 1622) Johann Jakob Khuen von Belasi, * about 1515; † 15. Mai 1586) Archbishop of Salzburg
Notable members of the Counts of Khuen von Belasi since 1622 Jakob Freiherr Khuen von Belasi zu Lichtenberg and Gandeck (†21. September 1639) nobled to Reichsgraf in 1640 Johann Franz Reichsgraf Khuen von Belasi (12. August 1649; †3. April 1702 Brixen), Prince-Bishop of Brixen
For the Val di Non, the best known personage was ‘dominus’ Pancrazio Khuen-Belasi (Pankraz Khuen von Belasi) for being captain of Tenno and vicar general of the Valli di Non and Valli di Sole at the turn of the 15th-16th century. In 1496, with the title of baron, he became councillor to Emperor Maximilian, and in 1503 he was invested by the emperor with the Lichtenberg castle in the upper Vinschgau, in the district of Glorenza, curator of Naudersberg (over the Resia pass). Consequently, the predicate ‘zu Lichtenberg’ was added to the family surname. Another very important member in the history of the Tyrol is Blasius KhuenBelasi, who moved from the Tyrol to Austria. Blasius, born around 1525, son of the Chancellor of Tyrol Matthias von Khuen and Susanna née Firmian, was an administrator of King Ferdinand I, from 13 June 1541 an advisor to the government of Lower Austria until October 1647. From then on he became a special councillor and in the years from 1560 until about 1568 president of the Tyrolean Chamber in Upper Austria; then court chamberlain to Emperor Leopold I and designated chamberlain and guardian for Philippine Welser's children. In 1555 he married Regina von Lamberg; and around the year 1557 he acquired the castle and lordship of Gandegg. On 21 July 1573, he received the title of Baron of the Empire. He was one of the most influential men of the title under Archduke Ferdinand II and died on 20 July 1578 in St Paul's near Eppan. The southern wall of the chapel of the St. Paul's cemetery is covered with sixteen tombstones of Khuen ancestors, men and women from the year 1593, as a mural.