Joseph Hormayr, Baron zu Hortenburg facts for kids
Joseph Hormayr, Baron zu Hortenburg was an important Austrian and German statesman and historian. He was born in 1781 or 1782 and passed away in 1848. He is also known as Joseph Freiherr von Hormayr zu Hortenburg.
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Early Life and Career
Joseph Hormayr was born in Innsbruck. He studied law in his hometown. He even became a captain in the Tirolese Landwehr, which was like a local defense force. His grandfather was a chancellor of Tirol, a high-ranking official.
In 1801, Joseph got a job in the foreign office in Vienna. By 1803, he became a court secretary. He was also a good friend of Archduke Johann of Austria. This friendship helped him become the director of the secret state archives for a short time. He married Therese Anderler von Hohenwald in 1803.
Role in Tirolese Uprisings
In 1809, the people of Tirol wanted to break free from Bavarian rule. This was after the Treaty of Pressburg had given Tirol to Bavaria. Hormayr was a key leader for the Austrian side during this uprising. He managed many things, including writing official announcements and pamphlets.
However, the uprising was not successful. When Hormayr returned home, he lost favor with Emperor Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Prince Metternich. This happened even though Archduke John tried to help him. In 1813, Hormayr tried to start another uprising in Tirol. Because of this, he was arrested and imprisoned in Mukachevo.
Later Career and Achievements
In 1816, Hormayr received some recognition for his work. He was appointed as an imperial historian. However, he was not happy with the way the Austrian government was run. So, in 1828, he accepted an offer from King Louis I of Bavaria.
He moved to the Bavarian capital and became a ministerial councilor in the foreign affairs department. In 1832, he became the Bavarian minister-resident in Hanover. From 1837 to 1846, he held the same position in Bremen.
Hormayr also helped create the Historical Society of Lower Saxony. He founded it with Count Johann Friedrich von der Decken. The last two years of his life were spent in Munich. He worked there as the superintendent of the national archives.
He was chosen to be a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1820. Joseph Hormayr passed away in October 1848. He was 66 or 67 years old.
Hormayr's Writings
Hormayr's writing was closely connected to his political life. He had access to original documents, which made his historical writings very valuable. His comments on current events were also important because he had personal experience with them.
However, his history of the Tirolese rebellion is not completely fair. He often put himself first and did not give enough credit to other leaders like Andreas Hofer. In his later writings, he strongly disagreed with the policies of the Austrian government.
Some of Hormayr's important works include:
- History of the Count of Andechs (1796)
- Lexicon for Travelers in Tirol (1796)
- Critical-Diplomatic Contributions to the History of Tirol in the Middle Ages (2 volumes, 1802–1803)
- History of the Princely County of Tirol (2 volumes, 1806–1808)
- Austrian Plutarch, a collection of biographies of famous Austrian leaders (20 volumes, 1807)
- History of Hofer (1817)
- Archive for History, Statistics, Literature, and Art (20 volumes, 1809–1828)
- General History of Recent Times from the Death of Frederick the Great to the Second Peace of Paris (3 volumes, 1814–1819)
- Vienna, its History and Memorable Events (5 volumes, 1823–1824)
- Fragments on Germany, especially Bavaria's World Trade, Life Stories from the War of Liberation (3 volumes, 1841–1844)
- The Golden Chronicle of Hohenschwangau (1842)
- Anemones from the Diary of an Old Pilgrim (4 volumes, 1845–1847)
He also co-founded the Taschenbuch für die vaterländ. Gesch. (Pocketbook for National History) with Mednyanski. This publication ran from 1811 to 1848.
