Burggraf auf Saldenhofen

castle Saldenhofen (Vuzenica)

Burggraf auf Saldenhofen (title also used and spelled as Pfleger, Burgrave, Viscount) was an austrian-styrian administrative title during the Middle Ages. Since the late 19th century, the Austrian Gräff family has again laid claim to the title, but has mostly used it only within the family and has let the claim rest since the middle of the 20th century.

History

Saldenhofen (today's Vuzenica) is located in the historical region of Lower Styria (Untersteiermark / Spodnja Štajerska) in present-day Slovenia. The village was first mentioned in 1238 and is one of the oldest settlements in the valley and had a stregis significance. The Habsburg rulers of Austria (Styria) left Saldenhofen to burgraves (Burggrafen or Pfleger) to administer and secure the valley.

House of Graben

Coat of arms Graben zu Kornberg with the heraldic crown of a burgrave (Graben zu Saldenhofen)

The Graben zu Kornberg family held the title of Burggraf von (auf) Saldenhofen (Burgrave of Saldenhofen) between 1494 and 1521. It started in 1494, when Wolfgang von Graben and his two brothers Wilhelm and Andree von Graben negotiated with the Roman-German King Maximilian I about the estimated value of their share in the Glauning forest (municipality of Sankt Peter am Ottersbach), including villages, farmers and two ponds. In return, they came into possession of the lordship and the castle of Saldenhofen (today's Vuzenica in Slovenia). In 1498 Wolfgang was named imperial burggraf of Saldenhofen. With the handover to Sigmund von Eibiswald in 1509, the short-lived Graben-Saldenhofen line of ownership ended.

The Graben-titles Burggraf von (auf) Saldenhofen, Herr von Kornberg, Marburg, Obermarburg, Radkersburg, Neudenstein, Weinberg und Graben, were not subsequently passed on from Wolfgang von Graben zu Kornberg († 1521) to his son Peter von Graben (* 1450/60). In 1476, Wolfgang and young Peter went to Holland in the entourage of Archduke Maximilian of Austria (the later Holy Roman Emperor). Peter stayed in Holland and took the name (Pieter) Graeff, which in the 15th century was the dutch translation of the german name Graben. For certain reasons (illegitimate, renunciation?), Pieter was not entitled to inherit. The titles and honors, excluded the Saldenhofen one, therefore passed to Wolfgang's younger brothers Andree von Graben († 1521), possibly Georg von Graben († 1522), and Wilhelm von Graben († 1523).

Burggrafen

Portrait	Name	Coat of arms	State	Start term	End term
	Wolfgang von Graben († 1521)		Austria	1494	1509
	Andree von Graben († 1521)		Austria	1494	1498
	Wilhelm von Graben († 1523)		Austria	1494	1498

House of Graeff

Pieter Graeff had one son, Jan Pietersz Graeff (before 1500 - 1553), who founded various lines of the family De Graeff:

• De Graaff (Holland; later also in Prussia)
• Graeff / De Graeff / De Graeff van Polsbroek (mainly in Amsterdam; later also in South Africa)
• (De) Graeff / Gräff (Holland; later also in Saxony, Austria)

Coat of arms Graben-Graeff with the heraldic crown of a burgrave (Graben zu Saldenhofen)

The members of the two older family lines had no known claim to these titles and honors of Wolfgang von Graben. The line to Amsterdam itself had various titles: Vrijheer van Zuid-Polsbroek, Purmerland en Ilpendam. The situation is different with the younger Austrian Gräff line, which has claimed the following titles and honors since at least the early 19th century: Burggraf von (auf) Saldenhofen (Vuzenica), Herr von Kornberg, Marburg (Maribor/Marburg an der Drau), Obermarburg, Radkersburg, Neudenstein, Weinberg und Graben, Patrizier von Amsterdam.

The claim to the inheritance of these titles can be traced back at least to Lambert Gräf, OSBB (1848-1933). Lambert, born as Karl, presumably, but not securely, inherited the claim from his father, Ferdinand Gräff (* 1814), after his death. Because Lambert was childless, he bequeathed this claim to his greatnephew Josef Gräff (1886-1950), who, after his death, in turn bequeathed it to his son Rudolf Gräff (1919-2006). He never claimed it during his lifetime, which means he put it into abeyance. Nor was it claimed by his five sons in subsequent succession, even though his eldest son, Rudolf Gräff (1942-2024), could have claimed it. Although the titles are still claimed, they are now mainly mentioned within the Gräff family and are not used publicly. Since 2008, the claim has been maintained by Rudolf's grandson, Matthias Laurenz Gräff (* 1984), son of Helmuth Gräff (* 1958). Although Matthias Laurenz Gräff does not use the titles, he is considered a current title contender, even if his legacy is probably only theoretical.

Burggrafen (claimed title holders)

Portrait	Name	Coat of arms	State	Start term	End term
	Lambert (Karl) Gräf, OSBB (1848-1933)		Austria		1933
	Josef Gräff (1886-1950)		Austria	1933	1950
	Rudolf Gräff (1919-2006)		Austria	1950	2006
	de facto Rudolf Gräff (1942-2024)		Austria	2006	2008
	Matthias Laurenz Gräff (* 1984)		Austria	2008	/