On 15 October 1859, Konstantin married Princess Marie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1837–1920) at Weimar. She was the daughter of Fürstin Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1819–1887) who after her divorce lived with Franz Liszt since 1848 at Weimar. In 1861 he bought Palais Dobner-Dobenau [de] in Vienna, and the couple moved in the following year. His wife became a sponsor of Vienna's cultural life and a supporter of its social institutions. The couple had six children:
Prince Franz Joseph zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1861–1871)
Prince Wolfgang zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1869–1883)
Princess Dorothea zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1872–1954)
Career
Hohenlohe went to school at the Maria-Magdalenen-Gymnasium, Breslau graduating with the Abitur in 1848. The same year he joined the military of the Austrian Empire and served in a campaign in Northern Italy in 1849. In 1854 he entered service at the Royal court in Vienna. He advanced becoming Aide-de-camp of Emperor Franz Joseph I. in 1859 and First "Obersthofmeister" with the elevated appointment to "Fürst" in 1866.[2] He was seen as the perfect courtier, always in agreement with the political views of the Emperor. As the highest court official, Hohenlohe had many administrative and representative duties and was at the centre of the political and cultural life at the Austrian Court. After the Ausgleich of 1867, the term k.u.k. was added to his title signifying that his duties were to both parts of Austria-Hungary.[1]
In 1857, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria issued the decree "I have resolved to command" (Es ist Mein Wille at Wikisource) ordering the demolition of the city walls and moats. In his decree, he laid out the exact size of the Ringstrasse, the new representative boulevard, as well as the geographical positions and functions of the new buildings. Hohenlohe was responsible for buildings and properties of the Royal Court along the Ringstrasse as well as the completion of the Hofoperntheater, and the new construction of the Hofburgtheater and of two new museums, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Naturhistorisches Museum. The construction of the Neue Burg at the Hofburg was not completed until the First World War. Hohenlohe participated in the development of the Wiener Prater where the World Exhibition took place in 1873. The Konstantinhügel in the Prater is named after him. Hohenlohe also oversaw work for the Vienna Danube regulation.[3]
Martina Winkelhofer-Thyri: Prinz Constantin zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1828–1896). Der große Unbekannte am Wiener Hof. In: Alma Hannig, Martina Winkelhofer-Thyri (Hrsg.): Die Familie Hohenlohe. Eine europäische Dynastie im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. Verlag Böhlau, Köln 2013, ISBN978-3-41222201-7, S. 181–198.
