Baroness Sophie von Gudenus: the last surviving grandchild of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

 

  Sophie Baroness von Gudenus, who died on April 19, 2024, was the last surviving grandchild of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Countess Sophie Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin.  She was 94 years old.

It was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo, Bosnia, that was the catalyst for the First World War.  His marriage to Sophie, who was also killed at Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, was morganatic.   Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.  His marriage was morganatic, which meant his wife and their three surviving children could not share his rank and titles.   Countess Sophie was created Duchess of Hohenberg, and their children were Princes and Princess of Hohenberg.

Princess Sophie of Hohenberg & her husband Count Friedrich von Nostitz-Rienbeck

Sophie Amalia Theresia Quirinia Henriette Lucretia Magdalena Maria Ignatiawas the fourth and youngest child of Princess Sophie of Hohenberg (1901-1990), who married Count Friedrich von Nostitiz-Rienbeck (1893-1973).   Princess Sophie was Archduke Franz Ferdinand's eldest child.  

Countess Sophie had three older brothers, Erwein, who died in a Russian POW camp in 1949, Franz, who was killed in action in 1945, and Alois, who died in 2003.  

In August 1953,  Countess Sophie von Nostitz-Rienbek married Baron Ernst Friedrich von Gudenus (1916-1972).   They had four children: Baroness Sophie (1954), Baroness Marie-Sidonie (1955), Baron Erwein (1958) and Baron Ferdinand (1960).

Sophie Baroness von Gudenus died at Schloss Thannhausen in Weiz, Austria.  The castle has belonged to the von Gudenus family since 1806.  Her son, Baron Erwein owns the largest private fore

She is survived by her four children, eleven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and the families of her two maternal uncles, Maximilian, Duke of Hohenberg, and Prince Ernst of Hohenberg who died in 1962 and 1954, respectively.  The present Duke of Hohenberg is Maximilian's grandson, Nikolaus (1961).  

When Sophie's mother, Sophie Countess of Nostitz-Rienbeck, Princess of Hohenberg died in 1990.