Ferdinand Bonaventura II, Graf von Harrach zu Rohrau

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English translation - Biography

• Ferdinand von Bonaventura Harrach II was born on April 11, 1708, youngest son of Count Alois Thomas Raimund von Harrach (1669-1742) and his second wife, Cecilia von Thanhausen Anna, the widow of a previous marriage.
• Undertaken still young career diplomatic calendar soon became councilor of state and then privy councilor of the Emperor. In October of 1744 was chosen as the Imperial Commissioner for the archbishopric of Salzburg on the occasion of the election of the new successor to the episcopal throne of the Austrian city. This was a difficult period for the domestic and foreign policy of the Empire: Austria was at war with the fact that with Bavaria Charles VII openly challenged the election of Maria Theresa of Austria and as such the influence dell'Harrach was essential to elect Ernst Jakob von Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn, favorable to the cause Habsburg and former archbishop of Olomouc.
• For his diplomatic skills already January 13, 1745 Ferdinand was appointed field marshal and officially from 1745 to 1750 he held the post of governor of the upper part of Lower Austria. In October of 1746 he became Minister Plenipotentiary on behalf of Empress Maria Theresa, participating in the Congress of Breda, in which he was personally the interests of Austria.
• Called home in August of 1747 he was appointed Governor General of the Duchy of Milan, arriving in Milan in September of that year. When he assumed the reins of the new governor, he found a estremtamente been depleted by excessive taxes imposed by his predecessors and from the ravages of war, so that the very survival of the Austrian government seemed challenged. He was concerned, therefore, free from the yoke of unnecessary taxes on trade, particularly by encouraging the food industry of Milan.
• He concluded treaties with neighboring states, which consequently did not become more shelters of thieves and murderers then poured into Lombardy, dramatically decreasing the risk of crime. In just three years, von Harrach was able to raise in an excellent manner the fate of Milan and in September of 1750 he had to leave office and moved to Vienna. The death of his brother felt strongly. He was appointed Knight of the Golden Fleece, and later became President of the Court of Justice since 1751 and became president dell'Hofrath.

Honours

• Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Austria) - ordinary uniform ribbon for Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Austria)