Hereditary homage of the Duchy of Carniola to King Ferdinand III in 1631

Abstract

Hereditary homage was a ritual of inaugurating the new provincial prince and one of the central acts in the life of the early modern territory as a political entity. The Inner Austrian territories paid their homage to Ferdinand III, the future emperor and the then King of Hungary and Bohemia in the spring of 1631. The homage was received on Ferdinand ’s behalf by the commissioner Hans Ulrich, Duke of Krumlov (Krumau) and Prince Eggenberg. Although eclipsed by the visit of the infanta Maria Anna of Spain and the estates’ assumption of high imperial debt, the Car­niolan hereditary homage brought about an important novelty in the development of the relations between the estates and the sovereign, as it thenceforth became customary for the estates to pay homage to his successor, which facilitated the transition of power following his death.