Chotek family

The Chotek family was an old and influential Czech noble family in the Kingdom of Bohemia, whose members occupied many important positions within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

History
The family is first documented in the 14th century when Miloslav, his wife Wele and their son Wenlynus are mentioned as masters of the Chockov estate near Radnice in the Plzeň Region. The uninterrupted lineage of the family starts with Otto Chotek of Chockov and Liblín.

In the late 16th century, Václav Chotek took the name of Chotkov and Wognin, while his older brother Adam Chotek retained the name of Chockov and Liblín.

In 1685, the coat of arms of the Chotek family was joined with the coat of arms of the extinct Charwat von Bärnstein family.

On 6 February 1702, Václav Antonín Chotek of Chotkov and Vojnín was elevated to the rank of Bohemian lord (páni). On 13 May 1743 in Laxenburg, he was awarded the title of Count (Graf, hrabě) in Bohemia. On 4 October 1745 in Frankfurt am Main, he was elevated to the rank of Reichsgraf.

Branches
After the death of Johann Nepomuk Rudolf Chotek von Chotkov und Vojnín in 1824, the family split into four main branches created by his surviving sons:
 * Branch of the descendants of Johann Nepomuk Josef Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin (1773 – 1824)
 * Branch of the descendants of Josef Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin (1776 – 1809)
 * Branch of the descendants of Karl, Count Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin
 * Branch of the descendants of Hermann Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin (1786-1822)

The best known member of the family was Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, the morganatic wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, as his and her assassination sparked World War I.