KRUMAU (in

See also:

• CZECH (in Bohemian, Cech)

Czech, Krumlov)  , is a town in Bohemia situated on the banks of the Moldau (Vitava) . It has about 8000 inhabitants, partly of Czech, partly of German nationality . Krumau is principally celebrated because its ancient castle was long the stronghold of the Rosenberg family, known also as pani z raze, the lords of the rose . Henry II. of Rosenberg (d . 1310) was the first member of the family to reside at Krumau . His son Peter I . (d . 1349) raised the place to the rank of a city . The last two members of the family were two brothers, William, created prince of Ursini-Rosenberg in 1556 (d . 1592), and Peter Vok, who played a very large part in Bohemian history . Their librarian was Wenceslas Brezan, who has left a valuable work on the annals of the Rosenberg family . Peter Vok of Rosenberg, a strong adherent of the Utraquist party, sold Krumau shortly before his death (1611), because the Jesuits had established themselves in the neighbourhood .

The lordship, one of the most extensive in the

monarchy, was bought by the emperor Rudolph II. for his natural son, Julius of Austria . In 1622 the emperor Ferdinand II. presented the lordship to his minister, Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg, and in 1625 raised it to the rank of an hereditary duchy in his favour . From the Eggenberg family Krumau passed in 1719 to Prince Adam Franz Karl of Schwarzenberg, who was created duke of Krumau in 1723 . The head of the Schwarzenberg family bears the title of duke of Krumau . The castle, one of the largest and finest in Bohemia, preserves much of its ancient character . See W . Brezan, Zivot Vilema z Rosenberka (Life if William of Rosenberg), 1847 ; also Zivot Petra Voka z Rosenberka (I ife of Peter Vok of Rosenberg), 1880 .