Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein

Who was Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein?

Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein was the Prince of Liechtenstein between 1718 and 1721.

He was born in Wilfersdorf, in what is now Lower Austria. During the War of the Spanish Succession, he went to Spain, where he was the Chief Intendant and Prime Minister of the Archduke Karl, who became Emperor Charles VI after the sudden death of his brother in 1711. Florian returned to Vienna for Charles's coronation. He was the Imperial Chief Intendant and Chairman of the Secret Council until he died in 1721.

In 1719, Charles VI created the new principality of Liechtenstein from the domains of Schellenberg and Vaduz, which were both held by the Liechtenstein family. This was done so that Anton Florian could be admitted to the Reichstag, which required that all members had land that was subordinate only to the Emperor himself. Thus, Anton Florian became the first Prince of Liechtenstein. It and Luxembourg are the only states of the Holy Roman Empire that still exist.

He was the 591st Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in Austria. He died in Vienna in 1721.