Lot Essay
The family of Thurn und Taxis came into wealth with Ruggiero de Tasso (d. circa 1514), who established a post system through the Alps. His brother Franz, who also took up the profession along with the other two siblings, obtained the official title as Postmaster at Ghent from Philip, Duke of Burgundy, later King of Spain in 1500. He subsequently received the same title for numerous important cities within the Empire. The family's wealth increased tremendously with this post and they were made Counts of the Empire in 1608 and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire. Originally with main seat in Austria, the family built palaces in Brussels and Frankfurt. After being appointed prinzipalkommissar, Charles VII's representative, in 1742, the family seat was moved to Regensburg, the seat of the Emperor. They acquired the monastary of St. Emmeran in 1753, refurbished it completely in 1816 and made further changes throughout the 19th century.