It is with profound pride that we present the illustrious history of the House of Saszowski von Schassowe, preserved through the treasured archives of our lineage. A venerable European noble family of Roman–German high nobility, our House descends from one of Europe’s most ancient dynasties and the knightly orders of the Holy Roman Empire. Across the medieval centuries, the noble House name appeared in the Germanic form von Schassowe and in its later settled Slavicised form Saszowski, attesting to its presence in Germany and the Slavic cultural frontier known as Germania Slavica. Family members were known by both spellings, and the name continues to be inherited in both forms to this day, carried forward by the living heirs of our noble House.

For over nine centuries, our family has been a steadfast presence upon the grand stage of European history. Our noble lineage is earliest documented within the sphere of the Burgraviate of Meissen, a royal office established in 1068 to administer the royal castle and town of Meissen under the authority of King Henry IV of Germany within the Holy Roman Empire. Though distinct from the wider principality of the Margraviate of Meissen, the Burgraviate was set within its domain, and it was here that our ancestral castle‑palace was situated. In this capacity, our ancestors, as Edelfreien Ritter — free noble knights of hereditary rank and sovereign lords of estates and regions — stood with Burgrave Meinher I. von Werben, royal burgrave of Meissen, attending him in official matters, bearing witness to charters and decrees as signatories, and supporting the governance of the royal stronghold. Alongside these administrative and legal functions, we fulfilled the obligations of knightly service by leading not only our own armed retainers but also the other knights of the stronghold, contributing to the defence of Meissen and its surrounding territory. This dual role, combining military duty with administrative and judicial responsibility, positioned our noble House within the network of noble households and officials who collectively sustained royal, and later imperial, authority in Saxony during the medieval period — a foundation from which our influence would greatly expand, and by which our noble House came to be entrusted with service at the highest levels of European power.

Chronicled in deeds and annals as noble knights, high nobles, sovereign lords, commanders, royal ambassadors, and chief justices, our ancestors held esteemed positions within the supreme advising councils of emperors and kings. We served as trusted companions and courtiers to Conrad III of Germany, King of the Romans; Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor; Wenceslaus I of Bohemia and Wenceslaus II of Bohemia; Ottokar II of Bohemia; Casimir III the Great of Poland; Sigismund I the Old of Poland and Sigismund II Augustus of Poland; Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland and Sweden; and Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. In the realm of diplomacy, members of our House were personally entrusted with missions that brought them into direct interaction with both Pope Paul III at the Vatican during his pontificate and Sultan Suleiman I at the Ottoman court, the Sublime Porte. These encounters bear witness to the extraordinary trust placed in our lineage, for we were engaged not merely as envoys but as entrusted representatives in the highest councils of Christendom and the Ottoman Empire alike. In this capacity, the House of Saszowski von Schassowe functioned as an intermediary between European monarchs and foreign courts, bearing responsibility for alliances and negotiations at the highest level.

During the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery, our noble House distinguished itself further by pioneering diplomatic relations with the Mughal Empire in South Asia — among the first noble families of Northern Europe to venture into this realm. Passing through Goa, the Portuguese capital in India, which served as the gateway to the Mughal court, our lineage entered into encounters that were not merely political but profoundly cultural, broadening horizons and forging ties across civilisations. Our family’s presence in the realms of arts and sciences was equally remarkable: we cultivated personal connections with the epoch’s greatest luminaries, including Michelangelo Buonarroti and Galileo Galilei. By Galileo’s own invitation, members of our noble House were received into residence at his household in Padua, then part of the Republic of Venice, for two years, during which he imparted his private lectures on physics, mechanics, and astronomy — a singular chapter in the birth of modern science.

During the medieval and early modern periods, through carefully orchestrated matrimonial alliances, the House of Saszowski von Schassowe became interwoven with other princely families across Europe, preserving noble lineages and perpetuating enduring dynastic legacies.

In the present day, our noble House continues its tradition under the guidance of Fürst Saszowski von Schassowe. We pursue distinguished professional endeavours, provide strategic counsel, and stand as trusted advisers to persons of standing in civic and public life across nations, whose integrity and influence fortify the strength of the broader international community. In all our undertakings, we remain unwaveringly true to our enduring motto:

~ History Introduction Page... ~

~ Back to Homepage ~

THE HOUSE OF SASZOWSKI VON SCHASSOWE
The Secretariat Office
Franz-Joseph-Straße 11
D-80801 München
Federal Republic of Germany

Contact and General Enquiries to:
secretariat.office {at} vonschassowe.org


Copyright © The House of Saszowski von Schassowe. All rights reserved.
Contents of this website are protected by copyright and governed by legal restrictions independent of the copyright status.

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy