1836 - 1858 The
education of Alois II (born 1796,
died 1858) was first in the
hands of Abbé Werner, a French priest, and was then taken over by experts, including Leopold Trautmann
(1766 - 1825), professor for agriculture at the University of Vienna, and the historical philosopher
Friedrich von Schlegel (1772 - 1829). The Prince continued
the modernization measures of his father and grandfather in the Liechtenstein estates. In parallel,
he carried out the reorganization of the Princely administration. The first farming school of the monarchy
was established in his domains, and his activities for the Vienna Agricultural Society, which he presided
over from 1849 to 1858, resulted in significant innovations and reforms. The Prince was a member of
a total of 74 humanitarian, scientific and industrial associations and contributed significant sums
annually for charitable purposes. In 1835, Alois II
traveled on a diplomatic mission to London. A year later, he traveled to the coronation festivities
in Prague. He was among the most regular and informed participants in the Assembly of the Lower Austrian
Estates. His artistic taste, influenced by English models,
manifested itself in the neo-Gothic redesign of Eisgrub Castle and the construction of the palm greenhouse
there. From 1836 to 1847, he undertook the comprehensive renovation of the premises of the Liechtenstein
Majorat House in Vienna in the style of the Second Rococo. The
political views of Alois II were largely conservative. After the revolutionary year of 1848 and on the
insistence of the Liechtenstein population, he granted the Principality a provisional, more liberal
constitution; but three years later, he repealed this constitution and returned to the absolutist principle. |
