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Abstract e 533
was fierce competition among the princely magnates for these positions. Ihe
Theresianum and the Royal Hungarian Bodyguard were institutions that
filled a gap in the Viennese networking and education ofthe sons of the lords
of Eastern Hungary and Transylvania, who were at a strong disadvantage
compared to their Western Hungarian counterparts. And the extension of
the channels of imperial integration to the eastern regions of the Kingdom
of Hungary and the Principality of Transylvania further strengthened Vi¬
ennas central character and its function as a common capital. Ihere was no
need for similar measures for the Croatian estates (the Theresianum and the
institution of the noble guards were open to them), members of the Croa¬
tian elite had already had links with the imperial city for generations, and
the Croatian had already established a strong relationship in the imperial
capital. The Draskoviches, the Kegleviches and the Patachiches were actively
represented in the court of Charles VI or Maria Theresa, and the Collegium
Croaticum played an important role in the education of the Croatian clerical
elite in Vienna. Beyond the aristocratic families, there were also increasing
opportunities for integration into Vienna for the lower social classes, whose
long-term residence in the imperial capital was ensured by positions in the
Habsburg court and in various government bodies. The success of this class
in Vienna was closely linked to the rise of the Hungarian nobility in the
imperial capital, since the appointment of clerks, draftsmen or butlers was
typically made possible by influential aristocratic patrons.
The integration of the members of natio Hungarica in Vienna was a com¬
plex process that took place in parallel on many levels. Most of them had
turned to the Habsburg residence city at a young age, and Vienna as an edu¬
cational center had a strong influence on the Habsburg Monarchy as a whole,
including the Kingdom of Hungary and the Principality of Transylvania.
The Theresianum, the Savoy Academy and the Lowenburg Convict offered
an excellent opportunity for aspiring noble and aristocratic parents to pro¬
vide quality education for their sons. The imperial city, however, was able to
provide young noblemen not only with education, knowledge, and practical
experience useful for their careers, but also with service as noble apprentic¬
es, courtiers or guardsmen. And the service of the guard was already open
to Protestants and commoners. The Royal Hungarian Bodyguard, founded
in 1760, was a spectacular way of increasing the representation of the King¬
dom of Hungary in Vienna and the proportion of Hungarians in the imperial
court. In the Habsburg court, Hungarian noblemen were able to obtain a
leading position, especially in the court of the Empresses or the Archduchess,
as grand court masters, and in this way they were able to help their younger
family members to gain a foothold in Vienna.