Maria Francisca and Ferdinand of Schwarzenberg. The progress of selecting a suitable groom for the daughter from the perspective of a noble father

This bachelor's thesis focuses on negotiation concerning a planned marriage of Maria Francisca of Schwarzenberg to Francis Alexander of Nassau-Hadamar, which were taking place in 1691-1694. It's principal aim is to shed light on the mental world of Ferdinand of Schwarzenberg in order to discover his idea of an ideal groom for his daughter. The core of the thesis is a reconstruction of the course of negotiating the marriage alliance. The substantial correspondence of Ferdinand and Maria Anna of Schwarzenberg, which provides a heuristic basis for this treatise, allows us to form a picture of a part of their network of communications. Attention is also given to persons involved in the negotiations, especially to the intermediaries acting for the interests of both noble families and to the informants. Part of the thesis also details a planned settlement of property between Maria Francisca of Schwarzenberg and Francis Alexander of Nassau-Hadamar