The Festetics Family
Kristóf Festetics
Ság, 22 July 1696 – Sopron, 25 February 1768
Kristóf Festetics purchased properties in Keszthely in 1739. He was the one who began the construction of the palace in 1745.
Pál Festetics III
Ság, 7 December 1722 – Pozsony, 7 April 1782
Pál Festetics III was the advisor of Queen Maria Theresa. In 1772, the Queen bestowed the title of Count on him and his family. He developed beeping and silkworm rearing techniques on his property, among others.
György Festetics I
Ság, 31 December 1755 – Keszthely, 2 April 1819
György Festetics I founded the first agricultural higher education institution in Europe, the Georgikon, in 1797. He supported Hungarian culture and contributed to the spa becoming popular through landscaping efforts in the vicinity of Lake Hévíz.
László Festetics
Ság, 15 June 1785 – Vienna, 12 May 1846
László Festetics continued to act as a patron of the region just like his father, supporting the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Hungarian horse racing culture, which was taking off at the time. He maintained the Georgikon founded by his father, where professionals were trained to perform agricultural work on his properties.
Tasziló Festetics I
Vienna, 21 June 1813 – Vienna, 5 February 1883
Tasziló Festetics I had an unbroken military career; he participated in the battles of Solferino in 1859 and Königgrätz in 1866, among others. It was during his time that the last property around Lake Hévíz was purchased by the Festetics family.
György Festetics II
Vienna, 23 April 1815 – Vienna, 12 February 1883
György Festetics II served as the minister besides the king between 1867 and 1871 as part of Gyula Andrássy’s cabinet. He sorted out the financial situation of the properties of the family.
Tasziló Festetics II
Vienna, 5 May 1850 – Keszthely, 4 May 1933
Tasziló Festetics II was granted the title of prince of Hungary by King Franz Joseph in 1911. The palace achieved its current form during his time.
György Festetics III
Baden-Baden, 4 September 1882 – Keszthely, 4 August 1941
György Festetics III served the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy as a diplomat first in Paris, then in London. He was passionate about the development of Lake Balaton and Keszthely; he was also the President of the Balaton Association.
György Festetics IV
Keszthely, 18 November 1940 –
György Festetics IV left Keszthely and Hungary on 4 September 1944, when he was four, together with his mother, Duchess Maria Haugwitz, due to the world war.