Ferdinand Müller von Mühlegg issued Passport 1809

Born 7/5/1759 in Vienna, died 12/17/1824 in Vienna, Catholic, from Näfels and from 1815 from Rheinau. Son of Johann Christian, imperial-royal court agent and diplomat in Vienna. 1784 Anna Maria von Wellens, daughter of Johann Anton. Ferdinand Müller von Mühlegg

Baron Ferdinand Müller von Mühlegg was imperial-royal Austrian government councillor in Vienna, federal chargé d’affaires to the emperor and the empire in Vienna 1802-1806, to Austria 1802-1824. Experienced diplomat for various employers, including the prince-abbey of St. Gallen. From 1815-1817 he campaigned for the return of the archives of the Prince-Bishop of Basel from Vienna to Switzerland.

Here come a great passport issued by von Mühlegg as Charge d’affairs to Austria in Vienna to Baron de Paravicini, a Captain in the Swiss Guard at the Vatican (Regiment Vigier de Steinbruck, British Army Officer 1802). Born 1779, Okehampton, Devon. Died 6 April 1822, St. Mary Magdalene, Taunton, Somerset. Aged 42. Married Sophia Brent in 1815. They had two sons and one daughter.

Paravicini History

As unlikely as it may sound, the surname Paravicini is a Swiss surname and has been a Glarner surname for over 360 years.

The Paravicini family of Glarus originated in the village of Berbenno in the Valtellina valley (Veltlin in German) in northern Italy. Although part of Italy today, in the 16th through 18th centuries the Valtellina was part of the “Grey Leagues” also known as the “Graubünden”. This area of alpine valleys had established a mutual defense pact independent of Switzerland. Over time, most of the Grey Leagues formed into the Swiss Canton of Graubünden, while the Valtellina valley became part of Italy.

Another Paravicini branch found in London was descended from the Chur branch of the family. Men in this branch served as mercenaries fighting for the Kings of France. The most famous was Brigadier General Baron Francois Jean Baptiste de Paravicini who died while in French service in the Seven-Year War. Despite his fighting for the French, the general’s son, Baron Joseph de Paravicini moved to England and married. Joseph’s grandsons became, by all accounts, “veddy, veddy” British bearing the names Percy John, Harry Farquhar and Before Frederick Paravicini. Percy and Harry were celebrated for their cricket skills at Eton and Harrow and known for the fact that they married sisters -Lady Marcia and Lady Eva Cholmondeley- sisters of the 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley.

This passport was included in a quite interesting document lot of 16 passports, auctioned in November 2023.

Here is another Paravicini passport issued in Chur, Switzerland in 1798.

Tom Topol | Passport Historian & Author
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