Prince Johann II. (original) (raw)

| Prince Johann II 1858 - 1929 Compared to his ancestors, Johann II (born in 1840, died in1929) had a solitary life. He was considered to be rather unsociable, he stayed unmarried and participated in no social events. He also never assumed any tasks of the Austrian politics or the Austrian military. Even though Johann II tried to avoid publicity, he was regarded as a prestigious man. He was an outstanding art connoisseur and a generous patron. He bought several works of art for the princely collections, but donated lots of them to the public museums. Several castles, amongst which the Vaduz Castle and the Liechtenstein Castle near Maria Enzersdorf were restored on his order. He also generously supported scientific and cultural endeavours, welfare arrangements and the building of churches. By his beneficence and the charitable works he gained the surname of "the Good". After the First World War the economic basis of the family was weakened by the land reforms in Czechoslovakia. Johann II ruled for a period of 71 years. During his reign the country underwent two phases of radical changes. In 1862 Johann II enacted a constitution which gave ordinary citizens important political rights. In the years that followed the country experienced an extraordinary economic and cultural revival. After the First World War Liechtenstein turned towards Switzerland. In 1921 the country obtained a modern constitution where the rights of the people were fully extended. | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |