Kaunitz

Kaunitz is a surname of Austrian origin. It is most famously associated with Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg, a prominent statesman and diplomat of the 18th century. Born in 1711, Kaunitz served as Foreign Minister and later Chancellor of state under the Habsburg monarchy. He was a key architect of the diplomatic revolution, which shifted long-standing European alliances. His influence was instrumental in orchestrating the alliance between Austria and France, traditionally rivals, leading up to the Seven Years' War. Kaunitz was also a patron of the arts and sciences, contributing to the cultural flourishing of the Enlightenment era in Vienna. He died in 1794. The surname Kaunitz has thus become historically linked to this significant figure in European history.