Dates and facts

History of the Fugger family since 1367

1367

The master weaver Hans Fugger moves from the village of Graben to Augsburg. Note in the Augsburg tax register: »fucker advenit«, »Fugger has arrived«.

1370

Marriage to the daughter of the future guild master Oswald Widolf, Klara Widolf. The marriage produces two daughters. Hans Fugger acts a distributor for the weavers' finished textiles.

circa 1380

After the death of Klara: second marriage to Elisabeth Gfattermann.

1386

Election of Hans Fugger to the directorate of the weaver's guild, thus granting him a seat in the city's Grand Council.

1394/95

Birth of Andreas Fugger.

ca. 1398

Birth of Jakob Fugger the Elder.

ca. 1408

Death of Hans Fugger.

ab 1409

Elisabeth Gfattermann and her sons manage and expand the business.

1441

Marriage of Jakob Fugger the Elder to Barbara Bäsinger. The marriage produces seven sons, including the future benefactors Ulrich, Georg and Jakob.

ca. 1455

Division of the business areas and subsequent division of the family branches into Fugger vom Reh (Andreas) and Fugger von der Lilie (Jakob the Elder).

beginning in 1462

Economic rise of the Fugger von der Lilie family; the family's wealth doubles between 1472 and 1486.

1466

Jakob Fugger the Elder moves from the weaver's guild into the merchant's guild. He has come to rank as the seventh-richest taxpayer in the city's tax register.

1469

Death of Jakob Fugger the Elder; the business is managed by his widow Barbara and his sons Ulrich, Georg and Jakob (Jakob the Rich).

1472

First financial dealings with the Roman Curia.

1473

Lily coat of arms is bestowed; the brothers are admitted into the merchant's guild; Jakob Fugger is educated in Venice as a merchant. Factoring companies are established in Nuremberg and Venice.

1479

Marriage of Ulrich Fugger to Veronika Imhof, daughter of a salt manufacturer's guild master; the brothers also marry into the Augsburg upper class: in 1486, Georg marries Regina Imhof and in 1498 Jakob marries Sibylla Artzt. Alongside the increased social and political influence, the companies are strengthened economically with the addition of the dowries to their assets.

1480

Participation in mining operations in Salzburg.

beginning in 1485

Participation in mining operations in Tyrol (Schwaz).

1488

All silver manufacturing in Schwaz is handled by the Fugger firm.

beginning in ca. 1490

Commerce in copper and silver through a newly established factoring company in Innsbruck.

1491

Loan to King Maximilian I; further financing of court affairs and military campaigns follow.

1493

Maximilian I becomes king, the Fugger firm handles various financial affairs for him.

1494

First articles of partnership for the firm »Ulrich Fugker und gebrudere von Augspurg« (»Ulrich Fugker and brothers of Augsburg«) with specific designations for how business and shares are to be handled.

beginning in 1494

Development of business in Hungary with ore mining and trading on a large scale.

1497

Death of Barbara Bäsinger, full control of the family's assets is transferred to the sons Ulrich, Georg and Jakob.

1502

Renewal of the articles of partnership. Participation in business activities is henceforth limited to male members of the family.

1503

Entry into the spice trade with India.

1506

Death of Georg Fugger.

1507

Acquisition of the Kirchberg county and Weißenhorn estate through Jakob Fugger.

1508

Lease of the Roman mints; the Fuggers mint coins for the popes, with interruptions, until 1524.

1509

Construction begins on the Fugger chapel in St. Anna.

1510

Death of Ulrich Fugger, Jakob Fugger assumes sole responsibility for all business.

1511

Jakob Fugger is raised to nobility.

1512

Four nephews are accepted into the firm, as Jakob the Rich remained childless.

1512 to 1515

Construction of the Fugger buildings on what is now Maximilianstraße.

1514

Plans are made for a charitable estate - what is now the Fuggerei.

1514

Jakob Fugger is granted the title of Imperial Count.

beginning in 1516

Construction of the Fuggerei.

1517

The Fugger family manages the collection of »Peter's pence« for the Pope in order to build the new St. Peter's Basilica in Rome; Martin Luther criticises the sale of indulgences related to this effort.

1519

Death of Emperor Maximilian I, his grandson Karl is elected as the new emperor. Approximately two thirds of the election money used to secure the electors' votes for Karl are loaned by Jakob Fugger.

1521

Jakob commissions the foundation deed that includes the Fuggerei, the Fugger Chapel and the sermon endowment at St. Moritz.

1525

In his will, Jakob Fugger names his nephew Anton as sole »disposer and chafferer«; his brother Raymund and cousin Hieronymus are to support and advise him.

1524/25

Unrest in Hungary; rebellions by peasants in Swabia and miners in Tyrol.

beginning in 1525

Expansion of credit operations with Emperor Karl and lease of Spanish feudal estates, which included the cinnabar and quicksilver mines in Spanish Almadén.

1525

Expansion of credit operations with Emperor Karl and lease of Spanish feudal estates, which included the cinnabar and quicksilver mines in Spanish Almadén.

1527

The firm's profit accounts show a growth of 927 percent in 17 years.

1527/28

Purchase of further manorial estates.

1533

Dispute between the Catholic Fuggers and the Zwinglians of the city; Anton Fugger retreats to his Weißenhorn estate and does not return until 1536.

1538

Dispute between the Catholic Fuggers and the Zwinglians of the city; Anton Fugger retreats to his Weißenhorn estate and does not return until 1536.

1538

Admission of the Fugger family into the Augsburg patriciate.

1546

Historical peak of the Fugger firm's assets. Borrowers include Emperor Karl V, King Henry VIII of England, Ferdinand I of Bohemia and the kings of Portugal and Denmark.

1546

In the Schmalkaldic War, the Free Imperial City of Augsburg takes the Protestant side. As financier of the Catholic Emperor and a practicing Catholic himself, Anton Fugger moves the firm's headquarters to Schwaz.

1547

After the loss of the Schmalkaldic War, Augsburg has to ask Emperor Karl V for clemency. Anton Fugger assumes the role of negotiator. In Ulm, he voluntarily kneels before the Emperor and supports his home city with its contribution payments.

1548

Anton Fugger establishes the Holz- und Blatternhaus Foundation (wood and smallpox house) and reorganises the existing foundations. With a legal decree, Anton limits succession to male descendants in order to secure wealth and properties in the long term. Daughters had the right to befitting endowments and commensurate dowries. The family's estate is divided between Anton's and Raymund's lines.

1548

The lease for the Slovakian mines is relinquished after profits from Hungarian trade become increasingly worse.

1549

Anton Fugger gives up his share in Spanish commerce and plans the dissolution of the firm.

1550

In his will, Anton Fugger tells his sons to travel and study foreign languages so that they might find »honourable positions« in the imperial or royal courts. Thus a new goal is named in addition to economic success: a noble way of life.

1551

Purchase of the Kirchheim estate; in following years increasing reorganisation of the family's wealth, including lands; ambitious marriage politics with relatives in the landed nobility.

1557

First Spanish bankruptcy. The Fugger family's large outstanding debts with the Spanish crown threaten the financial power of the Fugger firm.

1560

First Spanish bankruptcy. The Fugger family's large outstanding debts with the Spanish crown threaten the financial power of the Fugger firm.

1564

Hans Jakob is removed from the firm; other partners in the Raymund line have to be paid off. The firm's assets are significantly reduced.

1568 to 1605

The »Zeitungen« (newspapers) created by Philipp Eduard and Octavian Secundus Fugger help to advance communications in Europe. Together with the Welsers, the brothers operate the so-called pepper trade with a subsidiary in Goa.

1575

Land holdings are split between Marx, Hans and Jakob Fugger. Increased acquisition of land holdings, primarily in Swabia.

1577

A statement of accounts shows a significant improvement of net assets; Marx Fugger's consolidation measures and concentration on a small number of business areas proves successful.

1578

Hans Fugger builds Schloss Kirchheim.

1607

The Spanish crown declares a moratorium on all debt payments; losses from the long-standing leasing business in Spain.

1618

Thirty Years' War with devastating effects on the populace and the economy; the Fugger family withdraws from an increasing number of business areas. Otto Heinrich Fugger is governor of Augsburg in 1635/36.

1624

Foundation of a second mercantile firm by Fugger family members with subsequent disputes.

1647

End of leasing businesses in Spain.

1657

Return of Tyrol mining holdings to the state; cessation of business operations.

1658

The Fugger firm is dissolved. Members of the Fugger family have meanwhile found success as councillors, officers or in the clergy. In the following centuries, many Fuggers hold high offices at court or in the government. They are also heavily involved in patronage for music, art and literature and the conservation and maintenance of the family's lands, castles and palaces.

1803

Properties in Babenhausen, Boos and Ketterhausen are granted status of inherited holdings of imperial principalities, Anselm Maria Fugger is the first Prince of Babenhausen.

1806

All of the Fugger family's properties are mediatized to the Kingdom of Bavaria.

1913

The Fugger von Glött family is granted hereditary princely rank by King Ludwig III of Bavaria.

1944

Joseph-Ernst Fürst Fugger von Glött is sentenced to three years of imprisonment due to his membership in the resistance.

February 1944

Extensive destruction of the Fuggerei through bombing raids on Augsburg.

March 1944

Family leaders decide to rebuild the Fuggerei.

1973

Last expansion of the Fuggerei.