Sebastian Grabner was the son of
Leopold Grabner zu Rosenburg from the second Lower Austrian line of the
Grabner zu Rosenburg of the extensive
Herren von Graben family and Freiin Ehrentraud von Königsberg. He followed his father as lord of
Rosenburg,
Pottenbrunn,
Siebenbrunn,
Judenau,
Schlickendorf in Lower Austria and
Joslowitz in Moravia. During the 16th and early 17th centuries, the Grabners were among the richest and most respected families in Austria, and therefore in opposition to the
Habsburgs. Sebastian Grabner's first marriage was to Johanna
von Polheim (born 14 June 1561, died 15 June 1593), daughter of Maximilian von Polheim und Wartenberg (born 1525, died 20 April 1570) and Judith
von Weißpriach (died 5 November 1578). They had four children among other
Johann Leopold and
Friedrich Christoph, the last of the Grabners zu Rosenburg. No descendants were born to him from his second marriage to Margaretha (Marusch)
von Zelking. During the
Reformation, Sebastian Grabner was one of the country's leading Protestants. Between the years 1593 and 1597 he converted the
Rosenburg castle into a magnificent Renaissance palace. Most of the Gothic Rosenburg was demolished and the castle was reconstructed in Renaissance style with 13 towers. He was also responsible for the reconstruction of
Pottenbrunn palace. In 1608 Grabner together with his elder son
Johann Leopold Grabner zu Rosenburg a signatory of the Protestant
Horner Bund. In 1609 and 1610 he was a deputy of the Protestant estates of Lower Austria, sat on the committee for religious freedom that they demanded and was therefore also involved in diplomatic negotiations with Emperor
Matthias. COA Grabner Rosenberg.png|Wappen der
Grabner zu Rosenberg (Rosenburg) Rosenburg, Tortur, Allianzwappen Grabner -Polheim aus dem Jahre 1593.jpg|Coat of arms Grabner and Polheim at the Rosenburg portal Sebastian Grabner.jpg|Statue of Sebastian Grabner on the Rosenburg == External links ==