FUGGEB, one of the most remarkable families in Germany, which, by industry and commerce, has founded numerous lines of counts, and-even princes. The ancestor of the family was John F., master-weaver iu Graben, near Augsburg. Ills eldest son, .Tohn F., acquired by marriage, in 1370, the freedom of Augsburg, and began to carry on a trade in linen along with weaving. By a second marriage in 1382, with the daughter of a councillor, he had two sons and four daughters. This John F. was one of the council of twelve (Ger. Die 7deOlfer, " the twelve ") in the weaver-guild, and an assessor of the famous Fehmgericht (q.v.) or secret tribunal of Westphalia. He died in 1409, and left what was a large fortune for the time-3,000 guldens or florins.
His eldest son, Andrew F. made such good use of his share of the inheritance, that he got the name of " the rich Fugger." By marriage, he founded a noble line, which, however, died out in 1585. John's second son, Jacob F., who died in 1469, was superior and " twelve" of the weaver-guild, and a man held in high esteem by his fellow-citizens; he was the first of the Fuggers that had a house in Augsburg, and he already carried on an extensive commerce.
Of his seven sons, three, Ulrich, George, and Jacob II., by means of industry, ability, and integrity, extended their business to an extraordinary degree, and laid the foundation for the palmy days of the family. They married into the noblest houses. and were raised by the emperor Maximilian to the rank of nobles. The emperor mort gaged to them, for 70,000 gold guldens, the county of Kirchberg and the lordship of Weissenhorn, and received from them afterwards, through the mediation of pope Julius II., 170,000 ducats, to assist in carrying on the war against Venice. Ulrich F., born 1441, died 1510, devoted himself specially to the commerce that he opened up with Austria, and there was almost no object that did not enter into his speculations; even the masterpieces of Albert Dtirer went through his hands to Italy. Jacob F., born 1459, died 1525, engaged in mining; he farmed the mines in Tyrol, and accumulated immense wealth; he lent to the archduke of Austria 150.000 guldens, and built the nificent castle of Fuggerau, in Tyrol. Thus the wealth of the Fuggers went on increasing. Their wares went to all lands, and scarce a road or sea but bore their wagons or ships.
But it was under Charles V. that the house attained its greatest splendor. Jacob having died childless, and the family of Ulrich being also extinct, the fortunes and splendor of the house rested on the sons of George F., who died in 1506. At his death, he left three sons, one ofwhom, Marcus, entered the church; the two younger, Raimund and Antony, carried on the business, and became the founders of the two chief and still flourishing lines of the house of Fugger. The two brothers were zealous Catholics, and with their wealth supported Eck in his opposition to Luther. During the diet held
by Charles V. at Augsburg, in 1530, the emperor lived in Antony F.'s splendid house in the wine market. On this occasion, he raised both brothers to the rank of counts, and invested them with the still mortgaged properties of Kirchberg and Weissenhoru; and aletter under the imperial seal conferred on them the rights of princes. For the sup port they afforded him in his expedition against Algiers in 1535, they received the right of coining money. Antony F., at his death, left six millions gold crowns in ready money, besides jewels and possessions in all parts of Europe and in both Indias. It is of him that the emperor Charles is said to have remarked while being shown the royal treasury in Paris: " There is a linen-weaver in Augsburg that could pay all that out of his own purse." The emperor Ferdinand II. raised the splendor of the house of F. still higher while confirming the imperial letter of Charles, by great additional privileges on the two oldest of the family, counts John and Jerome. The Fuggers continued still as nobles to carry on their commerce, and further increased their immense wealth. They attained the highest posts in the empire, and several princely houses prided themselves on their alliance with the house of Fugger. They possessed the most extensive libraries and collections of objects of art, maintained painters and musicians, and liberally encouraged art and science. Their houses and gardens were masterpieces of the architecture and taste of the times. There is thus nothing incredible in the story that Antony F., on one occasion when Charles V. was his visitor, lighted a fire of cinnamon wood with the emperor's bond for money lent him.
While thus indulging in splendor, they were not less bent on doing good. Ulrich, George, and Jacob, the sons of the beneficent Jacob; bought houses in one of the suburbs of Augsburg, pulled them down, and built 108 smaller houses, which they let to poor citizens at a low rent. This was the origin of the "Fuggerei," which still remains under the same name, with its own walls and gates. • Many other benevolent institutions were set on foot by Antony F. and his sons. It is questionable if we are to rank among their benefactions their calling the Jesuits to Augsburg, and giving them buildings and revenues for a college, church, and school. The race is still continued in the two prin cipal lines of and Antony, besides collateral branches. The domains are chiefly in Bavaria. A collection of portraits of the most important members of this great house, executed by Domin. Custos of Antwerp,' appeared at Augsburg (1593 et seq.). This collection (increased to 127, with genealogies written in Latin) was repub lished by the brothers Kilian (Augsburg, 1618); and in 1754, a new edition of the work, still further improved, and containing 139 portraits, was published at Ulm, under the title Pinacotheca Faggerorum.