Ferdinand Bonaventura I, Count Harrach

At the time of the death of both parents he was a minor, the guardian became his uncle, Cardinal Ernst Adalbert von Harrach.

In 1658 he participated as Imperial Chamberlain in the coronation of Leopold I as Holy Roman Emperor in Frankfurt, then continued his travels in Italy.

In 1697-1698 he led another diplomatic mission to Spain, where his task was to defend the interests of the Austrian Habsburgs against the expected extinction of the Spanish line.

After his return, he finished his career as the Obersthofmeister (1699–1705), in this position he also took over the chairmanship of the Privy Council and at the end of the reign of Leopold I determined the direction of foreign policy.

Harrach died during a medical stay in Karlovy Vary at the age of 69, and is buried in the Church of St. Augustine in Vienna.