Savoy Castle, Bilje

Out of gratitude, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor (1640–1705) granted him estates in Hungary and Slavonia, the eastern part of Croatia.

[2] The castle's design can probably be attributed to Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, who was the favourite architect of the prince.

[3] In 1780, Empress Maria Theresa (1717–1780) gifted (or sold) the Bilje estate to her daughter Marie Christine of Austria (1742–1798) and her husband Albert of Saxe-Teschen (1738–1822) .

Next to the Bilje estate, the Weilburg palace and the Albertina with its large art collections, he owned estates in Ungarisch-Altenburg (now Mosonmagyaróvár in Hungary), Saybusch (now Żywiec in Poland), Seelowitz (now Židlochovice) and Frýdek in the Czech Republic, and the Grassalkovich Palace in Pressburg (now Bratislava in Slovakia).

Like most Habsburg princes, archduke Frederick adopted a military career, and served creditably for many years.

[5] At the start of the First World War, he was appointed by Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830–1916) as the supreme commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army.

[5] The archduke thought it his duty to accept this heavy responsibility, but, modestly underestimating his own powers, left the actual exercise of the command to his chief of staff, Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf.

[5] In the performance of ceremonial duties, and as mediator for the settlement of the conflicting demands of the military, civil and allied elements, his services were undeniable.

Under the administration of the Teschen brand of the Habsburg family, the Bilje estate became one of the biggest manors in Europe.

[1] This was partly due to the natural resources of the property, e.g. good soil, climate and a favourable geographical position.

[3] The Bilje estate remained in Habsburg hands until 1918, when the Serbian army and its allies entered the Baranja region.

[1] Bilje castle and its remaining estate became state-owned property, and continued operating as such till today (first Yugoslavian, later Croatian).

[1] During the Second World War, the Hungarian Army occupied the Baranja region, and the estate was (temporarily) returned to Frederick's son archduke Albrecht Franz (1897–1955) .