After a theological education, Trautson earned his doctorate in the Holy Scriptures. The ordination he received on 26 September 1728 in Salzburg. He was first canon in Salzburg, then canon in Passau and Wroclaw, and provost of Ardagger.
On 7 December 1750 he was appointed coadjutor of the Archdiocese of Vienna and titular archbishop of Cartagine. The episcopal consecration was bestowed by Archbishop Sigismund von Kollonitsch on 25 December of the same year. After the death of Cardinal Kollonitsch, he headed from 17 May 1751 the diocese as prince-archbishop.
In a pastoral letter of 1 January 1752, he denounced the abuses of sermons, the superstitious beliefs of the people and excesses of indulgences. He was accused of being a Protestant.
Maria Theresa appointed him protector of the theological and philosophical sciences at the University of Vienna and head of the new building of the university (now Old University and seat of the Austrian Academy of Sciences).
Franz Hadriga: Die Trautson. Paladine Habsburgs. Styria, Graz u. a. 1996, ISBN3-222-12337-3, S. 139–142.
Franz Loidl: Geschichte des Erzbistums Wien. Herold, Wien 1983, ISBN3-7008-0223-4.
Ernst Tomek: Kirchengeschichte Österreichs. Tyrolia, Innsbruck – Wien – München 1935–59.
Josef Wodka: Kirche in Österreich. Wegweiser durch ihre Geschichte. Herder, Wien 1959.
References
^J. Siebmacher’s großes Wappenbuch. Die Wappen des Adels in Niederösterreich, Teil 2, S – Z, Seite 378; Verlag Bauer & Raspe, Neustadt a. d. Aisch, 1983