Godfried or Godfrey van Rhenen (died on May 27, 1178) was a bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of Utrecht from 1156 to 1178.

Godfrey was appointed with support from Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor

Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor

Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...

. In 1159 to deal with a revolt of citizens and his own ministrials as a consequence of the struggle between the papal-supporting Welfs and the emperor-supporting Hohenstaufen

Hohenstaufen

The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...

, in which Godfrey supported the Hohenstaufen. The revolt was ended in 1160 in favour of the bishop. After this he busied himself with strengthening his position in the Oversticht and in Friesland

Friesland

Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...

. This led to a conflict with Floris III, Count of Holland

Floris III, Count of Holland

Floris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...

 in 1165, in which the emperor mediated. Bishop Godfrey built forts at Vollenhove

Vollenhove

Vollenhove is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, southwest of Steenwijk. Until the Noordoostpolder was drained, it was located on the coast of the IJsselmeer....

 and Montfoort

Montfoort

Montfoort is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. Montfoort received city rights in 1329.-Population centres :...

.

External links

• Godfried van Rhenen biography (in Dutch).