Johann Adam von Bicken
Encyclopedia
Johann Adam von Bicken was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz
from 1601 to 1604.
). As a boy, he studied the seven liberal arts in Würzburg
and Mainz
. He then spent 1582 to 1584 studying in Pont-à-Mousson
, before moving on to Bourges
, Toulon
, and Italy
. He was fluent in French
and Italian
as well as his native German
.
Johann von Bicken was destined for a career in the church from an early age. Before he was ten years old, his uncle, Daniel Brendel of Homburg
arranged for him to become a canon
of the cathedral chapter
of Mainz Cathedral
. During the reign of Wolfgang von Dalberg
, Archbishop of Mainz, Johann held several administrative posts, and was present at the Regensburg
Reichstag
of 1597. He was elected Domscholaster in 1595.
The cathedral chapter of Mainz Cathedral elected Johann Adam von Bicken as the new Archbishop of Mainz on May 15, 1601. Pope Clement VIII
confirmed his election on August 27, 1601.
Johann Adam's time as Archbishop of Mainz is notable for advancing the confessionalization
of the Archbishopric of Mainz
. He dismissed a number of Lutheran officials and required a profession of Roman Catholic faith from officials at the 1602 Feast of the Assumption (August 15, 1602).
A large number of witch trials were held during his time as Archbishop.
Johann Adam von Bicken died in Aschaffenburg
on January 11, 1604. He is buried in Mainz Cathedral.
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
from 1601 to 1604.
Biography
Johann Adam von Bicken was born in Hainchen Castle on May 27, 1564, the son of Philipp von Bicken and his wife Anna Brendelin von Homburg (sister of Daniel Brendel of HomburgDaniel Brendel of Homburg
Daniel Brendel of Homburg was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1555 to 1582.-Biography:Daniel Brendel of Homburg was born in Aschaffenburg on March 22, 1522....
). As a boy, he studied the seven liberal arts in Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
and Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
. He then spent 1582 to 1584 studying in Pont-à-Mousson
Pont-à-Mousson
Pont-à-Mousson is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.Population : 14,592 . It is an industrial town , situated on the Moselle River...
, before moving on to Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
, Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was fluent in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
as well as his native German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Johann von Bicken was destined for a career in the church from an early age. Before he was ten years old, his uncle, Daniel Brendel of Homburg
Daniel Brendel of Homburg
Daniel Brendel of Homburg was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1555 to 1582.-Biography:Daniel Brendel of Homburg was born in Aschaffenburg on March 22, 1522....
arranged for him to become a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany...
. During the reign of Wolfgang von Dalberg
Wolfgang von Dalberg
Wolfgang von Dalberg was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1582 to 1601.-Biography:Wolfgang von Dalberg was born in 1538, the son of Friedrich Kämmerer von Worms alias von Dalberg , and his wife Anna von Fleckenstein Wolfgang von Dalberg (1538–1601) was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1582...
, Archbishop of Mainz, Johann held several administrative posts, and was present at the Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
Reichstag
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
of 1597. He was elected Domscholaster in 1595.
The cathedral chapter of Mainz Cathedral elected Johann Adam von Bicken as the new Archbishop of Mainz on May 15, 1601. Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
confirmed his election on August 27, 1601.
Johann Adam's time as Archbishop of Mainz is notable for advancing the confessionalization
Confessionalization
Confessionalization is a recent concept employed by Reformation historians to describe the parallel processes of "confession-building" taking place in Europe between the Peace of Augsburg and the Thirty Years' War...
of the Archbishopric of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
. He dismissed a number of Lutheran officials and required a profession of Roman Catholic faith from officials at the 1602 Feast of the Assumption (August 15, 1602).
A large number of witch trials were held during his time as Archbishop.
Johann Adam von Bicken died in Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is a city in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not considered part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is the administrative seat.Aschaffenburg is known as the Tor zum Spessart or "gate to the Spessart"...
on January 11, 1604. He is buried in Mainz Cathedral.