Johann Philipp von Schönborn
Encyclopedia
Johann Philipp von Schönborn (6 August 1605 – 12 February 1673) was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz
from 1647 until 1673, the Bishop of Würzburg
from 1642 until 1673, and the Bishop of Worms
from 1663 until 1673.
His contemporaries gave him the honorable titles of "The Wise", "The German Solomon", and "The Cato of Germany".
) to Georg von Schönborn. He was probably christened as a Protestant
, but he was educated by the Jesuits in Weilburg
, Mainz
, Orléans
and Siena
. In 1621 he became a cleric (in expectation of a canonry) at Würzburg Cathedral
, and in 1626 he received one in Mainz
as well. In 1626 he received consecration in Mainz. He became a cathedral canon of Würzburg in 1629 and of Worms
in 1630. He fled to Cologne
with most of the high clergy in 1631 from the advancing armies of Sweden
during the Thirty Years' War
.
Appointed the Bishop of Würzburg on 8 September 1642, Johann Philipp quickly set to work restoring conditions in the prince-bishopric. He negotiated with the Holy Roman Emperor
to reduce troop movement through the diocese, purchased peace from the Swedes and forced the advancing French
to withdraw. In 1645 he began negotiations to end the war, and as his own position in the empire was weak he signed a treaty with the French cardinal Jules Mazarin. In addition he wanted to force the right of vote at the Peace of Westphalia
so sent delegates to Münster
and Osnabrück
, gaining both the attention of the Emperor and the French king. As the Swedish king resisted any compromise on the religious stalemate, Johann Philipp took a position of compromise which gained the mistrust of Pope Innocent X
.
Due to the attention and fame he won at the on-going peace negotiations, the cathedral chapter of Mainz elected Johann Philipp the Archbishop on 19 November 1647. The Pope formally withheld giving him the pallium
due to a dispute over money (archbishops had to pay a fee to the Pope to be confirmed during that era), however it was withheld more for his compromising position with the Protestant princes (Johann Philipp was not confirmed until 13 September 1649). Johann Phillipp used the offices which came with the Archbishopric of Mainz to advance the negotiations. The result of his and others long and hard labors was the Peace of Westphalia
in 1648, which recognized the rights of the weaker rulers of Germany
, mediated between France and the Empire, and successfully resisted the efforts of Sweden to abolish several Catholic spiritual states including the Archbishopric of Mainz.
The French continued to occupy several regions of Germany after the formal peace, including the city of Mainz and the archbishop's residence. When the policies of the Habsburgs began to waver from involvement and attention of Germany, Johann Philipp turned his attention to the French in 1655. In 1658 he tried to prevent Leopold I
being elected the Holy Roman Emperor and to crown the French king Louis XIV
. Leopold was nevertheless elected, and so Johann Philipp helped resurrect the Rhenish League. As the French began to threaten the Rhineland
and peace across the empire, Johann Philipp turned to the side of Leopold and helped unite the German church behind him. He later regained the archbishopric's territories in Hesse
and Erfurt
.
Also following the Thirty Years' War, Johann Philipp began widespread reforms and reconstruction throughout the archdiocese. He implemented all the reforms of the Council of Trent
, rebuilt all infrastructure, and resettled regions devastated by war and plague. He re-established the choir of Mainz Cathedral
, and in 1656 introduced Gregorian chant
. He also printed and circulated new versions and translations of the bible. In 1660 he rebuilt orphanages and allowed priests' seminaries. In 1663 he was also elected the Bishop of Worms and implemented reform there. Urged by the Jesuit Friedrich von Spee
, he was also one of the first princes to outlaw witch-hunting, which had killed over 2,000 people during the past century in the archbishopric.
Johann Philipp also took a tolerant policy towards Protestants, and allowed them to continue to live in the archdiocese. He also bankrupted Mainz by increasing the fortifications of the city.
On 15 December 1670 Johann Philipp appointed Lothar Friedrich von Metternich his coadjutor after he became ill with kidney disease.
He died in Würzburg, his favorite city, in 1673 and was buried in the west choir of 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 1647 until 1673, the Bishop of Würzburg
Bishopric of Würzburg
The Bishopric of Würzburg was a prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire, located in Lower Franconia, around the city of Würzburg, Germany. Würzburg was a diocese from 743. In the 18th century, its bishop was often also Bishop of Bamberg...
from 1642 until 1673, and the Bishop of Worms
Bishopric of Worms
The Bishopric of Worms was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Located on both banks of the Rhine around Worms just north of the union of that river with the Neckar, it was largely surrounded by the Palatinate. Worms had been the seat of a bishop from Roman times...
from 1663 until 1673.
His contemporaries gave him the honorable titles of "The Wise", "The German Solomon", and "The Cato of Germany".
Biography
Johann Philipp was born in Laubuseschbach (modern HesseHesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
) to Georg von Schönborn. He was probably christened as a Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, but he was educated by the Jesuits in Weilburg
Weilburg
Weilburg is, with just under 14,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg.- Location :...
, 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...
, Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
and Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
. In 1621 he became a cleric (in expectation of a canonry) at Würzburg Cathedral
Würzburg Cathedral
Würzburg Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany, dedicated to Saint Kilian. It is the seat of the Bishop of Würzburg...
, and in 1626 he received one in Mainz
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...
as well. In 1626 he received consecration in Mainz. He became a cathedral canon of Würzburg in 1629 and of Worms
Worms Cathedral
Cathedral of St Peter is a church in Worms, southern Germany. It was the seat of the Catholic Prince-Bishopric of Worms until its extinction in 1800.It is a basilica with four round towers, two large domes, and a choir at each end...
in 1630. He fled to Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
with most of the high clergy in 1631 from the advancing armies of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
.
Appointed the Bishop of Würzburg on 8 September 1642, Johann Philipp quickly set to work restoring conditions in the prince-bishopric. He negotiated with the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
to reduce troop movement through the diocese, purchased peace from the Swedes and forced the advancing French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to withdraw. In 1645 he began negotiations to end the war, and as his own position in the empire was weak he signed a treaty with the French cardinal Jules Mazarin. In addition he wanted to force the right of vote at the Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
so sent delegates to Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
and Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, gaining both the attention of the Emperor and the French king. As the Swedish king resisted any compromise on the religious stalemate, Johann Philipp took a position of compromise which gained the mistrust of Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...
.
Due to the attention and fame he won at the on-going peace negotiations, the cathedral chapter of Mainz elected Johann Philipp the Archbishop on 19 November 1647. The Pope formally withheld giving him the pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
due to a dispute over money (archbishops had to pay a fee to the Pope to be confirmed during that era), however it was withheld more for his compromising position with the Protestant princes (Johann Philipp was not confirmed until 13 September 1649). Johann Phillipp used the offices which came with the Archbishopric of Mainz to advance the negotiations. The result of his and others long and hard labors was the Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
in 1648, which recognized the rights of the weaker rulers of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, mediated between France and the Empire, and successfully resisted the efforts of Sweden to abolish several Catholic spiritual states including the Archbishopric of Mainz.
The French continued to occupy several regions of Germany after the formal peace, including the city of Mainz and the archbishop's residence. When the policies of the Habsburgs began to waver from involvement and attention of Germany, Johann Philipp turned his attention to the French in 1655. In 1658 he tried to prevent Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
being elected the Holy Roman Emperor and to crown the French king Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
. Leopold was nevertheless elected, and so Johann Philipp helped resurrect the Rhenish League. As the French began to threaten the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
and peace across the empire, Johann Philipp turned to the side of Leopold and helped unite the German church behind him. He later regained the archbishopric's territories in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
and Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
.
Also following the Thirty Years' War, Johann Philipp began widespread reforms and reconstruction throughout the archdiocese. He implemented all the reforms of the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, rebuilt all infrastructure, and resettled regions devastated by war and plague. He re-established the choir 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...
, and in 1656 introduced Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
. He also printed and circulated new versions and translations of the bible. In 1660 he rebuilt orphanages and allowed priests' seminaries. In 1663 he was also elected the Bishop of Worms and implemented reform there. Urged by the Jesuit Friedrich von Spee
Friedrich von Spee
Friedrich Spee was a German Jesuit and poet, most noted as an opponent of trials for witchcraft. Spee was the first person in his time who spoke strongly and with arguments against torture in general...
, he was also one of the first princes to outlaw witch-hunting, which had killed over 2,000 people during the past century in the archbishopric.
Johann Philipp also took a tolerant policy towards Protestants, and allowed them to continue to live in the archdiocese. He also bankrupted Mainz by increasing the fortifications of the city.
On 15 December 1670 Johann Philipp appointed Lothar Friedrich von Metternich his coadjutor after he became ill with kidney disease.
He died in Würzburg, his favorite city, in 1673 and was buried in the west choir of Mainz Cathedral.