Wolf Dietrich Raitenau
Encyclopedia
Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (March 26, 1559 – January 16, 1617) was Prince-Bishop
of Salzburg
from 1587 to 1612.
near Bregenz
in Further Austria
, the son of the Habsburg
colonel Hans Werner von Raitenau and Helene von Hohenems, a niece of Pope Pius IV
, sister of Markus Sitticus von Hohenems Altemps
as well as sister-in-law of Cardinal Charles Borromeo
.
Wolf Dietrich received an ecclesiastical education at the Collegium Germanicum
in Rome
and became a member of the Salzburg chapter
in 1578. After his election in 1587 he continued the harsh measures of the Counter-Reformation
initiated by his predecessors and in 1588 had all Protestants
expelled from the city of Salzburg
. In his later years however, Raitenau developed a milder attitude and won fame as an art collector and a builder who significantly promoted the spread of the Baroque architecture
north of the Alps
.
Raitenau's rule was brought down after he had entered into a fierce conflict with his mighty neighbour Duke Maximilian I of Bavaria
: In 1609 the Prince-Bishop refused to join Maximilian's Catholic League
and in 1611 he invaded the Berchtesgaden Provostry
, which was also claimed by the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach. In the subsequent clashes of arms, Raitenau on his flight to Carinthia
was captured, deposed and imprisoned for life at Burg Hohenwerfen
by his nephew and successor Markus Sittikus von Hohenems.
architect Vincenzo Scamozzi
, who also drew up a master plan for the adjacent Residenzplatz
square and designed the Alte Residenz
. In 1606 the Prince-Bishop had the Palace of Mirabell
built in Salzburg for his mistress Salome Alt.
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
of Salzburg
Archbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
from 1587 to 1612.
Biography
Raitenau was born at Hofen Castle in LochauLochau
Lochau is a municipality in the federal state of Vorarlberg, Austria. It is located on Lake Constance, in the Bregenz district near the border to Germany....
near Bregenz
Bregenz
-Culture:The annual summer music festival Bregenzer Festspiele is a world-famous festival which takes place on and around a stage on Lake Constance, where a different opera is performed every second year.-Sport:* A1 Bregenz HB is a handball team....
in Further Austria
Further Austria
Further Austria or Anterior Austria was the collective name for the old possessions of the House of Habsburg in the former Swabian stem duchy of south-western Germany, including territories in the Alsace region west of the Rhine and in Vorarlberg, after the focus of the Habsburgs had moved to the...
, the son of the Habsburg
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
colonel Hans Werner von Raitenau and Helene von Hohenems, a niece of Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV , born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was Pope from 1559 to 1565. He is notable for presiding over the culmination of the Council of Trent.-Biography:...
, sister of Markus Sitticus von Hohenems Altemps
Markus Sitticus von Hohenems Altemps
Markus Sitticus III von Hohenems Altemps, Cardinal Altemps was a German Catholic prelate, who was Bishop of Constance , papal legate and Cardinal.-Biography:...
as well as sister-in-law of Cardinal Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo was the cardinal archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was a leading figure during the Counter-Reformation and was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests...
.
Wolf Dietrich received an ecclesiastical education at the Collegium Germanicum
Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum
The Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum or simply Collegium Germanicum is a German-speaking seminary for Roman Catholic priests in Rome, founded in 1552. Since 1580 its full name has been Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum de Urbe....
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and became a member of the Salzburg chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
in 1578. After his election in 1587 he continued the harsh measures of the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
initiated by his predecessors and in 1588 had all Protestants
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...
expelled from the city of Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. In his later years however, Raitenau developed a milder attitude and won fame as an art collector and a builder who significantly promoted the spread of the Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
north of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
.
Raitenau's rule was brought down after he had entered into a fierce conflict with his mighty neighbour Duke Maximilian I of Bavaria
Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria
Maximilian I, Duke/Elector of Bavaria , called "the Great", was a Wittelsbach ruler of Bavaria and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire. His reign was marked by the Thirty Years' War ....
: In 1609 the Prince-Bishop refused to join Maximilian's Catholic League
Catholic League (German)
The German Catholic League was initially a loose confederation of Roman Catholic German states formed on July 10, 1609 to counteract the Protestant Union , whereby the participating states concluded an alliance "for the defence of the Catholic religion and peace within the Empire." Modeled...
and in 1611 he invaded the Berchtesgaden Provostry
Berchtesgaden Provostry
Berchtesgaden Provostry or the Prince-Provostry of Berchtesgaden was an immediate principality of the Holy Roman Empire, held by a canonry, i.e...
, which was also claimed by the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach. In the subsequent clashes of arms, Raitenau on his flight to Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
was captured, deposed and imprisoned for life at Burg Hohenwerfen
Burg Hohenwerfen
Hohenwerfen Castle stands on a rock approximately 40 km south of the Austrian city of Salzburg. The castle is majestically surrounded by the Berchtesgaden Alps and the Tennengebirge mountain range...
by his nephew and successor Markus Sittikus von Hohenems.
Legacy
After the Salzburg Cathedral was devastated by a fire on the night of December 11, 1598, Raitenau had plans set up for a lavish reconstruction by the VenetianRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
architect Vincenzo Scamozzi
Vincenzo Scamozzi
thumb|250px|Portrait of Vincenzo Scamozzi by [[Paolo Veronese]]Vincenzo Scamozzi was a Venetian architect and a writer on architecture, active mainly in Vicenza and Republic of Venice area in the second half of the 16th century...
, who also drew up a master plan for the adjacent Residenzplatz
Residenzplatz
Residenzplatz is a large, stately square in the heart of the historic center of Salzburg, Salzburgerland in Austria. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Salzburg.-Location:...
square and designed the Alte Residenz
Alte Residenz
The Alte Residenz was the city palace of the Archbishops of Salzburg in the Old Town of Salzburg.-Location:It lies in the historic center of Salzburg between Domplatz, Residenzplatz and Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse.-History:...
. In 1606 the Prince-Bishop had the Palace of Mirabell
Palace of Mirabell
The Mirabell Palace is a historical building in Salzburg, Salzburgerland, Austria.-History:It was built in the Baroque style, with Italian and French models, by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau in 1606...
built in Salzburg for his mistress Salome Alt.