MAINZ archbishopric

  v2.0 Updated 16 February 2011

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

INTRODUCTION. 1

Chapter 1.            ARCHBISHOPS of MAINZ 747-1419. 2

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

A review of the families of the princes, dukes and counts who ruled Germany in medieval times would be incomplete without documents devoted to the major archbishoprics.  The bishopric of Mainz, centred on the town of Mainz in Franconia, was elevated to the status of an archbishopric during the reign of Pépin I King of the Franks in the mid-8th century, with jurisdiction including the bishoprics of Speier, Strasbourg and Worms.  Under the terms of the 843 Treaty of Verdun, which settled the disputes between the sons of Emperor Lous I "le Pieux", Trier and its archbishopric fell within the kingdom of East Franks.  Along with the archbishops of Köln and Trier, the archbishops of Mainz played an important role in the election of successive kings of Germany.  By the mid-12th century, the three archbishops had firmly established themselves as the spiritual representatives in the electoral process.  Electoral procedures, the unity of the seven electors including the three archbishops, and the right of election by the majority, were laid down definitively in the Golden Bull of 1356, which is described in some detail by Leuschner[1]. 

 

By the judicious acquisition of land, through purchase, donation and inheritance, the three archbishoprics of Köln, Mainz and Trier consolidated a powerful temporal, in addition to ecclesiastical, position of power.  The archbishopric of Mainz held extensive territory mainly east of the river Rhine, stretching from the river Main in the north to the river Neckar in the south, lying south of the county of Hanau and north-east of the Rhineland Pfalzgrafschaft.  In addition, it held numerous isolated territories scattered throughout the middle Rhine.  It is likely that the archbishops of Mainz were elected mainly from prominent noble families in the middle Rhine area of Franconia, although as will be seen below in the present document the precise family connections of many of the archbishops cannot be traced with certainty.  The suspicion is that the reigning archbishops frequently groomed their successors from among the members of their own family, often related through the female rather than the male line.  If sufficient information on family relationships was available in primary source documentation, it is expected that it would reveal extensive informal "dynasties" of archbishops which included a limited number of noble families.  In the case of the archbishopric of Köln, such family connections with noble families in the area of the lower Rhine basin, especially the comital families of Altena, Berg, Heinsberg, Hochstaden, Jülich, and Mark, can be demonstrated clearly.  In the case of the archbishopric of Mainz, the available information is less extensive so the family connections do not emerge so clearly from the source material.  It is probable that a similar pattern would emerge in relation to the more important lower level ecclesiastical appointments within each archbishopric. 

 

The present document shows the archbishops of Mainz between 747 and 1419.  The listing is not strictly chronological in the case of the incumbents which can be linked by family group.  It is hoped that later versions of the document will set out the bishops of the dioceses which fell under the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical province of Mainz. 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1.    ARCHBISHOPS of MAINZ 747-1419

 

 

1.         BONIFACIUS (-5 Jun 755).  Archbishop of Mainz 747. 

 

2.         LULLUS (-16 Oct 786).  Archbishop of Mainz 755. 

 

3.         RICHHOLF (-9 Aug 813).  Archbishop of Mainz 787. 

 

4.         ADOLF (-28 Jan 826).  Archbishop of Mainz 813. 

 

5.         ODGAR (-21 Apr 847).  Archbishop of Mainz 826. 

 

6.         RABANUS MAURUS (-4 Feb 856).  Archbishop of Mainz 848. 

 

7.         CHARLES d´Aquitaine, son of PEPIN I King of Aquitaine [Carolingian] & his wife Ringardis --- ([825/30]-Mainz 4 Jun 863, bur Mainz St Alban).  The Miraculis Sancti Genulfi names "Pipinum et Karolum liberos totidemque filias" as children of "Pipinus" and his wife[2].  He was captured in Mar 849 by the Comte de Tours while trying to rejoin his brother, and shut in the abbey of Corbie where he was tonsured in 851.  The Annales Bertiniani record that "Karlus Pippinus frater" escaped "a Corbeiensi monasterio" in 854[3].  He escaped to the court of his paternal uncle Ludwig II "der Deutsche" King of the East Franks who appointed him Archbishop of Mainz 8 Mar 856[4]. 

 

8.         LUDBERT (-17 Feb 889).  Archbishop of Mainz 863. 

 

9.         SUNDERHOLD (-27 Jun 891).  Archbishop of Mainz 889. 

 

10.      HATTO [I] (-18 Jan 913).  Archbishop of Mainz 891. 

 

11.      HERIGAR (-19 Mar 927).  Archbishop of Mainz 913. 

 

12.      HILDBERT (-31 May 937).  Archbishop of Mainz 927. 

 

13.      FRIEDRICH (-25 Oct 954).  Archbishop of Mainz 937. 

 

14.      WILHELM of Germany, illegitimate son of (-2 Mar 968).  Archbishop of Mainz 954.  Thietmar names Wilhelm as "the offspring of a captured Slavic noblewoman and the king"[5].  He is named "Willihelmus filius regis" when recording his installation as Archbishop of Mainz in 954[6].  "Otto…imperator augustus" donated property to Aachen Marienkapelle by charter dated 16 Feb 966 which names "Maguntiensis ecclesie archiepiscopus…noster filius Willelmus"[7].  Thietmar records the death of Wilhelm Archbishop of Mainz at Rottleberode on 2 Mar, in the same year as Queen Mathilde died (in 968)[8]. 

 

15.      HATTO [II] (-18 Jan 970).  Archbishop of Mainz 968. 

 

16.      RUDBERCHT (-13 Jan 975).  Archbishop of Mainz 970. 

 

17.      WILGIS (-23 Feb 1011).  Archbishop of Mainz 975.  The Annales Colonienses record the death in 1011 of "Willegisus Mogotiensis archiepiscopus" and the succession of "Erchinboldus"[9]. 

 

18.      ERCHENBALD (-17 Aug 1021).  Archbishop of Mainz 1011.  The Annales Colonienses record the death in 1011 of "Willegisus Mogotiensis archiepiscopus" and the succession of "Erchinboldus"[10]. 

 

19.      ARIBO (-6 Apr 1031).  Archbishop of Mainz 1021. 

 

20.      BARDO von Oppershofen (-10 Jun 1051).  Archbishop of Mainz 1031. 

 

21.      LIUTPOLD von Bogen (-7 Dec 1059).  Archbishop of Mainz 1051. 

 

22.      SIEGFRIED [I] (-16 Feb 1084).  Archbishop of Mainz 1060.  Siegfried Archbishop of Mainz confirmed the foundation of Kloster Ravensgirberg "in comitatu Emichonis comitis" by "Bertoldus comes et uxor eius consanguinea nostra Hadewic" (see the document FRANCONIA NOBILITY) by charter dated 1074[11]. 

 

23.      WEZILO (-6 Aug 1088).  Archbishop of Mainz 1084. 

 

24.      RUDHARD (-2 May 1109).  Archbishop of Mainz 1088. 

 

25.      ADALBERT [I] von Saarbrücken, son of SIGEBERT [I] Graf im Saargau & his wife --- (-23 Jun 1137).  The Gesta Friderici of Otto of Freising names "Friderici comitis de Sarbruch, fratris Alberti episcopi…" when recording the marriage of his niece[12].  Imperial Chancellor 1105.  Provost of Aachen St Maria 1108.  Provost of Maastricht St Servatius 1109.  Archbishop of Mainz 1111. 

 

26.      ADALBERT [II] von Saarbrücken, son of FRIEDRICH [I] Graf im Saargau & his wife Gisela --- (-Erfurt 17 Jul 1141, bur Mainz Cathedral).  The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified.  Provost of Erfurt St Maria 1128.  Archbishop of Mainz 1138. 

 

27.      MARKHOLF (-9 Jun 1142).  Archbishop of Mainz 1141. 

 

28.      HEINRICH [I] (-7 Jun 1153).  Archbishop of Mainz 1142. 

 

29.      ARNOLD von Selenhofen (-24 Jun 1160).  Archbishop of Mainz 1153. 

 

30.      CHRISTIAN [I] von Buche (-25 Jun 1183).  Archbishop of Mainz 1160.  1165. 

 

31.      KONRAD [I] von Wittelsbach, son of OTTO [II] Graf von Scheyern, Pfalzgraf von Wittelsbach & his wife Heilika von Lengenfeld-Hopfenohe-Pettendorf (-Riedfeld [26 Oct] 1200).  The Chronicon Schirense names "Chounradus, primo Magontinus episcopus, post Salzburgensis" as one of the four sons of "Ottonem…palatinus comes"[13].  Canon at Salzburg Cathedral.  Archbishop of Mainz 1161-1177, in exile from 1165.  Cardinal of San Marco 1165.  Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina and Bishop of Sora 1166-1200.  Archbishop of Salzburg 1177-1183.  Archbishop of Mainz 1183-1200.  "…duo fratres mei palatine Fridericus et Otto…" witnessed the charter dated 1189 under which Konrad [I] Archbishop of Mainz confirmed the rights of Nonnenkloster Weende[14].  The necrology of Undensdorf records the death "VII Kal Oct" of "Chunradus de Witlinspach" and his donation of "predium Wrmhershoe"[15].  If this entry refers to Archbishop Konrad it is surprising that no reference is made to his archiepiscopal status.  However, no other known Konrad has yet been identified in the family to whom this could apply. 

 

32.      LIUTPOLD von Scheinfeld (-1208).  Archbishop of Mainz 1200. 

 

 

Two brothers: 

1.         GOTTFRIED [I] von Eppstein, son of ---  (-[1220/19 Dec 1223]).  Children: 

a)         GERHARD [II] von Eppstein (-after 28 Nov 1240).  Children: 

i)          WERNER von Eppstein, son of GERHARD [II] Herr von Eppstein & his wife --- (-Aschaffenburg 2 Apr 1284, bur Mainz Cathedral).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1249. 

b)         SIEGFRIED [III] von Eppstein, son of GOTTFRIED [I] Herr von Eppstein & his wife --- von Wied (-Bingen 9 Mar 1249, bur Mainz Cathedral).  Archbishop of Mainz 1230. 

c)         GOTTFRIED [II] von Eppstein (-[15 Mar/30 Oct] 1278, bur Mainz St Stephan).  Children: 

i)          GERHARD [II] von Eppstein, son of GOTTFRIED [II] Herr von Eppstein & his wife Elisabeth von Isenburg (-25 Feb 1305, bur Mainz Cathedral).  The marriage contract between "Godfridus de Eppinstein" and "Fridericus de Coverna et Novi Castri dominus…et uxoris mee Irmengardis" for the marriage of "pueros nostros Robinum et Lysam…seniori filia mea" is dated [end-May/early Jun] 1272, and names "Godefridus de Eppinstein…fideiussores…Gerhardus frater meus archidiaconus Treverensis…"[16].  Archdeacon of Trier.  "Gerhardus de Eppstein…archidiaconus Trevirensis…" confirmed a sale of property in Klingelbach to Kloster Bleidenstadt by charter dated 11 Jan 1276[17].  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1289.  Gerhard Archbishop of Mainz confirmed that "Ulricus et Philippus fratres domini de Valckenstein consanguinei nostri" exchanged property with "Katherine relicti Wernheri quondam dicti Rode de Rudinsheim" by charter dated 4 Jul 1299[18]. 

2.         SIEGFRIED [II] von Eppstein, son of --- (-Erfurt 9 Sep 1230, bur Erfurt).  Archbishop of Mainz 1200. 

 

 

1.         CHRISTIAN [II] von Weissenau (-1251).  Archbishop of Mainz 1249. 

 

2.         GERHARD [I] Wildgraf, son of --- (-25 Sep 1259).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1251. 

 

3.         HEINRICH [II] "Gürtelknopf" von Isny (-17 Mar 1288).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1286. 

 

4.         PETER von Aspelt, son of --- (-5 Jun 1320).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1306. 

 

5.         MATTHIAS von Buchegg, son of --- (-10 Sep 1328).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1321. 

 

6.         HEINRICH [III] von Virneburg, son of ROBERT [II] Graf von Virneburg & his wife Kunigunde von Neuenahr (-7 Apr 1353).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1328.  "Roprecht grave von Virnenburgh ind von Wede" pledged the Herrschaft Wied, with the consent of "…unsers eirsamen broders heren Henrichs des ertzbuschoffs von Mentze ind Gerhartz unsers broders des chorbuschoffs von Trier ind Johans unsers broders des proistes von Sante…", by charter dated 8 May 1329[19].  Deposed 1346. 

 

 

Two brothers: 

1.         ADOLF [I] von Nassau, son of GERLACH [I] Graf von Nassau in Wiesbaden, Idstein and Weilburg & his first wife Agnes von Hessen (1307-Idstein 17 Jan 1370, bur Klarenthal).  He succeeded in 1346 as Graf von Nassau in Wiesbaden und Idstein.  Children: 

a)         ADOLF von Nassau, son of ADOLF [I] Graf von Nassau in Wiesbaden und Idstein & his wife Margareta von Nürnberg ([1345/46]-Heiligenstadt 6 Feb 1390, bur Kloster Eberbach).  Canon at Köln cathedral 1362.  Canon of St Florin at Koblenz 1364/71.  Canon at Bingen and Wetzlar 1366.  Elekt of Mainz and Provost of St Georg at Limburg 1371.  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1381. 

b)         JOHANN [II] von Nassau, son of ADOLF [I] Graf von Nassau in Wiesbaden und Idstein & his wife Margareta von Nürnberg ([1360]-Aschaffenburg 23 Sep 1419).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1397. 

2.         GERLACH von Nassau, son of GERLACH [I] Graf von Nassau in Wiesbaden, Idstein and Weilburg & his first wife Agnes von Hessen (1322-Aschaffenburg 12 Feb 1371, bur Kloster Eberbach).  Canon at Mainz cathedral 1336.  Canon at Trier cathedral 1343.  Provost of St Marien at Erfurt 1344.  Dominican 1345.  Elect of Mainz 1346.  Elector-Archbishop of Mainz 1354. 

 

 

1.         JEAN [I] de Luxembourg-Ligny, son of JEAN de Luxembourg Seigneur de Ligny & his first wife Alix de Flandre (1342-4 Apr 1373, bur Kloster Eberbach).  Canon at Verdun.  Provost at Wassenberg until 1362.  Canon at Ivoix 1362.  Canon at Cambrai Cathedral 1363.  Canon at Trier Cathedral 1365-1372.  Bishop of Strasbourg 1365-1369.  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1371.

 

2.         LUDWIG von Meissen, son of FRIEDRICH II "der Ernsthafte" Markgraf von Meissen & his wife Mechtild von Bayern (Wartburg 25 Feb 1341-burned to death Calbe 17 Feb 1382, bur Magdeburg Cathedral).  The Annales Veterocellenses record the birth "1340 in crastino Mathye" of "Ludevic filius domini Friderici marchionis Misnensis"[20].  Cantor at Würzburg cathedral 1357.  Bishop of Bamberg 1366-1374.  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1374.  Archbishop of Magdeburg 1381. 

 

3.         KONRAD [II] von Weinsberg, son of ---  (-19 Oct 1396).  Archbishop-Elector of Mainz 1390.