Gebhard (III) of Constance
Encyclopedia
Gebhard III was Bishop of Constance and defender of papal rights against imperial encroachments during the Investiture Controversy
.
He was a son of Berthold II, Duke of Carinthia
, and a brother of Berthold II, Duke of Swabia
. For some time he was provost
of Kanten, then entered the Benedictine
monastery in Hirschau
and, on 22 December 1084, was consecrated Bishop of Constance by the cardinal-legate, Otto of Ostia, the future Urban II. The see of Constance was then occupied by the imperial anti-Bishop Otto I, who, though excommunicated and deposed by Pope Gregory VII
in 1080, retained his see by force of arms. At an imperial synod held in Mainz
, in April, 1085, Gebhard and fourteen other German bishops who remained faithful to Gregory VII were deposed, and Otto I was declared the lawful Bishop of Constance. However, the latter died in the beginning of 1086, and Gebhard was able to take possession of his see. One of his first acts as bishop was the reform of the Benedictine monastery of Petershausen
near Constance, which he recruited with monks from Hirschau
. In 1089 he consecrated the new cathedral of Constance, to replace the old one which had fallen into ruins in 1052.
On 18 April 1089, Pope Urban II appointed him and Bishop Altmann of Passau
Apostolic-vicars for Germany. Arnold, a monk of St. Gall
, whom Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
appointed anti-Bishop of Constance on 28 March 1092, tried in vain to eject Gebhard from the See of Constance. The latter was brothers with Bertold II, Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
, and was known among the monks of Hirschau and Petershausen, and the citizens of Constance. In 1094 Gebhard held a synod
of reform at Constance, and in 1095 he attended the Council of Piacenza
. In the same year, he participated in the consecration of Arnulf III, Archbishop of Milan
. Soon, however, the influence of Henry IV began to increase in Germany. In 1103 Gebhard was driven from his see, and the imperial anti-bishop, Arnold, usurped the bishopric. With the assistance of Henry V, Gebhard regained his see in 1105, freed the king from the ban by order of Pope Paschal II
, and accompanied him on his journey to Saxony
. Gebhard attended the Synod of Nordhausen on 27 May 1105, the diet at Mainz on Christmas, 1105, was sent as imperial legate to Rome in the spring of 1106, and was present at the Council of Guastalla in October of the same year. In the fresh dispute that arose between Paschal II and Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
, Gebhard seemed to side with the emperor, but, after being severely reprimanded by the pope, withdrew from public life and devoted his whole attention to the welfare of his diocese.
Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy or Investiture Contest was the most significant conflict between Church and state in medieval Europe. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of Popes challenged the authority of European monarchies over control of appointments, or investitures, of church officials such...
.
He was a son of Berthold II, Duke of Carinthia
Berthold II, Duke of Carinthia
Berthold II was an ancestor of the House of Baden, in addition to being Duke of Carinthia and Margrave of Verona....
, and a brother of Berthold II, Duke of Swabia
Berthold II, Duke of Swabia
Berthold II was the Duke of Swabia from 1092 to 1098.Berthold was a son of Berthold II, Duke of Carinthia and initially supported Rudolf of Rheinfelden against King Henry IV. Both the Zähringer and Rheinfeldener were relieved of their titles and possessions by the king in 1077...
. For some time he was provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
of Kanten, then entered the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery in Hirschau
Hirschau
Hirschau is a municipality in the Upper Palatinate district of Bavaria and in the county of Amberg-Sulzbach.- Location :Hirschau lies directly on the German Federal Highway 14 and ca. 20 km east of the Autobahn 6 ,and ca. 15 km west of the Autobahn 93...
and, on 22 December 1084, was consecrated Bishop of Constance by the cardinal-legate, Otto of Ostia, the future Urban II. The see of Constance was then occupied by the imperial anti-Bishop Otto I, who, though excommunicated and deposed by Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
in 1080, retained his see by force of arms. At an imperial synod held in 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...
, in April, 1085, Gebhard and fourteen other German bishops who remained faithful to Gregory VII were deposed, and Otto I was declared the lawful Bishop of Constance. However, the latter died in the beginning of 1086, and Gebhard was able to take possession of his see. One of his first acts as bishop was the reform of the Benedictine monastery of Petershausen
Petershausen Abbey
Petershausen Abbey was a Benedictine monastery at Petershausen, now a district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-History:...
near Constance, which he recruited with monks from Hirschau
Hirschau
Hirschau is a municipality in the Upper Palatinate district of Bavaria and in the county of Amberg-Sulzbach.- Location :Hirschau lies directly on the German Federal Highway 14 and ca. 20 km east of the Autobahn 6 ,and ca. 15 km west of the Autobahn 93...
. In 1089 he consecrated the new cathedral of Constance, to replace the old one which had fallen into ruins in 1052.
On 18 April 1089, Pope Urban II appointed him and Bishop Altmann of Passau
Altmann of Passau
Altmann of Passau , often called Saint or Blessed Altmann, was a founder of monasteries and Bishop of Passau. He is venerated as a saint, but not officially canonised....
Apostolic-vicars for Germany. Arnold, a monk of St. Gall
Abbey of St. Gall
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in present-day Switzerland. The Carolingian-era Abbey has existed since 719 and became an independent principality during the 13th century, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was...
, whom Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
appointed anti-Bishop of Constance on 28 March 1092, tried in vain to eject Gebhard from the See of Constance. The latter was brothers with Bertold II, Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
Welf I was duke of Bavaria from 1070 to 1077 and from 1096 to his death. He was the first member of the Welf branch of the House of Este. In the Welf genealogy he is counted as Welf IV.-Life and reign:...
, and was known among the monks of Hirschau and Petershausen, and the citizens of Constance. In 1094 Gebhard held a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of reform at Constance, and in 1095 he attended the Council of Piacenza
Council of Piacenza
The Council of Piacenza was a mixed synod of ecclesiastics and laymen of the Roman Catholic Church, which took place from March 1 to March 5, 1095, at Piacenza....
. In the same year, he participated in the consecration of Arnulf III, Archbishop of Milan
Arnulf III, Archbishop of Milan
Arnulf III was the Archbishop of Milan from his election 6 December 1093 to his death in 1097. He succeeded Anselm III only two days after his death...
. Soon, however, the influence of Henry IV began to increase in Germany. In 1103 Gebhard was driven from his see, and the imperial anti-bishop, Arnold, usurped the bishopric. With the assistance of Henry V, Gebhard regained his see in 1105, freed the king from the ban by order of Pope Paschal II
Pope Paschal II
Pope Paschal II , born Ranierius, was Pope from August 13, 1099, until his death. A monk of the Cluniac order, he was created cardinal priest of the Titulus S...
, and accompanied him on his journey to Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. Gebhard attended the Synod of Nordhausen on 27 May 1105, the diet at Mainz on Christmas, 1105, was sent as imperial legate to Rome in the spring of 1106, and was present at the Council of Guastalla in October of the same year. In the fresh dispute that arose between Paschal II and Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
, Gebhard seemed to side with the emperor, but, after being severely reprimanded by the pope, withdrew from public life and devoted his whole attention to the welfare of his diocese.