Heinrich II of Virneburg
Encyclopedia
Count Heinrich II of Virneburg (1244 or 1246 – 5 January 1332) was Archbishop of Cologne from 1304 to his death in 1332.
(??1238-1290) and his wife Ponzetta of Oberstein (1253–1311). In 1288, together with his father and his brother Ruprecht, he took part in the Battle of Worringen
on the side of John I, Duke of Brabant
.
From 1288 he held two prebends and was a canon
of St. Gereon's in Cologne
, and in 1292 became chaplain of the German king
Adolf of Nassau, to whom he was related. In the following years he became the occupant of a number of canonries. He was not only cathedral provost of Cologne Cathedral
, but also archdeacon
of both Trier and Cologne. In 1300 he was elected Archbishop of Trier, but the Pope refused to allow it. Heinrich nevertheless remained as opposition bishop to the Pope's appointee, Diether of Nassau, until 1306.
In 1304 however he was elected Archbishop of Cologne, although Papal ratification was not forthcoming until 1306. In the election of King Henry VII
in 1308, Heinrich followed the example of Baldwin of Luxembourg, Elector of Trier, and of Peter of Aspelt
, Elector of Mainz, and took substantial payment for his vote.
For his seat of government Heinrich II favoured Bonn
, where from 1313 to 1328 he was provost of the collegiate foundation of St. Cassius (Cassius-Stift). He issued over 110 writs and charters from here, declared invalid the renunciation of tolls to which his predecessor had been forced to agree and obtained permission from King Henry VII to set up a new toll in Bonn. However, as the burghers of Bonn courageously supported the archbishop in his feud with the lord of Falkenburg at the battle of Euskirchen
, Heinrich II granted them exemption from the Rhine toll for all goods.
Under Heinrich of Virneburg Bonn became the location of a king's coronation for the first time, when on 25 November 1314 he crowned Frederick the Handsome as King of the Germans in Bonn Minster
.
Heinrich also advanced the building works on the cathedral in Cologne, where on 27 September 1322 he was able to consecrate the high choir of the new Cologne Cathedral
.
He was decisively involved in the heresy
proceedings against Meister Eckhart
, when the written accusation was formally presented to him in 1325. He transferred the proceedings to the Papal curia in Avignon
.
According to contemporaries, Heinrich was a chatterer and too fond of drink. He died on 5 January 1332 in Bonn and was buried in St. Barbara's Chapel in Bonn Minster, next to his sister, the abbess Ponzetta of Dietkirchen. His grave is no longer extant.
Life
Heinrich was the sixth son of Count Heinrich of VirneburgVirneburg
Virneburg is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.-Geography:Virneburg is a municipality in the Vulkaneifel. Next towns are Mayen in the East and Adenau in the West. The average height is 402 meters above NN. Virneburg is in a valley surrounded by...
(??1238-1290) and his wife Ponzetta of Oberstein (1253–1311). In 1288, together with his father and his brother Ruprecht, he took part in the Battle of Worringen
Battle of Worringen
The Battle of Worringen was fought on June 5, 1288, near the town of Worringen , which is now the northernmost borough of Cologne...
on the side of John I, Duke of Brabant
John I, Duke of Brabant
John I of Brabant, also called John the Victorious was Duke of Brabant , Lothier and Limburg .-Life:...
.
From 1288 he held two prebends and was 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 St. Gereon's in 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...
, and in 1292 became chaplain of the German king
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
Adolf of Nassau, to whom he was related. In the following years he became the occupant of a number of canonries. He was not only cathedral provost of Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is a World Heritage Site...
, but also archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of both Trier and Cologne. In 1300 he was elected Archbishop of Trier, but the Pope refused to allow it. Heinrich nevertheless remained as opposition bishop to the Pope's appointee, Diether of Nassau, until 1306.
In 1304 however he was elected Archbishop of Cologne, although Papal ratification was not forthcoming until 1306. In the election of King Henry VII
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
in 1308, Heinrich followed the example of Baldwin of Luxembourg, Elector of Trier, and of Peter of Aspelt
Peter of Aspelt
Peter Aspelt was Archbishop of Mainz from 1306 to 1320, and an influential political figure of the period. He brought the archbishopric to its peak of power....
, Elector of Mainz, and took substantial payment for his vote.
For his seat of government Heinrich II favoured Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, where from 1313 to 1328 he was provost of the collegiate foundation of St. Cassius (Cassius-Stift). He issued over 110 writs and charters from here, declared invalid the renunciation of tolls to which his predecessor had been forced to agree and obtained permission from King Henry VII to set up a new toll in Bonn. However, as the burghers of Bonn courageously supported the archbishop in his feud with the lord of Falkenburg at the battle of Euskirchen
Euskirchen
Euskirchen is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the district Euskirchen. While Euskirchen resembles a modern shopping town, it also has a history dating back over 700 years, having been granted town-status in 1302....
, Heinrich II granted them exemption from the Rhine toll for all goods.
Under Heinrich of Virneburg Bonn became the location of a king's coronation for the first time, when on 25 November 1314 he crowned Frederick the Handsome as King of the Germans in Bonn Minster
Bonn Minster
The Bonn Minster is one of Germany's oldest churches, having been built between the 11th and 13th centuries. At one point the church served as the cathedral for the Archbishopric of Cologne...
.
Heinrich also advanced the building works on the cathedral in Cologne, where on 27 September 1322 he was able to consecrate the high choir of the new Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is a World Heritage Site...
.
He was decisively involved in the heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
proceedings against Meister Eckhart
Meister Eckhart
Eckhart von Hochheim O.P. , commonly known as Meister Eckhart, was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic, born near Gotha, in the Landgraviate of Thuringia in the Holy Roman Empire. Meister is German for "Master", referring to the academic title Magister in theologia he obtained in Paris...
, when the written accusation was formally presented to him in 1325. He transferred the proceedings to the Papal curia in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
.
According to contemporaries, Heinrich was a chatterer and too fond of drink. He died on 5 January 1332 in Bonn and was buried in St. Barbara's Chapel in Bonn Minster, next to his sister, the abbess Ponzetta of Dietkirchen. His grave is no longer extant.
Sources and external links
- Meister Eckhart und seine Zeit - Leben - Heinrich von Virneburg
- Heinrich II. von Virneburg in den Saarländischen Biografien
Further reading
- Seng, Ulrich, 1977: Heinrich II. von Virneburg als Erzbischof von Köln. Studien zur Kölner Kirchengeschichte. Siegburg: Schmitt
- Niesen, Josef, 2007: Bonner Personenlexikon. Bonn: Bouvier Verlag