John I, Bishop-Elect of Utrecht
Encyclopedia
Biography
John was a son of Count Henry (Heinrich) IIHenry II of Nassau
Henry II the Rich was Count of Nassau between 1198 and 1247. Among his descendants are the present-day rulers of both Luxembourg and the Netherlands.-Biography:...
"the Rich" of Nassau
Nassau (state)
Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...
and Matilda of Guelders
Guelders
Guelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
(German: Mathilde von Geldern). From 1262 to 1265, he was the 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 Condroz
Condroz
The Condroz is a region in the center of Wallonia and in the south of Belgium. Its unofficial capital is Ciney....
.
After the death of Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Henry I van Vianden
Henry I van Vianden
Henry van Vianden was a bishop of Utrecht from 1249 to 1267.He was the son of Henry I, Count of Vianden and Margaret, Marchioness of Namur. He was provost at Cologne before he was pushed forward as candidate for the bishopric of Utrecht by the Welfs in their struggle with the Hohenstaufen...
(Dutch: Hendrik I van Vianden) in 1267, the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of the Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
elected John (primarily because of his military skills) as his successor. They were influenced in this decision by John's maternal relatives: his cousin Count Otto II of Guelders
Dukes of Guelders
-House of Wassenberg:The first count of Guelders was Gerard IV, Lord of Wassenberg.During Reginald II's reign, the county of Guelders became a duchy.* before 1096–about 1129 : Gerard I* about 1129–about 1131 : Gerard II the tall, son of...
and Floris V, Count of Holland
Floris V, Count of Holland
Count Floris V of Holland and Zeeland , "der Keerlen God" , is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland . His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler...
. But Pope Clement IV
Pope Clement IV
Pope Clement IV , born Gui Faucoi called in later life le Gros , was elected Pope February 5, 1265, in a conclave held at Perugia that took four months, while cardinals argued over whether to call in Charles of Anjou, the youngest brother of Louis IX of France...
, at the instigation of the Archbishop of Cologne
Archbishopric of Cologne
The Electorate of Cologne was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire and existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. It consisted of the temporal possessions of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne . It was ruled by the Archbishop in his function as prince-elector of...
, Engelbert II of Falkenstein
Counts of Falkenstein (Rhineland-Palatinate)
The Grafen von Falkenstein was a dynasty of German nobility descending from the Ministeriales of Bolanden, who held land and a castle at Falkenstein in the Palatinate region....
(1261–1274), did not agree with this choice. John was therefore never consecrated as bishop and he remained Bishop-elect.
He first of all had to deal with marauding gangs of Northern Dutch
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
insurgents and eventually had to flee Utrecht because of them. When he tried to return to Utrecht after the withdrawal of the marauders in 1268, the townspeople refused him entrance, so he had to take his headquarters to Deventer
Deventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
until 1270. Only with the help of Otto II did he succeed again in taking possession of Utrecht. John supported Otto II in his feud with Engelbert II of Cologne.
John of Nassau's administration is considered to be one of the worst in the history of Utrecht, due to his political weakness and poor financial management. In order to finance a lifestyle devoted to sensual pleasures, he pledged the castles of Vreeland
Vreeland
Vreeland is a city in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It was a part of the former municipality of Loenen. Since 2011 it has made part of the new formed municipality of Stichtse Vecht. It is located on the river Vecht, about 2 km north of Loenen aan de Vecht. It received city rights in 1265....
and Montfoort
Montfoort
Montfoort is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. Montfoort received city rights in 1329.-Population centres :...
. During his reign, Holland's influence on the Diocese increased sharply. In 1274, he faced an uprising of local nobles led by the powerful lords Gijsbrecht IV of Amstel
Gijsbrecht IV of Amstel
Gijsbrecht IV of Amstel or Gijsbrecht IV van Amstel was a powerful lord in medieval Holland. His territory was the Heren van Amstel, and his son was Jan I.-Life:...
, Zweder of Abcoude, Arnoud of Amstel, and Herman VI of Woerden, who held lands on the Diocese's border with the Countship of Holland (the areas of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Abcoude
Abcoude
Abcoude is a town and former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. Since 2011 it has made part of the municipality of De Ronde Venen.- Population centres :...
, IJsselstein
IJsselstein
IJsselstein is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. IJsselstein received city rights in 1331. IJsselstein owes its name to the river Hollandse IJssel which flows through the city....
, and Woerden
Woerden
Woerden is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Due to its central location between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, and the fact that it has excellent rail and road connections to those cities, it is a popular town for commuters who work in those cities.-Population...
). Gijsbrecht and Herman were supported by the craft guilds of Utrecht (who had seized power in the city), the peasants of Kennemerland (Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
and surroundings), Waterland (north of Amsterdam), and Amstelland (Amsterdam and surroundings) and the West Frisians
West Friesland (historical region)
West Friesland is a historical region in the northern part of the Netherlands. It was located in parts of what now is Noord-Holland and the Waddenzee. The region was bordered by the rivers Vlie and IJ...
. John received the help of Floris V, but he had to pay heavily for this assistance. In 1277 he pledged the episcopal castle of Horst
Horst
Horst is a Germanic word meaning "eagle's nest" and "man from the forest" . It may refer to:-Given name:* Horst * Horst Buchholz, a German actor* Horst Bulau, a Canadian ski jumper...
to his brother-in-law, John I of Cuijk
Cuijk
Cuijk is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands of pre-historic origin. Its existence is recorded on the Roman roadmap Tabula Peutingeriana under the name of Ceuclum. Cuijk is twinned with Maldon in Essex, UK. It is a big commuter town with very good public transport services to...
(who had married John’s sister, Jutta of Nassau), who then gave it to Floris. In 1279, he was even forced by Floris to pledge the Diocese's lands held by the rebellious nobles to the Dutch count.
In 1281, confiscated money that had been raised in his diocese on the income of its properties since 1276 to finance a crusade. This prompted the archbishop of Cologne, Siegfried II of Westerburg
Westerburg
Westerburg is a small town of roughly 6,000 inhabitants in the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is named after the castle built on a hill above the mediaeval town centre -Location:...
(1274–1297), to excommunicate both him and Floris V. Floris, through appeals to the Pope, was eventually able to have the ban lifted.
In 1283–1284, John tried unsuccessfully to help free the IJssel
IJssel
River IJssel , sometimes called Gelderse IJssel to avoid confusion with its Hollandse IJssel namesake in the west of the Netherlands, is a branch of the Rhine in the Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel...
cities (the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
cities of Doesburg
Doesburg
Doesburg Doesburg Doesburg (Dutch is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Gelderland. Doesburg received city rights in 1237 and currently has 11,602 inhabitants (1 January 2007, source: CBS). The city is situated on the right bank of river IJssel, at the...
, Zutphen, Deventer, Hattem
Hattem
Hattem is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The city population is 11,797. The name “Hattem” is a typical farmyard name. The exact origin of “Hattem” is yet unclear. In general two explanation exist. Hattem would be the ‘heem’ of a people who belong to the tribe of Chattuarii...
, and Zwolle
Zwolle
Zwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
) from the control of Holland.
In 1288, John took various measures to secure finances for the construction of the Utrecht Cathedral. For this reason he is regarded as its founder.
John of Nassau was dismissed by the cathedral chapter in 1288 and, in December 1290, was replaced by Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
. He settled in Deventer, where he died on July 13, 1309. He was buried there in the Lebuïnuskerk (Church of St. Lebuinus
Lebuinus
Lebuinus , Apostle of the Frisians and patron of Deventer .-Life:Lebuinus was a monk in Wilfrid's monastery at Ripon...
).
Descendants
John fathered three illegitimate sons and a daughter:- John (died June 4, 1352 in the Nordenberghepoort of ZwolleZwolleZwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
), who was married twice, first to Frieda van Appeldoorn (died July 4, 1350) and second to Ermgard van Oy - Jacob (died March 21, after 1340) - married Nenta, listed as a widow in 1350; there was one son of this marriage, Everhard, canonCanon (priest)A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
at Deventer in 1350, vicarVicarIn the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of the Lebuïnuskerk, died December 7, 1391. - Otto, listed in 1320 in Deventer
- Matilda (Mechteld) (died 1350 in Deventer), married J. Vrijherte
Sources
}}This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding German Wikipedia and Dutch Wikipedia articles, as of 2009-01-30.