John of Arkel (bishop)
Encyclopedia
John of Arkel or Jan van Arkel (1314 – Liège
, 1 July 1378) was a Bishop of Utrecht from 1342 to 1364 and Prince-Bishop of Liège from 1364 to 1378.
John was the son of John III, lord of Arkel, and his second wife Kunigonda of Virneburg. After the death of Bishop John of Diest
in 1340 there was a problem with the succession. The chapters had elected John of Bronkhorst, but Pope Benedict XII
had appointed Nicola Capocci
. This was not accepted by the chapters, and Nicola was forced to withdraw. The eventual appointment of John of Arkel as Bishop was due to the influence of Count William IV of Holland.
His predecessor had left the Sticht as a semi-protectorate of Holland
, and the reign of Jan van Arkel was aimed at removing its dependence on Holland. In this he was very successful, and he also managed to straighten out the Bishopric's finances. He was supported in these actions by the city of Utrecht, which understood that without a strong central authority, the minor nobility had a free rein, which had resulted in the appearance of robber barons
and pirates. The city decided to act independently of Holland, and signed an alliance with the bishop in 1344.
John of Arkel, who had moved to Grenoble
in 1343 to save the costs of a household, was called back by his brother and deputy Robert of Arkel in 1345, when Count William IV of Holland decided to deal with the wayward city of Utrecht by sending a large force, besieging the city on 8 juli. After eight weeks of siege, Utrecht was forced to recognise the authority of the count of holland
. However, the count was killed two months later, at which the Hook and Cod wars
erupted in Holland. Soon the Duchy of Gelderland also became involved in the war, which meant that the Bishopric of Utrecht was left alone for a while.
As a result of the distraction of its neighbouring counties, the position of the diocese became stronger, and new measures against Holland became possible. With support from Utrecht, the Holland towns of Eemnes
and IJsselstein
were attacked in 1346, and in 1348 the bishop clashed with both Holland and Gelre. All of these actions cost John more than he could pay, and thus he came into trouble. He was forced to loan the entire Oversticht, except for Vollenhove
, to Frederick Eese, who had helped him defeat the Zutphen bannerlord Gijsbrecht of Bronkhorst, in order to pay him off. The following year both Vollenhove and the Nedersticht were also given away in loan. Moreover, the Pope send a mandate to seize John's goods, because he had not paid the Serviti, or Papal confirmation tax.
John withdrew to Grenoble again, but in 1351 he returned and managed to regain his position and restore his authority in the diocese. He again acted against the robber barons, and he managed to capture several strategically located castles in Utrecht. Stability within the city was restored by the expulsion of the pro Holland party of the Gunterlingen. After a final campaign against Holland in 1355-1356, a preliminary peace was signed.
The Bishopric was now in a better position then it had been since a long time. The diocese had removed itself from the influence of the count of Holland, and the robber barons had been pacified. However, one of the results was that the city of Utrecht had gained more power in exchange for financial support of John's military operations. This made the city of Utrecht more and more independent.
In 1364, John of Arkel was moved to the Bishopric of Liège by Pope Urban V
. Because of the power of the guilds in Liege, he had less power than in Utrecht, though he did managed to annex the County of Loon
in 1366. In 1373 he was forced to set up the Tribunal of the XXII. This was a sovereign decision-making court that defended citizens against any unlawful action of the episcopal officials. It previously had a short-lived existence during the reign of Adolf II of the Mark.
After his death, John of Arkel was buried in the Cathedral of Utrecht. Following the Protestant Reformation
, parts of his tomb were incorporated in a fence that seals off a chapel named after him.
Because members of the house of Arkel generally had the same name, John, it can be easy to confuse them. Therefore, the bishop John of Arkel is generally referred to as just John, while his namesake family members usually have numerals behind their name to identify them. (for example; his father was known as John III of Arkel).
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, 1 July 1378) was a Bishop of Utrecht from 1342 to 1364 and Prince-Bishop of Liège from 1364 to 1378.
John was the son of John III, lord of Arkel, and his second wife Kunigonda of Virneburg. After the death of Bishop John of Diest
Jan III van Diest
John or Jan van Diest was bishop of Utrecht from 1322 to 1340.Jan descended from a noble family from Brabant, and was initially provost of Cambrai. In 1322 Jan was proposed as candidate for the Bishopric of Utrecht by William III, Count of Holland and Reginald II of Guelders, much against the...
in 1340 there was a problem with the succession. The chapters had elected John of Bronkhorst, but Pope Benedict XII
Pope Benedict XII
Pope Benedict XII , born Jacques Fournier, the third of the Avignon Popes, was Pope from 1334 to 1342.-Early life:...
had appointed Nicola Capocci
Nicola Capocci
Nicola Capocci was an Italian Cardinal.He studied law at the University of Perugia; later, in 1362, he founded there the Collegium Gregorianum ....
. This was not accepted by the chapters, and Nicola was forced to withdraw. The eventual appointment of John of Arkel as Bishop was due to the influence of Count William IV of Holland.
His predecessor had left the Sticht as a semi-protectorate of Holland
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
, and the reign of Jan van Arkel was aimed at removing its dependence on Holland. In this he was very successful, and he also managed to straighten out the Bishopric's finances. He was supported in these actions by the city of Utrecht, which understood that without a strong central authority, the minor nobility had a free rein, which had resulted in the appearance of robber barons
Robber baron
A robber baron or robber knight was an unscrupulous and despotic nobility of the medieval period in Europe, for example, Berlichingen. It has slightly different meanings in different countries. In modern US parlance, the term is also used to describe unscrupulous industrialists...
and pirates. The city decided to act independently of Holland, and signed an alliance with the bishop in 1344.
John of Arkel, who had moved to Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
in 1343 to save the costs of a household, was called back by his brother and deputy Robert of Arkel in 1345, when Count William IV of Holland decided to deal with the wayward city of Utrecht by sending a large force, besieging the city on 8 juli. After eight weeks of siege, Utrecht was forced to recognise the authority of the count of holland
Count of Holland
The Counts of Holland ruled over the County of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century.-House of Holland:The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia...
. However, the count was killed two months later, at which the Hook and Cod wars
Hook and Cod wars
The Hook and Cod wars comprise a series of wars and battles in the County of Holland between 1350 and 1490. Most of these wars were fought over the title of count of Holland, but some have argued that the underlying reason was because of the power struggle of the bourgeois in the cities against...
erupted in Holland. Soon the Duchy of Gelderland also became involved in the war, which meant that the Bishopric of Utrecht was left alone for a while.
As a result of the distraction of its neighbouring counties, the position of the diocese became stronger, and new measures against Holland became possible. With support from Utrecht, the Holland towns of Eemnes
Eemnes
Eemnes is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.-The town of Eemnes :Eemnes formerly consisted of two villages, Eemnes-Binnen and Eemnes-Buiten...
and 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....
were attacked in 1346, and in 1348 the bishop clashed with both Holland and Gelre. All of these actions cost John more than he could pay, and thus he came into trouble. He was forced to loan the entire Oversticht, except for Vollenhove
Vollenhove
Vollenhove is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, southwest of Steenwijk. Until the Noordoostpolder was drained, it was located on the coast of the IJsselmeer....
, to Frederick Eese, who had helped him defeat the Zutphen bannerlord Gijsbrecht of Bronkhorst, in order to pay him off. The following year both Vollenhove and the Nedersticht were also given away in loan. Moreover, the Pope send a mandate to seize John's goods, because he had not paid the Serviti, or Papal confirmation tax.
John withdrew to Grenoble again, but in 1351 he returned and managed to regain his position and restore his authority in the diocese. He again acted against the robber barons, and he managed to capture several strategically located castles in Utrecht. Stability within the city was restored by the expulsion of the pro Holland party of the Gunterlingen. After a final campaign against Holland in 1355-1356, a preliminary peace was signed.
The Bishopric was now in a better position then it had been since a long time. The diocese had removed itself from the influence of the count of Holland, and the robber barons had been pacified. However, one of the results was that the city of Utrecht had gained more power in exchange for financial support of John's military operations. This made the city of Utrecht more and more independent.
In 1364, John of Arkel was moved to the Bishopric of Liège by Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V , born Guillaume Grimoard, was Pope from 1362 to 1370.-Biography:Grimoard was a native of Grizac in Languedoc . He became a Benedictine and a doctor in Canon Law, teaching at Montpellier and Avignon...
. Because of the power of the guilds in Liege, he had less power than in Utrecht, though he did managed to annex the County of Loon
County of Loon
The County of Loon was a state of the Holy Roman Empire, lying west of the Meuse river in present-day Flemish-speaking Belgium, and east of the old Duchy of Brabant. The most important cities of the county were Beringen, Bilzen, Borgloon, Bree, Hamont, Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad, Maaseik, Peer and...
in 1366. In 1373 he was forced to set up the Tribunal of the XXII. This was a sovereign decision-making court that defended citizens against any unlawful action of the episcopal officials. It previously had a short-lived existence during the reign of Adolf II of the Mark.
After his death, John of Arkel was buried in the Cathedral of Utrecht. Following the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, parts of his tomb were incorporated in a fence that seals off a chapel named after him.
Because members of the house of Arkel generally had the same name, John, it can be easy to confuse them. Therefore, the bishop John of Arkel is generally referred to as just John, while his namesake family members usually have numerals behind their name to identify them. (for example; his father was known as John III of Arkel).