Philip III, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg
Encyclopedia
Count Philip III of Hanau-Münzenberg (30 November 1526 – 14 November 1561) ruled the County of Hanau-Münzenberg from 1529 until his death.
(born: 15 February 1506; died: 18 June 1580). Philip III's elder brother died young; Philip III was only three years old when he inherited the county. His mother and relatives petitioned the Reichskammergericht
to establish a regency council. The council consisted of:
There was a problem: Philip II had demanded that his younger brother Balthasar would waive his claims on Hanau-Münzenberg before he could become a regent. A deed to this effect had been prepared, but Philip II had died before he could seal the deed. It was argued that this deed was not legally valid, because it had not been sealed, and that Balthasar therefore had a claim to rule Hanau-Münzenberg himself and that this potential claim stood in the way of his becoming a regent. This problem was resolved by arguing that Philip II, by not sealing the deed before his death, had implicitly withdrawn his demand.
Philip III and his younger brother Reinhard of Hanau-Münzenberg studied at the universities of Mainz and Ingolstadt
. They then made a Grand Tour
to Antwerp, Mechelen
, Lion
, Brussels
, Breda
and Strasbourg
and then to Buchsweiler (now: Bouxwiller
in France), the "captial" of Hanau-Lichtenberg, where they visited their relatives. From Buchsweiler, they travelled to France, where they studied at Orleans
and Bourges
.
took hold in the County of Hanau-Münzenberg. Among his regency council, his uncle Balthasar was supporting the reformation, while Count Reinhard I of Solms-Lich-Hohensolms was opposed to it. Initially, the reformation was introduced gradually: when church staff retired, their successor would be a Lutheran. As eraly as 1523, the pastor Adolf Arborgast was includeded in the chapter of the St. Mary's church. When he was appointed, he explained that he wanted to spend little effor on vespers and the daily mass, but would instead concentrate on his sermon
s and putting forward the Gospel
. The real reformer of Hanau was his successor Philipp Neunheller MA; during his time in office, the new faith gained more and more ground. The Catholic faith was never officially banned. The number of Catholic priests stedaily decreased, as they were not replaced when they retired.
. Apparently, his guardians wanted to liberate themselves from this annoying task, even if they still had to act as guardians for Philip's younger brother Reinhard.
In 1561, Count Philip III purchased Naumburg Castle, the former Naumburg Abbey in Wetterau
, including the parishes of Bruchköbel
, Oberissigheim and Kesselstadt. He incorporateded these areas into his country.
During his reign, the renovation of Hansau City Castle and the constuction of Fortress Hanau were completed. He alos paid the imperial tax for the Turkish War
.
Count Philip III of Rieneck coöperated closely with Count Philip III of Hanau-Münzenberg on the issue of the Reformation and on other issue. As it was foreseeable that the Count of Rienieck would die without a male heir, he asked Emperor Charles V
for permission to bequeath Rieneck to Hanau. Permission was granted in 1555. One argument used for this permission was the similarity between the coats of arms of Rieneck and Hanau, which suggested that they had from a common ancestor, which was actually not the case.
Since Emperor Charles V abdicated in the same year, Count Philip III of Hanau-Münzenberg attempted aksed his successor Emperor Ferdinand I
to confirm the permission at the Diet of Augsburg
of 1558. he had, however, forgotten to bring the charter sealed by Charles, to that Ferdinand could not confirm it. Philip III of Rieneck died on 3 September 1559, before this error could be corrected. His territory fell back to the Archbishopric of Mainz
and the Bishopric of Würzburg
. Philip III of Hanau could only inherit the coat of arms and the title of "Count of Rieneck".
epitaphs, for Philip and his wife, were created by Johann von Trarbach and mounted on the southern wall of the choir. These epitaphs were preserved until this day.
The Counts of Hanau-Münzenberg usually died between the ages of 20 and 40, leaving an underage son as their successor. Presumably, they suffered from some hereditary disease - which disease is unknown. Nine successive counts died of a disease before the age of 40; this is unlikely to be a coincidence.
The coats of arms of Count Philip III and Countess Palatine Helena of Simmern can be seen at the main entrance to St. Mary's Church in Hanau — unfortunately, due to environmental weathering
, they are in a poor condition.
Life
He was the second son of Philip II (born: 17 August 1501; died: 28 March 1529) and his wife, Countess Juliana of StolbergJuliana of Stolberg
Juliana, Countess of Stolberg-Wernigerode was the mother of William the Silent, the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish in the 16th century....
(born: 15 February 1506; died: 18 June 1580). Philip III's elder brother died young; Philip III was only three years old when he inherited the county. His mother and relatives petitioned the Reichskammergericht
Reichskammergericht
The Reichskammergericht or Imperial Chamber Court was one of two highest judicial institutions in the Holy Roman Empire, the other one being the Aulic Council in Vienna. It was founded in 1495 by the Imperial Diet in Worms...
to establish a regency council. The council consisted of:
- Countess Juliana of Stolberg, Philip III's mother
- Count William "the Rich"William I, Count of Nassau-DillenburgWilliam of Nassau was a count of Nassau-Dillenburg from the House of Nassau. He was called William the Rich....
of Nassau-Dillenburg. He was Philip's first cousin twice removed (a grandson of John IV, Philip's great-great-grandfather). He married Philip's mother during the regency. - Count Balthasar of Hanau-Münzenberg, Philip's uncle (a younger brother of Philip II). He appears to have done most of the work in the council, however, he died in 1534.
- Count Reinhard I of Solms-Hohensolms-LichHouse of Solms-Hohensolms-LichThe House of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich is a Hessian princely family, and a line of the House of Solms. The House of Solms originally were imperial countsThe prominent liberal politician Hermann Otto Solms is a member of the family....
, Philip's first cousin once removed.
There was a problem: Philip II had demanded that his younger brother Balthasar would waive his claims on Hanau-Münzenberg before he could become a regent. A deed to this effect had been prepared, but Philip II had died before he could seal the deed. It was argued that this deed was not legally valid, because it had not been sealed, and that Balthasar therefore had a claim to rule Hanau-Münzenberg himself and that this potential claim stood in the way of his becoming a regent. This problem was resolved by arguing that Philip II, by not sealing the deed before his death, had implicitly withdrawn his demand.
Philip III and his younger brother Reinhard of Hanau-Münzenberg studied at the universities of Mainz and Ingolstadt
University of Ingolstadt
The University of Ingolstadt was founded in 1472 by Louis the Rich, the Duke of Bavaria at the time, and its first Chancellor was the Bishop of Eichstätt. It consisted of five faculties: humanities, sciences, theology, law and medicine, all of which were contained in the Hoheschule...
. They then made a Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
to Antwerp, Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
, Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
and Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and then to Buchsweiler (now: Bouxwiller
Bouxwiller, Bas-Rhin
Bouxwiller is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.Among the city's sight is the Musée Judéo-Alsacien, dedicated to the History of Jews in Alsace, and located in the former synagogue.-References:*...
in France), the "captial" of Hanau-Lichtenberg, where they visited their relatives. From Buchsweiler, they travelled to France, where they studied at Orleans
University of Orléans
-History:In 1230, when for a time the doctors of the University of Paris were scattered, a number of the teachers and disciples took refuge in Orléans; when pope Boniface VIII, in 1298, promulgated the sixth book of the Decretals, he appointed the doctors of Bologna and the doctors of Orléans to...
and Bourges
University of Bourges
The University of Bourges was a university located in Bourges, France. It was founded by Louis XI in 1463 and deleted during french Revolution.-Notable alumni:* Patrick Adamson * John Calvin * Hugues Doneau...
.
Reformation
During his reign — in fact, while the regency council was ruling on his behalf — the ReformationReformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
took hold in the County of Hanau-Münzenberg. Among his regency council, his uncle Balthasar was supporting the reformation, while Count Reinhard I of Solms-Lich-Hohensolms was opposed to it. Initially, the reformation was introduced gradually: when church staff retired, their successor would be a Lutheran. As eraly as 1523, the pastor Adolf Arborgast was includeded in the chapter of the St. Mary's church. When he was appointed, he explained that he wanted to spend little effor on vespers and the daily mass, but would instead concentrate on his sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s and putting forward the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
. The real reformer of Hanau was his successor Philipp Neunheller MA; during his time in office, the new faith gained more and more ground. The Catholic faith was never officially banned. The number of Catholic priests stedaily decreased, as they were not replaced when they retired.
Ruling on his own
In 1544, Count Philip was declared an adult, although he was only 18 years old and the age of consent was 25 under the Jus communeJus commune
Jus commune or ius commune is Latin for "common law" in certain jurisdictions. It is often used by civil law jurists to refer to those aspects of the civil law system's invariate legal principles, sometimes called "the law of the land" in English law...
. Apparently, his guardians wanted to liberate themselves from this annoying task, even if they still had to act as guardians for Philip's younger brother Reinhard.
In 1561, Count Philip III purchased Naumburg Castle, the former Naumburg Abbey in Wetterau
Wetterau
The Wetterau is a fertile undulating tract, watered by the Wetter, a tributary of the Nidda River, in the western German state of Hesse, between the hilly province Oberhessen and the north-western Taunus mountains....
, including the parishes of Bruchköbel
Bruchköbel
Bruchköbel is a town in the Main-Kinzig district, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated approximately 8 km north of Hanau....
, Oberissigheim and Kesselstadt. He incorporateded these areas into his country.
During his reign, the renovation of Hansau City Castle and the constuction of Fortress Hanau were completed. He alos paid the imperial tax for the Turkish War
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
.
Inheriting Rieneck
Count Philip III of Rieneck coöperated closely with Count Philip III of Hanau-Münzenberg on the issue of the Reformation and on other issue. As it was foreseeable that the Count of Rienieck would die without a male heir, he asked Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
for permission to bequeath Rieneck to Hanau. Permission was granted in 1555. One argument used for this permission was the similarity between the coats of arms of Rieneck and Hanau, which suggested that they had from a common ancestor, which was actually not the case.
Since Emperor Charles V abdicated in the same year, Count Philip III of Hanau-Münzenberg attempted aksed his successor Emperor Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
to confirm the permission at the Diet of Augsburg
Diet of Augsburg
The Diet of Augsburg were the meetings of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire in the German city of Augsburg. There were many such sessions, but the three meetings during the Reformation and the ensuing religious wars between the Roman Catholic emperor Charles V and the Protestant...
of 1558. he had, however, forgotten to bring the charter sealed by Charles, to that Ferdinand could not confirm it. Philip III of Rieneck died on 3 September 1559, before this error could be corrected. His territory fell back to the Archbishopric of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
and the Bishopric of Würzburg
Bishopric of Würzburg
The Bishopric of Würzburg was a prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire, located in Lower Franconia, around the city of Würzburg, Germany. Würzburg was a diocese from 743. In the 18th century, its bishop was often also Bishop of Bamberg...
. Philip III of Hanau could only inherit the coat of arms and the title of "Count of Rieneck".
Death
Count Philip III died on 14 November 1561 after six years of illness and was buried before the high altar of the St. Mary's Church in Hanau on the right side. Two RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
epitaphs, for Philip and his wife, were created by Johann von Trarbach and mounted on the southern wall of the choir. These epitaphs were preserved until this day.
The Counts of Hanau-Münzenberg usually died between the ages of 20 and 40, leaving an underage son as their successor. Presumably, they suffered from some hereditary disease - which disease is unknown. Nine successive counts died of a disease before the age of 40; this is unlikely to be a coincidence.
Marriage and issue
On 22 November 1551 Count Philip III married Countess Palatine Helena of Simmern. They had five children:- Philip Louis IPhilip Louis I, Count of Hanau-MünzenbergPhilip Louis I, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg succeeded his father in the government of the County of Hanau-Münzenberg in 1561.- Background :...
(1553–1580) - Dorothea (1556–1638)
- Reinhard William (born: 28 September 1557 in Hanau, died: 17 February 1558); he was buried in the choir of the St. Mary's Church in Hanau.
- John Philip (born: 6 November 1559; died: 22 April 1560), also buried in the choir of St. Mary's Church in Hanau
- Maria (1562–1605), born posthumously, died unmarried.
The coats of arms of Count Philip III and Countess Palatine Helena of Simmern can be seen at the main entrance to St. Mary's Church in Hanau — unfortunately, due to environmental weathering
Weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters...
, they are in a poor condition.