Pilgrim, Archbishop of Cologne
Encyclopedia
Pilgrim was the archbishop of Cologne (1021–1036) and archchancellor
of Italy
(from 1031) in the Holy Roman Empire
, a dignity he obtained for all his successors.
His origins are not known with certainty, he either descends from the counts of Isengau or Margrave Aribo of Austria
.
He was a warrior-prelate and accompanied both Emperors Henry II
and Conrad II
on their expeditions to the Mezzogiorno
, even being given command of a division of the imperial army on its march south through the Italian Peninsula
in 1024.
From 1016 to 1021, Pilgrim was provost
in the Cathedral of Bamberg
. On 29 June 1021, Henry II appointed him archbishop of Cologne and, on Easter
1028, he crowned Henry, son of Conrad II, Henry III
as king of Germany in Aachen
.
On the 1024 campaign, he travelled with his army along the western coast through the Papal States
. Charged with arresting the abbot
of Montecassino, Atenulf, and the prince
of Capua
, Pandulf IV
, he besieged Capua after bypassing the great Mediterranean abbey, which Atenulf had abandoned in haste. As Pandulf no longer had the loyalty of the populace and the Norman
mercenaries, the city gates were soon thrown open to the archbishop and Pandulf was forced to submit. Instead of immediately turning eastwards to Troia, where the rest of the imperial host was massing, he turned to Salerno
and began a siege. The fear he struck in the heart of the Duke of Naples, Sergius IV
, caused him too to submit, without even the threat of a siege.
After only a month besieging Salerno, he let up in exchange for hostages and joined the rest of Emperor Henry's army. The emperor almost executed Pandulf, but the archbishop intervened to save Pandulf's life. The subsequent siege was a failure and the armies returned to Germany
.
Pilgrim acquired for Cologne the right of minting coins for Cologne and Andernach
. He was buried in the basilica of St. Aposteln in Cologne.
Archchancellor
An archchancellor or chief chancellor was a title given to the highest dignitary of the Holy Roman Empire, and also used occasionally during the Middle Ages to denote an official who supervised the work of chancellors or notaries....
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(from 1031) in the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, a dignity he obtained for all his successors.
His origins are not known with certainty, he either descends from the counts of Isengau or Margrave Aribo of Austria
Aribo of Austria
Aribo was the margrave of the March of Pannonia, from 871 until his death...
.
He was a warrior-prelate and accompanied both Emperors Henry II
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
and Conrad II
Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor
Conrad II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death.The son of a mid-level nobleman in Franconia, Count Henry of Speyer and Adelaide of Alsace, he inherited the titles of count of Speyer and of Worms as an infant when Henry died at age twenty...
on their expeditions to the Mezzogiorno
Mezzogiorno
The Midday is a wide definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the southern half of the Italian state, encompassing the southern section of the continental Italian Peninsula and the two major islands of Sicily and Sardinia, in addition to a large number of minor islands...
, even being given command of a division of the imperial army on its march south through the Italian Peninsula
Italian Peninsula
The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...
in 1024.
From 1016 to 1021, Pilgrim 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...
in the Cathedral of Bamberg
Bamberg Cathedral
The Bamberg Cathedral is a church in Bamberg, Germany, completed in the 13th century. The cathedral is under the administration of the Roman Catholic Church and is the seat of the Archbishop of Bamberg....
. On 29 June 1021, Henry II appointed him archbishop of Cologne and, on Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
1028, he crowned Henry, son of Conrad II, Henry III
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
as king of Germany in Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
.
On the 1024 campaign, he travelled with his army along the western coast through the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
. Charged with arresting the abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Montecassino, Atenulf, and the prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
, Pandulf IV
Pandulf IV of Capua
Pandulf IV was the Prince of Capua on three separate occasions.From February 1016 to 1022 he ruled in association with his cousin Pandulf II. In 1018, the Byzantine catapan Boiannes destroyed the Lombard army of Melus of Bari and his Norman allies at Cannae...
, he besieged Capua after bypassing the great Mediterranean abbey, which Atenulf had abandoned in haste. As Pandulf no longer had the loyalty of the populace and the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
mercenaries, the city gates were soon thrown open to the archbishop and Pandulf was forced to submit. Instead of immediately turning eastwards to Troia, where the rest of the imperial host was massing, he turned to Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
and began a siege. The fear he struck in the heart of the Duke of Naples, Sergius IV
Sergius IV of Naples
Sergius IV was Duke of Naples from 1002 to 1036. He was one of the prime catalysts in the growth of Norman power in the Mezzogiorno in the first half of the eleventh century...
, caused him too to submit, without even the threat of a siege.
After only a month besieging Salerno, he let up in exchange for hostages and joined the rest of Emperor Henry's army. The emperor almost executed Pandulf, but the archbishop intervened to save Pandulf's life. The subsequent siege was a failure and the armies returned to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Pilgrim acquired for Cologne the right of minting coins for Cologne and Andernach
Andernach
Andernach is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of currently about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the Neuwied basin on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing village of Fornich in the north and the mouth of the...
. He was buried in the basilica of St. Aposteln in Cologne.