Eric of Brunswick-Grubenhagen

Erich von Braunschweig- Grubenhagen (* 1478, † May 14 1532 in Fuerstenau ) was from 1508 to 1532 Prince-Bishop of Paderborn, and Osnabrück, and in 1532 elected Bishop of Münster.

Life

Erich was the youngest child of the couple, Duke Albrecht II of Brunswick - Grubenhagen and Elisabeth Countess of Waldeck. While the older brother Philipp became the successor of his father, Eric the epoch according to the ecclesiastical state was determined. After studying in Rome, he became a canon at the cathedral in Münster and Paderborn. On April 20, 1509 Erich received for the diocese of Paderborn the commission by Pope Julius II Since Erich the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. was guilty taxes, this took him to 1512 with the imperial ban and refused the imperial recognition. It was not until Emperor Charles V issued on April 2, 1521 Erich regalia.

The erupting during his tenure Reformation has caused real changes in the work of Erich neither theological nor in the country wonderful ways. He remained faithful to the Roman doctrine until the end. However, he was a bishop in the neighboring areas that did not belong to his worldly Fürstbistümern, there be no conflict with Lutheran -minded neighbors. Even compared to the now- Lutheran -minded urban citizenship Erich was quite open and granted multiple special rights. In the Roman Catholic tradition literature Erich also therefore regarded as dodgy because he witnessed the marriage of their vows unfaithful Benedictine nun from Kaufungen.

Erich was only shortly before his death after the abdication of his predecessor Frederick III. elected by Wied addition to the Bishop of Münster. This is the first time these three dioceses of Westphalia were united in a personal union. Erich died during the feast with noble friends on the occasion of his election as Bishop of Münster Osnabrück in Fuerstenau.