Franz Egon of Fürstenberg

Franz Egon of Fürstenberg - Heiligenberg ( born April 10, 1626 Holy Mountain, † April 1, 1682 in Cologne) was bishop of Strasbourg and abbot of the monastery Murbach ( 1663-1682 ).

Life

Franz Egon was the son of the Bavarian general Feldzeugmeister Landgraf Egon VIII of Fürstenberg - Heiligenberg (1588-1635) and his wife, Countess Anna Maria of Hohenzollern- Hechingen ( 1603-1652 ). His younger brother William Egon of Fürstenberg became his successor in the episcopate.

Even as a child Franz Egon was about the same age with the Bavarian Prince Maximilian Heinrich, who later became Elector of Cologne, a friend and added him as a shareholder. Already in 1634, Franz Egon Domizellar at the Cologne Cathedral. After he had in 1644 received the ordination to the subdeacon, he was in Cologne canon and canon of St. Gereon Cologne. Later he acquired also a Domkanonikat to Hildesheim. Since 1650 Oberisthofmeister and First Minister in the Electorate of Cologne, he was also a privy councilor in 1652 in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. From 1653 provost of St. Gereon in Cologne, canon to Minden, Strasbourg and Liege, shortly afterwards canon of Aachen Marienstift, he became dean in 1655 in Cologne.

King Louis XIV of France began in 1653, the election of his allies to the Bishop of Metz by what but the Papal appointment forthcoming, so the choice was without effect. For this he was a canon of Speyer in 1660 and to Prince Abbot of Stavelot and Malmedy, a choice that the Pope confirmed until 1668. After he was ordained priest on 16 October 1660, Furstenberg was elected on January 19, 1663 Bishop of Strasbourg and confirmed as bishop by the Pope on July 30, 1663. In the same year ( 1663 ) the cathedral chapter elected him dean and he received episcopal ordination. Collected in 1664 in the rank of prince, he was also 1664 Prince Abbot of Murbach and Lüders.

The brothers Furstenberg were very pro-French and certain long time the policy in Bonn, the former residence of Electoral Cologne, and the electorate. Elector Max Franz Heinrich made ​​Egon an indispensable factotum throughout the Cologne government. Together with his brother Franz Egon lived temporarily in Bonn. For the year 1666 the purchase of the house " is guaranteed to Blomen " by the elector, who had purchased the house five years earlier by the sons of Elizabeth Kurtz skirt. After Cologne in 1674 was forced to make peace with Holland, Franz Egon of Fürstenberg went to Strasbourg and operated a pro-French policy, with the help of which Louis XIV was able to take possession of the city. Well, in 1681, Franz Egon was able to again take his bishopric. He returned shortly afterwards to Cologne back to be able to attain the Kurstuhl in hope, but he had fallen out of favor with the Elector. On April 1, 1682 Franz Egon died in Cologne. His remains lie buried in the cathedral.

Furstenberg settled in Mutzig in Alsace build a castle in the former Baroque style, which was ready for occupancy in 1673. Later it was taken over by Armand de Rohan and his descendants, so it is still known as Rohan Castle ( Château des Rohan ).