Jan of Jenštejn

John of Jenstejn (after the list of bishops of Meissen: John II of Jenstejn, after the list of bishops of Prague: John VI of Jenstejn; sometimes. Johann von Jenzenstein; Johann von Genze stone, Czech: Jan z Jenštejna; * December 27 between 1347 and 1350 in Prague, † June 17, 1400 in Rome) was a bishop of Meissen, Archbishop of Prague and Patriarch of Alexandria. He was also Chancellor of the Czech King Wenceslas IV and author of religious writings.

• 2.1 works

Background and Career

John of Jenstejn came from the family of Wlašim whose members dressed important positions in the royal service. Johann's father Paul of Wlašim called from Jenstejn after he had acquired the castle of the same in Jenstejn in Prague. He was a notary at the law firm of Charles IV Johanns Sister Catherine was the mother of the Archbishop of Prague Olbram of Škvorec. The Prague archbishop Jan Očko of Wlašim was a brother of John's father.

After studying Arts in Prague from 1371 Johann studied canon law and theology at the universities of Padua and Bologna. 1374 he moved to the University of Montpellier and also stopped some time at the Avignon Curia. The subsequent studies at the University of Paris, he joined in 1376 with the Bachelor of Canon Law from.

Bishop of Meissen

Even before completing his studies, was John of Jenstejn subdeacon and provost of Wetzlar. At the instigation of Emperor Charles IV appointed him Pope Gregory XI. on July 4, 1376, Bishop of Meissen. Refusing stood against the appointment of the Wettin family, who feared the expansion of Czech power politics. And the Johanns relation to the cathedral chapter was difficult, the right to vote was passed over for the appointment. During his short tenure in Meissen Johann among others promoted the veneration of Saint Wenceslas of Bohemia.

Archbishop of Prague and Wenceslas IV Chancellor

After abandoning the Archbishop Johann Očko of Wlašim transferred Pope Urban VI. on October 20, 1378 by Johann Jenstejn as his successor to Prague. Back in November of the year appointed Emperor Charles IV the new archbishop as chancellor of his son, the Bohemian king Wenceslas IV In addition, John was papal legate in the diocese of Regensburg, Bamberg and Meißen. With these influential positions he campaigned for the recognition of Pope Urban VI. and his Roman followers and went sharp before against the followers of the anti-pope Clement VII, who was supported by members of the Prague and Vyšehrad chapter. Johann Thus ducked his resentment of royal surroundings, ultimately led to that he was at King Wenceslas IV in disfavour and lost in 1384, the Office of the Registrar.

The loss of the Chancellery led to Johann in his position as archbishop fell into disputes with the secular power, which should last for the rest of his term. This was caused by the pursuit of the king and his environment to curtail the archbishop's rights and to gain more influence in ecclesiastical affairs. Since there were also acts of violence during the clashes, Johann left the archbishop's castles and towns fix.

His episcopal duties Johann devoted himself with full of energy. He ordered the church administration and also presented to the clergy the moral high ground. He ordered a visitation of the parish and convened a synod, which led to various church reforms. Probably because of a Marian vision that he should have had on 14 October 1378, he led a pious and ascetic life and led in 1386 to his archbishopric, the feast of the Visitation one. In his belief in the equality of all people, he called 1391 the expansion of lay communion. He hoped, by the participation of many people in the Eucharist the schism could be overcome.

1392 Johann gave the king a notice of appeal with which he wanted to achieve clarification of the canonical relations, and in which it was mainly about the oppression of the Church and the clergy. The king refused to answer, escalated the earlier dispute anew. End of the year accused Johann Under the royal chamberlain Sigismund Huler of heresy and summoned him before his court. After Huler did not appear in court, he was excommunicated by Johann.

In the power-political quarrel with John of Jenstejn the king intended to detract from its ecclesiastical and economic influence. To this end he planned to reduce the area of the Archdiocese of Prague through the establishment of a West Bohemian diocese Kladrau. For the endowment of the diocese before he saw the rich Benedictine Kladrau, the villages were under 87. After the death of Abbot Kladruby Racek the royal candidate Wenzel Gerard of Burenitz should be appointed as his successor, while the first bishop of the diocese to be erected Kladrau. These plans foiled Johanns -general Nicholas Puchník of Černice and John of Nepomuk by occupying the place of the beginning of 1393 Kladruby abbot under the direction of the Archbishop with another candidate. Fearing the reaction of King John fled in time to his episcopal castle Raudnitz. Victims of royal vengeance was Vicar General John of Nepomuk. He was interrogated and tortured to death on March 20, 1393.

In April 1393 John went to Rome. Since he was there with his complaint little attention, he returned to Prague and joined a noble rebellion against the king. This then confiscated the episcopal estates. Johann went again to Rome and renounced there in late January 1394 on his office. Successor to the Archbishop of Prague chair was his nephew Olbram of Škvorec which left him as the residence of the bishop's castle Helfenburk and had to pay a pension.

Patriarch of Alexandria

1399 Johann of Jenstejn went again to Rome to obtain the Pope's consent to a missionary activity. On April 2, 1399 the Pope appointed him as Patriarch of Alexandria. After that, John retired to the monastery of Santa Prassede, where he died fourteen months later.

Literary activity

John of Jenstejn was also active literary. He left behind an extensive body of work in Latin. It often carries autobiographical and consists of writings on church issues and polemical treatises. Extensively are also the poetic hymns in honor of the Virgin Mary. Also known are five collections of sermons and eight ascetic writings. In the journal " Acta in curia Romana " of 1393, he describes the battle with the king and describes in Scripture " Libellus apologorum " the reasons for his resignation. In an epistolary Johanns letters from his episcopal activity are summarized.

Works

• Tractatus de potestate clavium
• De veritate Urbani
• Liber considerationis
• Liber dialogorum ( 1380 )
• Contra Adalbertum ( 1388 )
• Miracula beatae Mariae Visitationis (after 1388 )
• De bono mortis (after 1390 )
• Acta in curia Romana ( 1393 )
• Libellus quod nemo nisi a se ipso laeditur
• Libellus de fuga saeculi (after 1395 )
• Libellus apologorum (after 1396 )

Fame

Johann Jensteins body was transferred from Rome to Prague in June 1400. The Prague Professor of Theology Master Matthias von Liegnitz held in the presence of the Archbishop of Olbram Škvorec at Johanns funeral a funeral sermon. It is shot through with allusions to stories from Jensteins life. The Spirit of the funeral sermon is to be obtained under the title " Sermo de magistri Mathie Legnicz factus coram archiepiscopo Pragensi in exequiis " in the Jagiellonian Library.

In the years 1400-1402 the legendary biography " Vita Johannis de Jenczenstein " was born. It is believed that it was written by Johann Peter Clarificator confessor, Prior of the Augustinian canons in Raudnitz.