Konrad IV the Older
Konrad von Oels (also: Conrad IV of oil; Conrad IV, "senior", * 1384 in oil; † August 9, 1447 in Jeltsch ) was Duke of Oels and Bernstadt, Prince-Bishop of Breslau and the first Chief Governor of Silesia.
Life
Conrad's parents were the same Oelser Duke Konrad III. and Jutta / balances († 1418/19 ), their origin is unknown. Konrad was the oldest of five brothers, all were baptized in the name Konrad, which is why they are referred to in order to distinguish individual epithet.
Konrad "senior" was first mentioned in 1399 as a cleric of the diocese of Breslau, in 1410 he was a member of the cathedral chapter, a year later he was promoted to Domdekan and at the same time held the office of papal notary. 1411 he was involved with his father at the conclusion of the First Peace of Thorn. After the death of his father in 1412 he took over the guardianship of his not yet of legal age brothers and the government over the duchies Oels and Cosel, the Duchy of Bernstadt was spun for him. Even after 1416 were made division of his father's inheritance, the brothers managed their territories partially together.
Following the resignation of Bishop Wenzel von Liegnitz Konrad was elected with the support of the Roman-German King Sigismund Bishop of Breslau. Pope Martin V confirmed the election on 17 December 1417 the episcopal ordination took place on January 22, 1418 by Bishop Johann Wessel Tylmann in Ottmachau. In 1419 he pledged inherited from his father Kanth the Breslau cathedral chapter.
In the fight against the Hussites Konrad was decidedly on the side of Sigismund, who was now also king of Bohemia. Since the Wroclaw Reichstag of 1420 Konrad organized the resistance against the Hussites. 1421 he occupied with the bishop's mercenaries Braunauer land which he could defend some years. This is probably why he was appointed Sigismund in 1422 for the first Silesian Upper Governor.
In the following years, large parts of Silesia and the diocese country were devastated by the Hussites. The monasteries in Grüssau, Kamenz, Warta and Frankenstein were destroyed. 1428 took the Hussites Ottmachau where they looted and burned much of the city and had captured the command to Conrad spent there valuables. After negotiations with Konrad and payment of 1000 shock Bohemian penny they evacuated the city in 1435. The power required by the Hussites razing of the episcopal castle was banned by Emperor Sigismund. Despite these defeats was Konrad in 1435 by the prince association, at the suggestion of Emperor Sigismund came about to protect the public peace, as " Federal captain " elected its speaker. 1443 occupied the Hussites again Ottmachauer the castle, which was Konrad 1444 Redeem after payment of 2,000 gold florins.
In addition to religious fervor played with Konrad probably also national antipathies a role. When in 1427 the Bishop of Gniezno wanted to extend a visitation on the bishopric of Breslau, the Konrad forbade decided. 1435 he issued a statute decreed that henceforth awarded benefices and ecclesiastical offices in his diocese only born Silesians and other candidates should be considered only if they vorwiesen a degree in theology or canon law. After Sigismund 's death in 1437 Konrad supported the candidacy of Duke Albrecht of Austria against Polish aspirations to the Bohemian throne. Below devastated Polish mercenaries who sought to impose their candidate, repeatedly, the diocese country. Probably because of his anti-Polish attitude drew the Krakow chronicler January Dlugosz a negative personality picture of him.
Through the Hussite Wars and the related devastation, the diocese was financially ruined. After the cathedral chapter in vain to access the drain funds demanded that the Provost Nicholas Gramis had collected, Konrad was forced to resign his office of bishop. At the same time him a handsome annual salary was assured.
Since there was not a successor to the decrepit diocese, told Pope Eugene IV with bull of July 21, 1445 the former Bishop Konrad to take over the Bishopric of line again. Although the chapter violently protested against the re-establishment, Konrad held on May 27, 1446 from a diocesan synod, but died a year later at Castle Jeltsch. His body was interred him Wrocław Cathedral.