Eberhard of Salzburg

Eberhard von Sittling and Biburg, and I. Eberhard of Salzburg (* around 1085 in Sittling, † June 22, 1164 at the Cistercian monastery of Rein ) was a famous during his lifetime and often revered as a saint in the 12th century Archbishop of Salzburg, whose personal life was also admired as his extraordinary eloquence.

Eberhard's youth

Eberhard comes from the Bavarian noble family of the Barons of Sittling and Biburg. Through his mother, Bertha of Ratzenhofen he was related to Archbishop Konrad I, but also with the Salzburg against Archbishop Berthold of Moosburg. Eberhard was developed only in the Bamberg Cathedral School, then studied in Paris, where he acquired a profound and versatile knowledge, and it was first canon in Bamberg.

Eberhard's work to 1147

1125 Eberhard put in the hirsauisch reformed Benedictine monk Prüfening at Regensburg as the religious profession, in 1131 he was Prior and 1138 Abbot in the Benedictine monastery at the Biburg Aben, where he reorganized the monastery in the sense of the reform movement of Cluny. Consecration to the abbot took this Pope Innocent II in person. The universal respect was enough time far beyond the narrow cloister range.

Eberhard as Archbishop

1147 Eberhard, who was already 60 years old, was elected Archbishop of Salzburg. He was particularly benevolent and tried to improve the partially decayed morals of the clergy. Eberhard had beside his eloquence an excellent diplomatic skills, the Eberhard began to feel the state of Salzburg and his diocese in many cases. When the monastery was Admont 1152 fell victim to a fire, Eberhard has contributed significantly to the rapid reconstruction. To consecrate churches, chapels and altars, but also priests and monasteries personally never shied Eberhard long and tedious journeys.

The historiographer Rahewin boasts Archbishop Eberhard mainly because of its high level of education, his steadfastness in the faith, his kindness and goodness, his generosity, and not least his personal sympathy for the poor and sick.

Eberhard as leader of the Alexandrians in the Holy Roman Empire

In the Investiture Controversy between Pope Alexander III. and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa Eberhard stood clearly on the side of the Pope, but remained in view of his extraordinary reputation an estimated also by the Emperor mediator. In the clear attitude of Pope Alexander III. and against the antipope Victor IV loyal to the emperor Eberhard went more and more to the limits of the possible and disregarded several strict calls his Emperor. Only his extraordinary reputation protected him against hard last imperial penalties.

Old age and death

In old age, he traveled again to Styria to settle a dispute. The Salzburg castle Leibnitz was besieged by the Styrian Margrave Otakar men who wanted revenge so for the wrong done him the Leibnitzer viscount. Only tough negotiations allowed the deduction of the Styrian besiegers. On the way home he died in the Cistercian monastery clean. Eberhard von Biburg was buried in Salzburg Cathedral. His tomb in the cathedral in 1957 was revealed in the course of that Domgrabungen.