Ernest of Bavaria

Ernest of Bavaria, ( born December 17, 1554 in Munich, † February 17, 1612 in Arnsberg, Westphalia ) was Prince-Bishop of Freising, Hildesheim, Liege, Munster, Prince-Abbot of the Imperial Abbey of Stavelot - Malmedy and 1583-1612 Archbishop of Cologne.

Background and education

Ernst was the son of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria and his wife Anna of Austria. The latter was a daughter of Emperor Ferdinand I. The brother was Duke William V of Bavaria. One of the nephews was Ferdinand of Bavaria.

Ernst was intended as a posthumous son early for the clergy. He received his theological and humanistic education from the Jesuits in Ingolstadt and Rome.

Rise

He was elected on October 18, 1566 to the Bishop of Freising.

Although there were scandals in his youth, he was in the Catholic camp as appropriate, to oppose the advance of Protestantism, to secure the Catholic influence in the organs of the Holy Roman Empire and strengthen. In addition, it was the House of Wittelsbach also about to expand its own power. The first opportunity came in the Bishopric of Hildesheim, which was already greatly reduced in the wake of the Reformation and its existence was threatened by the surrounding Protestant princes. The cathedral chapter in 1573, it appeared advisable to preserve our own position with Ernst to choose a family member of a powerful Catholic prince house Bishop of Hildesheim.

Central was the position of the Archbishop of Cologne for the strengthening of the Wittelsbach influence in the northwest of the empire. Already in 1577 should seriously supported by emperor and pope be the successor to the Archbishop of Cologne Salentin of Isenburg, but he lost the election against Gebhard I von Waldenburg. In the same year he was ordained a priest. In 1581 he was elected prince-bishop of Liège. Shortly thereafter he was also administrator of the Imperial Abbey of Stavelot - Malmedy.

Archbishop of Cologne

Gebhard I married von Waldburg, rebelled against the Catholic faith and tried the Archbishopric of Cologne into a secular principality convert. A success would have changed the balance between the confessions after the reassurance by the Peace of Augsburg, at the expense of Catholicism strong. All North West Germany threatened to become Protestant in the sequence. Gebhard was deposed by the Pope and the Emperor and the majority of the chapter, which had made ​​against the policy of the Elector resistance, voted on May 22, 1583 Ernst of Bavaria, Archbishop of Cologne. Was supported the choice of the cathedral chapter of imperial, Spanish and papal side. Ernst was also confirmed immediately after the election of the Pope, although the Council of Trent had forbidden such accumulation of offices strictly.

With the help of Bavarian and Spanish troops in fierce fighting during the Electoral Cologne or the Sewer War I. Gebhard of Waldburg from the Archbishopric of Cologne and later expelled from the Duchy of Westphalia. For the House of Wittelsbach, the success meant a considerable increase in importance, only Bavarian princes were still in the Electorate of Cologne elected to the following almost 200 years.

Position expansion

1584 he has been elected bishop of Münster. Ernst Rounded its sphere of influence by making sure Johann Wilhelm of Jülich -Cleves -Berg, the son of denominational fluctuating William the wealthy, was married to his cousin in Munich Catholic reared Jakobi of Baden.

He was now in personal union Bishop of Freising, Hildesheim, Liege and Munster and archbishop of Cologne. Especially in kurrheinischen and in the Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle Empire were ruled large parts of it. If not executed, he even planned a closer union of the individual territories together. They called him therefore as the protecting power of Catholicism in the northwest of the empire.

Policy

Politically, he stood firmly on imperial and Spanish side. Even in the realm he supported the Catholic cause. At his Catholic attitude no doubt could exist, even though he was personally interested in religious matters little.

In its territories he opposed Protestantism sharp. Only in the Bishopric of Liège religious policy was less strict. He promoted the establishment of the Jesuits and other orders. Jesuits settled among others in Emmerich, Bonn, Neuss, Aachen, Hildesheim and Münster. In Münster about them the old cathedral school was transferred in 1588. He also brought the Capuchins to the Rhine. Furthermore, the establishment of seminaries about in Liege found his support. In Cologne, a permanent papal nuncio was established in 1584. This was one of the motors of the Counter-Reformation in the Rhineland. In the duchy of Westphalia, however, the Counter-Reformation began only under his successor. He has 1604 to defame the Frankfurt rabbi Assembly from 1603 as a rabbi conspiracy also made ​​financial interests contributed.

Domestically, he has tried in the sense of absolutism, to reduce the influence of the estates. However, he had 1590 for the archbishopric, as well as for the Duchy of Westphalia confirm the Erblandesvereinigung of 1463, which limited the electoral power. In 1595 he issued a comprehensive police regulations for the Rhine and Westphalia possessions. Also a Medizinalordnung as a result of the plague was adopted in 1606. In 1593 there was a renewal of spiritual Offizilatgerichtsordnung. Ernest of Bavaria, who was a friend of the Mont estate, has promoted the mining industry about the Duchy of Westphalia.

Character and private life

His own life hardly corresponded to the strict ideal of the Counter-Reformation. Ernest of Bavaria mathematics, astronomy, astrology, and alchemy was attached and has promoted the painting and the music. In his personality, however, times changed passionate impetuosity from with such flaccid inertia. He was unable to control his private preferences. He was wasteful and prone to a wild lifestyle. These included the gluttony, hunting and love affairs. Archbishop Ernst lived together without formal marriage to Gertrude of Plettenberg contrary to the Church's rules. For this he had in his Arnsberg (secondary) residence, the palace built Landsberger Hof. In 1595 he moved because of the proximity to his mistress all the way to Arnsberg. Together with Gertrud Ernst had a son, William of Bavaria, who later became the ecclesiastical career and struck prince abbot of the monasteries of Stavelot and Malmedy was.

Power limitation

In his move to Arnsberg the Elector his nephew Ferdinand of Bavaria was provided as coadjutor to the side. He pulled it back from almost all government transactions. However, he has his rights reserved as Elector in kingdom matters and has practiced that even further. Was he considered in most territories little, him the inhabitants of the Bishopric of Liège have considered mild rulers.

Ernst died on February 17, 1612 in Arnsberg ( North Rhine-Westphalia ), he was buried in front of the Epiphany Chapel inside the Cologne Cathedral.