Ernst Bogislaw von Croÿ

Ernst Bogislaw of Croy ( born August 26, 1620 Finstingen; † February 6, 1684 in Königsberg ) was Protestant Bishop of Pomerania, governor of Brandenburg, Pomerania and Prussia. He was a nephew of Bogislaw XIV, the last Duke of Pomerania, the heir to the personal property 1637 extinct Dukes of grasping house.

Life

Ernst Bogislaw of Croy was the son of the Duke of Croy and Aerschot, Ernst von Croy (1588-1620) and Anna of Pomerania (1590-1660), daughter of the Duke Bogislaw XIII. of Pomerania. Although the family of Croy was Catholic, his mother's brothers put in the marriage contract established a Protestant education for their offspring. A few weeks ill after his birth and his father died, which was in the service of the Emperor Ferdinand II, on October 7, 1620 in camp before Oppenheim. His mother wanted to the hostility of her husband, who made their dispute and the jointure relationship escape, she came with her son in 1622 at the Pomeranian Court in Szczecin.

From 1634 Ernst Bogislaw studied at the University of Greifswald. Here he was honored with the appointment as Rector for 1634/1635. His uncle Bogislaw XIV awarded him the reigns of Pomerania and Massow. From 1637 to 1650 was Ernst Bogislaw Protestant Bishop of Pomerania. In the Peace of Westphalia, the diocese of Brandenburg Pomerania was granted. With a 1650 closed compared Ernst Bogislaw renounced his rights to the bishopric; as a counterpart, he received a large cash payment and the reversion of the Pomeranian jointure of his mother. He entered Brandenburg services and was from 1665 to 1678 governor of Pomerania and after the death of Bogusław Radziwill until his own death in 1684 governor of the Duchy of Prussia.

In his erected shortly before his death will he left with the agreement of the Swedish Government, the University of Greifswald in addition to capital and some books the signet ring Bogislaw XIV, the great golden chain of Duke Ernst Ludwig and the Croy carpet. After his death, Ernst Bogislaw was buried in the Castle Church stumbling beside his mother.

Ernst Bogislaw is characterized in the history of science as a learned and honorable, but more cautious and shy man did.

Progeny

Ernst Bogislaw of Croy was never married. However, he had to Dorothea Levin, a commoner, an illegitimate son named Ernst. This was legitimized by the Elector Frederick William and raised on March 30, 1670 under the name Ernst von Croyengreiff (also Croyengreif or Croyen Griffin ) in the kurbrandenburgischen nobility. Ernst von Croyengreiff owned several goods at Schmolsin near Stolp in Pomerania. After a rather casual visit to the pilgrimage town of Loreto during a trip to Italy in 1678 he showed himself so deeply impressed that he then in Rome spontaneously converted to the Catholic faith. In 1679 he appeared there as a novice of the Order of the cooperative Minor Clerks Regular (Italian Clergymen Regolari Minori, latin Clerici regulares minores, even Marianas or Caracciolanen called ) in order to be trained for the Catholic priesthood. ( Contrary to some older literature so he did not join the Society of Jesus in. ) He eventually was ordained a priest. Because of the conversion he was disinherited by his father in 1681. He died as the sole bearer of the name of the justified for him noble family without descendants in 1700 in Rome.