Joannes-Henricus de Franckenberg

Johann Heinrich von Frankenberg ( born September 18, 1726 Groß- Glogau, † June 11, 1804 in Breda ) was Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Malines.

Life

A native of the diocese of Breslau in Silesia Frankenberg first attended the Jesuit school in Great Glogau and then the University of Breslau. After he had received the tonsure and the Small Groups on January 6, 1743, he received on September 21, 1748 consecrations for a subdeacon and a deacon. Then he went to the studioM in the Collegium anglicum to Rome, where he earned a doctorate in theology at the September 4, 1749.

Already ordained priest on 10 August 1749, he went to his studies and was returned to Austria from 1750 to 1754 Assistant to the Bishop of Gorizia. From 1754 to 1756 dean of the chapter pin of all the saints in Prague, he was from 1756 to 1759 dean of the church of Old Boleslawiec. Appointed on 28 May 1759 Archbishop of Mechelen, he received shortly after the consecration.

Frankenberg enjoyed the special favor of Maria Theresa, who in 1765 awarded him the Grand Cross of the Austrian Order of Stefan. But even allowed her the Archbishop no intervention in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, so it gave to Archbishop first confrontations with the government soon after his appointment. His steadfastness, but also be tadeloser lifestyle, this earned him the respect of the public authorities.

Pope Pius VI. created Frankenberg on 1 June 1778 as Cardinal and elevated him to cardinal priests also, but never showed him a title to church. An accomplished diplomat, he fought against the Josephinism. Here, he incurred the wrath of the Emperor Joseph II, who ordered him to Vienna and threatened him with imprisonment and official withdrawal. When the French occupied Belgium, the Archbishop refused the oath to the Constitution and demanded the surrender of his estates, which had been taken from him. A reserve pension he refused. In 1797 he had to flee from Belgium and went to Emmerich, which belonged to Prussia. Here he lived in poverty, but tried to be active in the sense of charity anyway. He vehemently warned of the priests who had taken an oath to the Constitution. Since his health was severely attacked and in consideration of Pope Pius VII, who had concluded a concordat with Napoleon, he resigned on 20 November 1801 the Archdiocese of Mechelen. In the following years he lived in Borken, which belonged to the Prince-Bishopric of Münster. As this was secularized, he retired to Breda in the Netherlands.