Johann Otto von Gemmingen

Johann Otto von Gemmingen ( born October 23, 1545 Mühlhausen ad Würm; † October 6, 1598 in Dillingen an der Donau) comes from the line Steinegg the Swabian noble family of the lords of Gemmingen. He was prince-bishop in Augsburg.

Life

Johann Otto was born as the fourth of 13 children of Hans Dietrich von Gemmingen and his wife Magdalena, born Mundbrod ( Muntpratt ) of Spiegelberg. He probably spent some years of his childhood in Weinfelden, which had been acquired by his father in 1551 from the mouth Pratt and 1555 sold it to the Fugger. He spent his student days at home in Italy and from 1565 at the University of Ingolstadt. 1565 he received in Augsburg, 1568 in Eichstätt a Domkanonikat. In 1580 he was promoted to Augsburg to Domdekan and was ordained a priest a year later. 1590 elected him as Bishop of the Cathedral Chapter of Eichstätt Eichstätt, but Johann Otto refused, saying he wanted to stay in Augsburg.

In 1591 he became Prince-Bishop in Augsburg ( election on March 21, ordained on August 25 in Dillingen an der Donau). During his tenure, he strove diligently to consolidate the Roman Catholic religion in his sphere of influence and to this end adopted a number of new regulations. He led the Catechism of Canisius in the schools of his sphere of influence. He also called on the Jesuits in his bishopric and introduced a new Criminal Procedure, in which the clergy especially the Katechisiren was recommended. Many charitable foundations have been established and funded by him in life.

It was also embellished his reign with considerable effort, the Cathedral and enlarged by the Jacobean chapel. The Family Chronicle reported that he tried to raise his nephew faithful servants of the church and capable fighters against the hereditary enemy. Especially with his nephew, later the Prince Bishop of Eichstätt, Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, he took effect on education and encouraged him decisively. 1598, he died in Augsburg and was buried in the St. James Chapel. He determined his bequeathed assets for schools, hospitals and churches.