Johann Philipp von Gebsattel

Johann Philipp von Gebsattel (* May 13, 1555, † June 26, 1609 ) was from 1599 until his death in 1609 Prince-Bishop of Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg.

Johann Philipp von Gebsattel came from the Frankish noble family of the rich free of Gebsattel. The eponymous place Gebsattel is today a municipality in the Middle Franconian district of Ansbach.

In the reign of Pope Clement XIII. and Emperor Rudolf II in 1599, he was elected bishop. He built the Giechburg from around 1600 to its considerable size. This emerged from a ruined castle a late hilltop castle that no longer met the requirements of the defensibility of a modern castle and was better than a Renaissance castle to call. More monumental construction activities began with the construction start of the later New Residence in Bamberg.

The person of Johann Philipp was already in his time as controversial. He was told a certain decadent lifestyle, such as concubinage, by and associated neglect of his duties as bishop. He entered at least not in the footsteps of his predecessors, who were energetic representatives of the Counter-Reformation.

His grave monument is located since the style restoration of the cathedral of Bamberg in St. Michael's Church. There is to be found in the left aisle of the church (see also Michel monastery mountain).

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp von Gebsattel is quartered. It contains the family crest of the Gebsattel in the fields two and three. It shows in red a silver buck neck with black horns. In the first and fourth field Hoheitssysmbole the diocese of Bamberg are added, a black lion, covered by a silver strip right oblique on golden background.