Julius von Pflug

Julius Pflug, Julius von Pflugk, (* 1499 in Eythra; † September 3, 1564 in Zeitz ) was from 1542 until his death, the last Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Naumburg.

Life

Origin and years of study

Julius came from the family of Pflugk and was the son of Caesar by Pflugk, a counselor of Duke George the Bearded. The age of eleven plow was in 1510 enrolled at the University of Leipzig. For the most part he was there, the disciple of Peter Mosellanus. 1517 plow went on the recommendation of his teacher at the University of Padua to Lazaro Buonamico. At the University of Bologna, he successfully finished his studies.

Career as a clergyman

He was returning home canons of the cathedral chapter to Meissen. Under Bishop John VIII of Maltitz he resisted the encroachments of the elector on the diocese. 1521 appointed him Duke George of Saxony as advice. The following year he was appointed provost in Zeitz. In the years 1528/29 plow undertook a study tour of Italy; probably he also visited Rome and the Vatican. In 1530 he accompanied his employer, Duke George to the Reichstag in Augsburg. In 1531 he obtained a position in the chapter of Mainz. 1532 returned plow back to Zeitz. In those years, there was probably not an important church meeting or hearing at which the plow has not participated. In Leipzig disputed plow alongside Christoph von Carlowitz and another with the Protestants Philipp Melanchthon and Gregor Brück. 1537 plow was appointed dean of Meissen, in 1539 appointed him Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg as advice. As in the same year Duke Henry of Saxony wanted to reform the diocese of Meissen, commissioned by the Bishop of Meissen plow, probably together with Georg Witzel, with the note of protest A joint study of four articles, the vonnöthen every Christian to know. In April 1541 plow was of the Catholic party at the Colloquy of Regensburg. Here he disputed with the theologian John Eck and Johann Gropper.

Bishop of Naumburg

1540 plow was appointed canon of Naumburg in 1541 and elected him the cathedral chapter as the new bishop of Naumburg. Elector John Frederick of Saxony saw it as not only a political but also a personal affront, and appointed his hand to the evangelical preacher Nicholas of Amsdorf bishop of Naumburg. In the years 1542-1547 to plow held mostly in exile in Mainz and dealt particularly with the theses of Martin Luther. Influenced by Georg Witzel and especially by Erasmus of Rotterdam plow was always careful to balance and saw himself as a mediator between the denominations. Regarding the double appointment of bishops in Naumburg was found at the Diet of Speyer in 1542 no solution. Under the sign of the schism, it is difficult to describe Nicholas of Amsdorf as anti-bishop, in any case, he was to 1546 in fact ruler of the diocese, however, strongly dependent on the Electorate of Saxony.

A decision was not made until 1546 Schmalkaldic war. Duke Moritz of Saxony made ​​it possible with his troops that plow was able to move in Naumburg. But as early as January 1547 plow of Elector John Frederick of Saxony was expelled again. The victory of Emperor Charles V at the Battle of Miihlberg 24th April 1547 brought plow the bishopric again. But he took on a difficult job, because the majority of his diocese had become Lutheran meantime.

Even if he took as a secular ruler no drastic measures, he managed to calm the situation inside the pin. He sought the authority of the Catholic Church to restore. In matters of faith, he stood in front of a largely Protestant bishopric had become, in the example, only one priest had remained unmarried. So he turned with a request to the Pope to allow the marriages of the parish priest in his diocese and to allow the sacrament in both forms, which was refused. A necessary for recatholicisation training center for theologians in Zeitz has not been installed. Julius was often considered to balance and approach. He acted so cautiously that it theologian Josef Hergenröther and the historian Ludwig Pastor why even imputed Kryptocalvinismus.

In June 1546 plow participated in Regensburg on religious discussion. Here he discussed, inter alia, Michael Helding and John Agricola. Since plow successfully negotiated there, the Emperor asked him in 1548 to assist in the formulation of the Augsburg Interim. In poor health took Julius 1551 and 1552 at the Council of Trent in part, but hardly made ​​its appearance. At the colloquy of Worms in 1557 he was called Plough chairman.

At the age of 65 years, Bishop Julius von Pflug died on September 3, 1564 in Zeitz and was buried in the cathedral of Moritzburg Zeitz. It is there also a grave plate that indicates. He was the last bishop of the diocese, which was then managed only by Verwesern and later rose in the Electorate of Saxony.