Florence from Wevelinghoven

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Florence von Wevelinghoven , also Florens von Wevelinkhoven (Latinized Florentius von Wevelinghoven ) (* around 1330 - † April 4, 1393 at Hardenberg Castle ) was first canon in Cologne and later bishop of Münster and Utrecht .

Commemorative plaque for Florence von Wevelinghoven and the Wewelinghöfer coin named after him

Origin and beginnings

He came from the initially noble, later count family Wevelinghoven . His parents were Friedrich I. von Wevelinghoven and Agnes von Millen. The brother Wilhelm became Count von Wevelinghoven, the brother Gottfried Canon in Cologne. A sister named Heilwigis was abbess at St. Marien Überwasser Abbey from 1367 to 1388 .

He was first mentioned in a document in 1343, still a minor and without higher ordinations, as the owner of the Bergdorf parish church. After approval by the Pope, he kept the income from it later, when he was already canon in Cologne. He was first mentioned as a canon in 1354. Later he was assistant dean.

Bishop of Munster

In 1364 he was appointed Bishop of Munster by Urban V as the successor to Johann von Virneburg . Taking over the office of bishop in Münster was difficult and met with resistance. He finally moved into Münster under the protection of Count Engelbert von der Mark . The people had recognized him. But cathedral chapters and clergy accepted him only reluctantly. He was forced to make concessions to the cathedral chapter.

Domestic politics

On a trip through the diocese, Wevelinghoven became aware of the disastrous state of the country. In many places he saw destruction and the consequences of arson. In addition, goods and numerous offices were pledged, so that the bishop initially had little income. At first he tried to reduce the debt, but later he was forced to return to the old mortgage policy. He also had to allow the estates to form a council of 15 people.

Together with Engelbert von der Mark, he successfully fought the claim to power of the nobility and the estates in the Münster monastery .

Against the uncertainty in the country he tried to enforce the peace in the country . The Malenburg was destroyed as early as 1371. Together with the Archbishop of Cologne, the castles Gutacker and Wolfsberg were conquered in 1377. The city of Bocholt , which had fallen into strange hands, came back to the monastery through him. The city of Meppen was fortified and Paulsburg was built in 1374.

In Münster he had a house built as an episcopal apartment at the cathedral courtyard. He had a new mint erected at the rye market, which remained in operation until the 18th century. The coin "Der Wevelinghover" struck there and named after him was widespread in the 14th century.

Foreign policy

In terms of foreign policy, he appalled Harkotten Castle, which was besieged by Bernhard zur Lippe, at an unclear time. In 1364, Wevelinghoven concluded an alliance with Count Wilhelm von Berg-Ravensberg for two years. A year later he joined the state peace alliance, the " Werner Bund " founded in 1253 between the county of Mark , the cities of Münster , Soest , Lippstadt , Osnabrück and Dortmund . During this time the Counts of Tecklenburg also invaded the Emsland . In 1367 the feud with Count Bernhard von Bentheim was ended by a peace and alliance treaty. The invasion of castle men from the county of Ravensberg ended in 1368 with a defeat for them near Versmold . The administrator of the diocese of Osnabrück , Dietrich von der Mark, took this matter as an opportunity to invade the Münster monastery.

In 1372 the troops of Wevelinghoven defeated burgrave Johann von Stromberg as a peace breaker. After Emperor Karl IV. , Also at the request of Wevelinghoven, proclaimed a state peace for Westphalia , the bishops of Münster, Paderborn and Osnabrück and the cities of Soest, Münster, Osnabrück, Lippstadt and Dortmund allied to enforce the peace. Wevelinghoven also used the peace in the country to take action against troublemakers inside the monastery. In 1372 he took action against Velen Castle , the owner of which had opposed the bishop. With the support of foreign allies, Dinklage Castle , which was considered impregnable, was conquered and destroyed. In 1377 he left Halstenbeck Castle to his adversary Otto VI. (Tecklenburg) destroy.

Bishop of Utrecht

In 1379 he was elected Bishop of Utrecht and left Münster. From the beginning he had to struggle with the resistance of the nobility. The report of a chronicle that Wevelinghoven had ordered the Utrecht council to the castle and beheaded the most distinguished is not likely.

In the new territory, too, he enforced peace in the country. In 1380, on his orders, Eerden Castle was besieged by the robber baron Evert van Essen. Wevelinghoven had the castle built in Hardenberg. At the end of his term of office he had greatly expanded the power of the bishop and secured peace to the extent that hardly any of his immediate predecessors and successors succeeded.

Importance for religion and culture

Wevelinghoven commissioned a legend of the Three Kings from Johannes von Hildesheim in 1364, which was published under the title “Historia Trium Regum”. He also suggested a Münstersche bishop chronicle. At least the preface comes from the pen of the bishop himself. A novelty was that he had a fief register made for the Münster monastery.

To his tenure in Utrecht came to the sermons of Geert Groote the Modern Devotion . However, Wevelinghoven withdrew his pulpit permit in 1383 because the sermons were considered too radical for him. Wevelinghoven promoted the monastery system and in 1387 approved the foundation of Windesheim Monastery, from which the Windesheim Canons emerged .

Wevelinghoven was buried in the Utrecht Cathedral . A memorial stone set in the floor is still visible today. The Wevelinghover Gasse in the old town of Münster is named after him.

literature

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predecessor Office successor
Johann von Virneburg Bishop of Münster
1364-1379 		Potho from Pothenstein
Arnold II of Horn Bishop of Utrecht
1379–1393 		Friedrich III. from Blankenheim
personal data
SURNAME Wevelinghoven, Florence from
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Münster and then in Utrecht
DATE OF BIRTH around 1330
DATE OF DEATH April 4, 1393
Place of death Hardenberg (Overijssel)