Johann Očko of Wlašim

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Cardinal Johann Očko of Wlašim

Johann Očko von Wlašim (Czech: Jan Očko z Vlašimi ; * around 1292 in Vlašim , Bohemia ; † January 14, 1380 probably in Prague ) was Bishop of Olomouc , Archbishop of Prague and advisor to Emperor Charles IV and cardinal .

Origin and career

Cardinal coat of arms of Bishop Johann Očko of Wlašim

Johann Očko von Wlašim came from the Bohemian noble family of Wlašim ( z Vlašimi ). His father was Johann von Kamenice and Seč. Johann's brother Paul called himself "von Jenstein" after he had acquired the Jenstein Castle of the same name . His son Johann von Jenstein was Archbishop of Prague. Since Johann von Wlašim went blind after a surgical operation in his left eye, he was nicknamed "Očko" ( little eye ).

Johann was a notary and chaplain at the court of Johann von Luxemburg . After his son Karl became King of Bohemia, this appointed Johann his secretary. In 1340 Johann became provost of the All Saints' Chapel at Prague Castle , and in 1342 Canon of Prague. He had further benefices as a canon of Mělník and Breslau .

Bishop of Olomouc

Coat of arms of Bishop Johann Očko of Wlašim

After the death of the Olomouc bishop Jan Volek , Pope Clement VI. at the instigation of the current emperor Charles IV on November 17, 1351 Johann Očko von Wlašim as his successor. The episcopal ordination took place by Archbishop Ernst von Pardubitz in St. Vitus Cathedral .

Following the example of Prague, Johann issued statutes for the Olomouc chapter in 1352. Incidentally, as bishop, he remained confidante and advisor to the emperor, whom he accompanied to Switzerland in 1353. In 1354 he held the funeral mass for the Archbishop of Trier Baldwin of Luxembourg , an uncle of the emperor. In 1355 he took part in Charles's trip to Rome.

Archbishop of Prague

Tumba Johann Očkos von Wlašim in the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague

At the request of Emperor Charles, the Prague Chapter elected on July 12, 1364 Johann Očko von Wlašim to succeed Archbishop Ernst von Pardubitz. The translation by Pope Urban V took place on August 23 of that year. At the end of the year Johann received the pallium from the hand of the Speyer Bishop Lamprecht von Brunn . In 1365 Johann accompanied the emperor to the curia in Avignon . There the Pope appointed him on May 28, 1365 as papal legate for the dioceses of Prague , Olomouc , Leitomischl , Meißen , Bamberg and Regensburg . This dignity should also apply to Johann's successor.

Also as archbishop Johann worked as an advisor, diplomat and close collaborator for the emperor. Meanwhile stay in Italy in 1368 managed Johann as guardian of Wenceslas IV. As governor the Lower Lausitz . In 1370 he crowned Wenceslas wife Johanna von Bayern as Queen of Bohemia.

Like his predecessor, Johann Očko von Wlašim strove to enhance religious and ecclesiastical life in his diocese. For this purpose he organized several diocesan synods . In 1371 he founded a hospital for poor clerics on the Hradschin . During his tenure, numerous construction works were carried out, including the cathedral, the bishop's court on the Lesser Town in Prague and the episcopal palace in Raudnitz . Johann showed great interest in the reform preachers Konrad von Waldhausen and Johann Milíč von Kremsier .

On September 17, 1378, Johann resigned to his office for reasons of age. A day later he was from Pope Urban VI. elevated to cardinal priest of Santi XII Apostoli . On December 15 of that year he had the honor of holding the funeral mass for Emperor Charles IV.

literature

  • Zdeňka Hledíková : Johann Ocko von Vlasim († 1380). 1351–1364 Bishop of Olomouc. 1364–1378 Archbishop of Prague. 1378 cardinal. In: Erwin Gatz (ed.), Clemens Brodkorb (collaborator): The bishops of the Holy Roman Empire 1198 to 1448. A biographical lexicon. Volume I. Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-428-08422-5 , pp. 589-590.
  • J. Kadlec: Přehled českých církevních dějin 1. Řím 1987.

Web links

predecessor Office successor
John VII Volek Bishop of Olomouc
1351–1364 		Johann IX. from Neumarkt
Ernst von Pardubitz Archbishop of Prague
1364-1378 		John VI from Jenstein
personal data
SURNAME Johann Očko of Wlašim
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Jan Očko z Vlašimi; Jan Ocko z Vlasimi
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Olomouc, Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal
DATE OF BIRTH around 1292
PLACE OF BIRTH Vlašim
DATE OF DEATH January 14, 1380
Place of death unsure: Prague