Johann Theodor of Bavaria

Cardinal Johann Theodor von Bayern on a painting in the Fürstengang Freising

The coat of arms of Johann Theodor von Bayern in the Fürstengang Freising

Johann Theodor von Bayern (born September 3, 1703 in Munich , † January 27, 1763 in Liège ) was cardinal and bishop of Regensburg (from 1719) and Freising (from 1727) and from 1744 Prince-Bishop of Liège .

Life

His parents were Maximilian II. Emanuel and Therese Kunigunde of Poland . Originally it was intended for the secular class. But the death of his older brother, Philipp Moritz on March 12, 1719 changed the situation. His brother Clemens August I of Bavaria took over the post in the north-west of the Holy Roman Empire (e.g. the diocese of Münster ), while Johann Theodor moved up. So he became Prince-Bishop of Freising and Regensburg. He was ordained a priest on April 8, 1730 . The episcopal ordination donated by his brother Clemens August on 1 October of that year. Co-consecrators were the Apostolic Vicar of the North , Johann Friedrich Adolf von Hörde , and Auxiliary Bishop Ferdinand Oesterhoff OCist from Münster. In 1724 he participated in the Wittelsbach House Union .

Since his two dioceses were not a particularly large power factor because of their small size, he was dependent on his brother, the Francophile Elector and later Emperor Karl Albrecht , and thereby also approached the Bourbons . Therefore, Louis XV supported. 1732 the candidacy of Johann Theodor for the office of high and German master . Nevertheless, he was defeated in the election by his brother, Clemens August I of Bavaria . On September 9, 1743, Pope Benedict XIV accepted him as a cardinal in pectore in the college of cardinals . The appointment was published at the consistory on January 17, 1746. He received the titular church of San Lorenzo in Lucina . From 1744 he was also Prince-Bishop of Liège and thus gained in importance. Pope Clement XIII. However, shortly after the death of his brother Clemens August on March 11, 1761, he refused to approve the election of Johann Theodor as Archbishop of Cologne and justified this with a scandalous, unspiritual way of life.

He came from the last generation of Wittelsbach prince-bishops . In the next generation there were not enough born sons to fill clerical offices.

His heart was buried separately and is located in the Chapel of Grace in Altötting .

Pedigree

Pedigree of Johan Theodor von Bayern
Great-great-grandparents	Duke Wilhelm V of Bavaria (1548–1626) ⚭ 1568 Renata of Lorraine (1544–1602)	Emperor Ferdinand II. (1578–1637) ⚭ 1600 Maria Anna of Bavaria (1574–1616)	Duke Karl Emanuel I of Savoy (1562–1630) ⚭ 1585 Katharina Michaela of Spain (1567–1597)	King Henry IV of France (1553–1610) ⚭ 1600 Maria de 'Medici (1575–1642)	Marek Sobieski (1548 / 50–1605) ⚭ Jadwiga Snopkowska (1556 / 59–1588 / 89)	Jan Daniłowicz (1570–1628) ⚭ Zofia Żółkiewska (1590–1634)	Antoine de La Grange d'Arquien ⚭ Anne d'Ancienville	Baptiste de La Châtre of Bruillebault ⚭ Gabrielle Lamy
Great grandparents	Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria ⚭ 1635 Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (1610–1665)		Duke Viktor Amadeus I of Savoy (1587–1637) ⚭ 1619 Christina of France (1606–1663)		Jakub Sobieski (1590–1646) ⚭ 1627 Zofia Teofillia Daniłowicz (1607–1661)		Henri Albert de La Grange d'Arquien (1613–1707) ⚭ Françoise de la Châtre
Grandparents	Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria (1636–1679) ⚭ 1652 Henriette Adelheid of Savoy (1636–1676)				King John III Sobieski of Poland (1629–1696) ⚭ 1665 Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien (1641–1716)
parents	Elector Maximilian II. Emanuel of Bavaria (1662–1726) ⚭ 1695 Therese Kunigunde of Poland (1676–1730)
Johann Theodor of Bavaria

literature

Karl Hausberger : History of the diocese of Regensburg. Volume 2: From the Baroque to the Present. Pustet, Regensburg 1989, ISBN 3-7917-1188-1 , pp. 24-29.
Josef Staber: Church history of the diocese of Regensburg. Habbel, Regensburg 1966, pp. 153-158.
Manfred Weitlauff : Johann Theodor. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 3, Bautz, Herzberg 1992, ISBN 3-88309-035-2 , Sp. 183-188. ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )

Individual evidence

^ Wilhelm Kohl : The diocese of Münster. (= Germania sacra. The dioceses of the ecclesiastical province of Cologne. NF Bd. 37, 3). Volume 3. de Gruyter, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-11-017592-4 , p. 703, accessed on February 26, 2012.

Web links

Commons : Johann Theodor von Bayern - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Entry on Johann Theodor von Bayern on catholic-hierarchy.org

predecessor	Office	successor
Clemens August I of Bavaria	Bishop of Regensburg 1719–1763	Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony
Johann Franz Eckher von Kapfing and Liechteneck	Bishop of Freising 1727–1763	Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony
Georg Ludwig von Berghes	Bishop of Liège 1744–1763	Charles of Oultremont
Domenico Silvio Passionei	Cardinal Protopriest 1761-1763	Giacomo Oddi

personal data
SURNAME	Johann Theodor of Bavaria
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Bishop of Regensburg, Freising and Liège, cardinal
DATE OF BIRTH	September 3, 1703
PLACE OF BIRTH	Munich
DATE OF DEATH	January 27, 1763
Place of death	Liege

[1] Wilhelm Kohl : The diocese of Münster. (= Germania sacra. The dioceses of the ecclesiastical province of Cologne. NF Bd. 37, 3). Volume 3. de Gruyter, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-11-017592-4 , p. 703, accessed on February 26, 2012.