Johann Theodor von Scheffer

Johann Theodor Scheffer , from 1737 von Scheffer (also Johann Theodor (von) Schäffer ; * 1687 in Dinkelsbühl , † 1745 in Tübingen ), was a Württemberg lawyer and Privy Councilor . From 1736 to 1737 he was the upper court chancellor of Duke Karl Alexander von Württemberg .

Life

Johann Theodor von Scheffer was born in Dinkelsbühl in 1687 as the son of the councilor and mayor Samuel Scheffer. After studying and doing his doctorate, he became professor of law at the University of Tübingen in 1716 , where he had settled as a court lawyer. He later rose there to councilor and court judge. Even under Duke Eberhard Ludwig , Scheffer was assigned important state tasks. In 1727 Prince Friedrich Wilhelm von Hohenzollern-Hechingen awarded him the title of privy councilor.

politics

Scheffer gained great political influence under Duke Karl Alexander von Württemberg, who made use of Scheffer's abilities to enforce his absolutist ambitions. In October 1735 Scheffer came as a real privy councilor to the head of the General State Commissariat. This authority was originally founded to remedy the complaints of the Württemberg subjects and, because of its unrestricted powers, could override the resolutions of the constitutional authorities and the estates . Shortly thereafter, Scheffer was appointed secret cabinet councilor and in April 1736 senior court chancellor. In 1737 Emperor Charles VI raised him . into the nobility.

accusation

When Duke Karl Alexander died unexpectedly on March 12, 1737, the Secret Council and the Estates took power and had the Duke's advisors arrested. In addition to the court factor disparaged as "Jud Süss", Joseph Süss Oppenheimer , among others, Oberhof Chancellor Scheffer was also indicted. On April 28, 1737 he was arrested and taken to Hohenasperg fortress . In addition to the closer relations with Oppenheimer denied by Scheffer, the estates accused him of allegedly wanting to eliminate their rights and that he had made the palace chapel in Ludwigsburg available to the Catholics and, overall, had worked towards equal rights for Catholics in Württemberg. Scheffer was also charged with drafting an instruction for the General State Commission, according to which it could change the resolutions of the other colleges. Scheffer tried to refute these accusations by stating that he had only carried out the Duke's orders and mostly used his words. In addition, he had often warned the Duke of the effects of Oppenheimer's financial policy and made every effort to have a moderating effect.

Rehabilitation

Ultimately, the investigations in the Scheffers case came down to the fact that he was only to be accused of “sins of omission”, and so he was dismissed against payment of the investigation costs while retaining the privy council title. He retired to Tübingen and died there in 1745 as a respected expert on constitutional law.

Works

• Commentationes de forma imperii Romani Germanici (1720)

literature

• Eugen Schneider :  Scheffer, Johann Theodor von . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 30, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1890, p. 681 f.