Johann Wilhelm (Palatinate)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elector Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz , in a cloak with an allonge wig, the chain of the order of the Golden Fleece and the chain of the order of Hubert , of which he was a knight ( Jan Frans van Douven , around 1715)
Double portrait of Elector Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz and his wife Anna Maria Luisa de 'Medici (Jan Frans van Douven, 1708)
Anna Maria Luisa de 'Medici mourns her husband, Elector Johann Wilhelm (Jan Frans van Douven, 1717)

Johann Wilhelm Joseph Janaz von der Pfalz (also called " Jan Wellem ", born April 19, 1658 in Düsseldorf ; † June 8, 1716 ibid) came from the younger Neuburg line of the Wittelsbach family . He was since 1679 when Johann Wilhelm II Duke of. Jülich and Berg and from 1690 also Erzschatzmeister the Holy Roman Empire , Palatine - Elector of the Palatinate and Palatine Duke of Neuburg .

Due to the War of the Spanish Succession , he also temporarily regained possession of the former Electoral Palatinate territories ( Upper Palatinate and County of Cham 1707–1714) and was able to exercise the office of traditional food for the empire , in 1711 the office of imperial vicar .

Life

Origin and family

His parents were Elector Philipp Wilhelm von der Pfalz and Elisabeth Amalia von Hessen-Darmstadt . Johann Wilhelm thus belonged to a Palatinate line of the Wittelsbach family . The last Habsburg emperors Joseph I and Karl VI. were his nephews as the sons of his sister Eleonore Magdalene von Pfalz-Neuburg . Two other sisters were the queens of Spain and Portugal.

Jesuits took over the education of the electoral prince . In 1686 he was accepted as a knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece .

As elector

On September 2, 1690, he succeeded his father as elector, after he had already given him reign over the Jülich-Bergisches Land complex a decade earlier. Due to the Palatinate War of Succession , Johann Wilhelm did not reside in the destroyed Heidelberg , but in Düsseldorf Castle (at that time the residence of the Duchies of Jülich-Berg and the main residence of the Electoral Palatinate Territorial Association).

In order to be able to satisfy his great financial needs, he pledged the Boxberg office for 300,000 guilders to the Würzburg monastery .

In the Peace of Rijswijk (1697), which ended the War of the Palatinate Succession, he achieved the return of the Palatinate territories occupied by the French by admitting that the French measures for recatholization in the Palatinate were not reversed ("Rijswijker Clause"), which Jan Wellem, who was also deeply Catholic, was not difficult. This was the main reason why he was less popular in the Palatinate and Protestants than in the Duchy of Jülich-Berg , where he provided many artists and craftsmen with orders for the expansion of the Düsseldorf Palace and an elaborate court life through magnificent buildings . The Schwetzingen Palace was a summer residence. Its services include above all the promotion of art and culture. In the residential city of Düsseldorf he founded the Düsseldorf picture gallery with works mainly by Rubens , which laid the foundation for the city's development into an art metropolis. Together with the art treasures from Schloss Bensberg (by Antonio Bellucci , Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini , Jan Weenix and Domenico Zanetti ), their collection now forms one of the core holdings of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Jan Wellems court painter was Jan Frans van Douven . An imposing baroque opera house was opened as early as 1696. Georg Friedrich Handel was a frequent guest at the electoral court. Arcangelo Corelli dedicated his Concerti Grossi op.6 to the princely couple . By initiating the establishment of the "Banco di gyro d'affrancatione" on March 2, 1705 as the Jülich-Bergische Staatsbank based in Cologne , he was also an important promoter of the financial center on the Rhine. On September 29, 1708 he renewed the Order of Hubertus and became its Grand Master .

During the War of the Spanish Succession , which began in 1701, Johann Wilhelm, as an ally of the emperor, also temporarily obtained from Bavaria the more prestigious fourth electoral dignity ( Causa palatina ) and the Upper Palatinate . Although the French advance initially threatened the Lower Rhine as well, Johann Wilhelm was the first imperial prince to join the new Hague alliance of the emperor and the naval powers against Louis XIV . With England he also established a particularly close relationship, and with the King of Prussia he came to an understanding by renouncing the effectiveness of that Rijswijk clause, which concerned the abolition of the rights of Protestants.

After the death of Emperor Joseph I on April 17, 1711, in addition to Elector Friedrich August I (Augustus the Strong) of Saxony, Johann Wilhelm took over until Charles VI was crowned emperor . on December 22, 1711 in Frankfurt am Main held the office of imperial vicar. Friedrich August's extensive vicariate coinage may have inspired Johann Wilhelm to several commemorative coinages on his vicariate . It was a special honor for him to lead the imperial vicariate.

In the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, when Obergeldern was divided up, the Erkelenz area fell to Johann Wilhelm's Duchy of Jülich. In the Rastatt Peace of 1714, Johann Wilhelm saw himself deprived of the wages for his military and political services for the empire and the emperor and for his mediating work, as this was otherwise essentially for him, as well as for his Bavarian cousin and opponent Maximilian II Emanuel , only the pre-war state was restored.

In the old town of Düsseldorf, the house "En de Canon" has been preserved, where Jan Wellem regularly drinks with his citizens.

The grave of Johann Wilhelm, who died on June 8, 1716, is in the mausoleum of the former Court and Jesuit Church of St. Andreas , today's Dominican Church of St. Andreas, in Düsseldorf. The elector's corpse was placed in a splendid sarcophagus designed and cast by his court architect Gabriel Grupello . According to recent research, the mausoleum was not built by Simon del Sarto until 1716/17, i.e. after the death of Johann Wilhelm . After the construction was completed, the coffins of other family members, including several of Johann Wilhelm's siblings, were transferred there from a crypt in the church.

Marriage and offspring

Elector Johann Wilhelm married Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha (1654–1689), daughter of the Roman-German Emperor Ferdinand III , on October 25, 1678 in Wiener Neustadt . and his wife, Princess Eleonora Magdalena Gonzaga of Mantua-Nevers . The marriage produced two sons who both died on the day of their birth:

  • nameless son (* / † February 6, 1683 in Düsseldorf), Prince Elector of the Palatinate
  • nameless son (* / † February 5, 1686 in Vienna), Prince Elector of the Palatinate

In his second marriage, he married on April 29, 1691, by proxy in Florence, the Princess Anna Maria Luisa de 'Medici (1667–1743), daughter of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III. de 'Medici and his wife Marguerite Louise d'Orléans . The marriage remained childless.

Succession

Johann Wilhelm remained childless. He was succeeded by his younger brother Charles III. Philipp , who no longer resided on the Lower Rhine, but ultimately in Mannheim.

Commemoration and later reference to Johann Wilhelm

On the Düsseldorf market square there is an equestrian statue created by Gabriel Grupello in 1711 . According to legend, the equestrian statue of Jan Wellems in front of Düsseldorf City Hall is said to have been donated by the citizens. After the artist ran out of material, his foundry boy allegedly knocked on the doors of the citizens of Düsseldorf and collected donations in the form of silver cutlery. According to a later letter, the young Heinrich Heine pondered how many apple tarts he could have eaten with the whole silver spoon. The memorial can be seen on a stamp from the series Capitals of the Federal Republic of Germany designed by Heinz Schillinger in 1964 .

In 1914 the Jan Wellem memorial by the sculptor Eduard Schmitz was unveiled in Cologne-Mülheim . It was originally located on Wiener Platz and was moved to its present location at the junction of Jan-Wellem-Straße / Fürstenberger Straße in Mülheimer Stadtgarten after the end of the Second World War .

Jan-Wellem-Platz in downtown Düsseldorf received its name on May 6, 1955 .

In the Bergisch Gladbach district of Bensberg , with the hunting lodge built on his behalf, the sports club "SSV Jan Wellem 05" and the "Schützengilde Jan Wellem" bear his name; In addition, Jan-Wellem-Strasse was named after him.

A spirits company from Haan produces "Jan Wellem - The electoral grain brandy" in miniature bottles.

As part of the International DAMC 05 Oldtimer Festival on the Nürburgring , the Jan Wellem Cup is held annually .

ancestors

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Philipp Ludwig (Pfalz-Neuburg) (1547-1614)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Wolfgang Wilhelm (Pfalz-Neuburg) (1578–1653)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Anna von Jülich-Kleve-Berg (1552–1632)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Philipp Wilhelm (Palatinate) (1615–1690)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Wilhelm V (Bavaria) (1548–1626)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Magdalene of Bavaria (1587–1628)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Renata of Lorraine (1544–1602)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Johann Wilhelm Elector Palatinate
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ludwig V (Hessen-Darmstadt) (1577–1626)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 George II (Hessen-Darmstadt) (1605–1661)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Magdalena of Brandenburg (1582–1616)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Elisabeth Amalia of Hessen-Darmstadt (1635–1709)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Johann Georg I (Saxony) (1585–1656)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sophie Eleonore of Saxony (1609–1671)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Magdalena Sibylle of Prussia (1586–1659)
 
 
 
 
 
 

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jürgen Rainer Wolf: The mausoleum of Elector Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz to St. Andreas in Düsseldorf - an unknown work by Simon von Sarto 1716–1717, in: Elias H. Füllenbach / Antonin Walter (Red.), St. Andreas in Düsseldorf - The court church and its treasures. On the 350th birthday of Elector Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz, ed. from Dominican monastery Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 2008, pp. 65–83.
  2. ↑ Digitized edition of the book for the wedding celebrations "Glvckwvnschendes Fried und Frewd Gedichte bey highly desired peaceful arrivals with an indissoluble body and love bond ..." of the University and State Library Düsseldorf

Works

  • Addition of some ordinances, and fooling, edicts and recesses, which on the gracious felch of the most noble, most powerful elector and Herr Herrr [!] Johann Wilhelms, Count Palatine of the Rhine ... to add to the Gülich and Bergisch legal, policey and reformation order graciously decreed: next to an Register of Orders, Befelchen, and Edicten & c. Stahl, Düsseldorf approx. 1696. Digitized edition of the University and State Library Düsseldorf
  • Addition of some ordinances, and afflictions, edicts and recesses, Which gracious afflictions of the Most Highly Powerful Elector and Mr. Hn. Johan Wilhelms, Pfaltzgraffen bey Rhein ... the Gülich and Bergische legal, policey and Reformation order to be added graciously decreed . Schleuter, Düsseldorf 1697. Digitized edition
  • By God's grace We Johann Wilhelm, Count Palatine of the Rhine, des Heil. Romis. Reichs… Thun known and to know, After we started our heavy government in our Chur-Palatinate region… . Düsseldorf 1705. Digitized edition
  • Ordinance on religious freedom in the Electoral Palatinate region . dat.Dusseldorf, Nov. 21, 1705 ( digitized edition )
  • Addition of some regulations, books, edicts and recesses, which on the orders of Elector Johan Wilhelms, Pfaltzgraffen near the Rhine, the Gülich and Bergisch legal, policey and reformation order to be added . Weyer, Düsseldorf 1731. Digitized edition

literature

Web links

Commons : Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
predecessor Office successor
Philipp Wilhelm Duke of Jülich and Berg
1679–1716 		Karl Philipp
Philipp Wilhelm Duke of Pfalz-Neuburg
1690-1716 		Karl Philipp
Philipp Wilhelm Elector Palatinate
1690–1716 		Karl Philipp
Alexander Otto Count of Megen
1697–1716 		Karl Philipp
personal data
SURNAME Johann Wilhelm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Jan Wellem; Johann Wilhelm Josph Janaz of the Palatinate (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Count Palatine and Duke of the Palatinate-Neuburg, Duke of Jülich and Berg and Elector of the Palatinate
DATE OF BIRTH April 19, 1658
PLACE OF BIRTH Dusseldorf
DATE OF DEATH June 8, 1716
Place of death Dusseldorf