Konrad von Vechta

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Konrad von Vechta (Czech Konrád z Vechty ) (* around 1370, presumably in Bremen; † December 24, 1431 at Raudnitz Castle ) was Bishop and Elect of Verden , Bishop of Olomouc , Administrator and Archbishop of Prague as well as mint master and sub-chamberlain of Bohemia .

Origin and career

Konrad von Vechta probably came from the Bremen councilor family of the same name. He was one of the followers of the Bohemian King Wenceslaus IV at an early age , on whose recommendation he received numerous benefices . In 1395, however, the king tried in vain to get Konrad the Regensburg bishop's seat.

Bishop of Verden

At the instigation of King Wenceslas IV, Pope Boniface IX. Konrad von Vechta became Bishop of Verden in 1400. During his short term in office, Konrad tried to move the bishopric from Verden to Lüneburg . After King Wenzel was deposed in the empire six months later , Konrad von Vechta lost his patron. On September 25, 1402, the Pope reaffirmed Konrad von Soltau , who had previously been deposed , as Bishop of Verden. Nevertheless, Konrad von Vechta held the title of Elector von Verden until 1407.

Royal offices

After Konrad lost his bishopric in Verden in 1402, he became, as he was considered a financial expert, royal mint master in Bohemia. 1405-1412 he held the office of chamberlain and was 1405-1406 and 1411-1413 member of the royal council and thus de facto co-regent. From 1404 he was also the canon prope of Mělník and at the same time canon of Prague.

Bishop of Olomouc

In June 1408 Konrad von Vechta was proposed by King Wenceslaus IV to be Bishop of Olomouc. In the same year he lent fiefs from the Olomouc district in Kremsier . Although nothing is known about his ordination as a priest or bishop, he had been bishop since February 20, 1409. Since he continued to exercise the office of chamberlain, he stayed in Olomouc only rarely, but remained the bishop there until 1413.

Archbishop of Prague

Coat of arms of Konrad von Vechta, Archbishop of Prague (1413–1421)

After the resignation of the Prague Archbishop Sigismund Albík von Uničov in 1412, Konrad von Vechta was appointed administrator of the diocese of Prague at the request of Wenceslas IV. At the same time he renounced the office of chamberlain. On February 20, 1413 he was by the antipope John XXIII. appointed Archbishop of Prague. He ceded the Mělník provost and the Prague canons to his brother Konstantin, who was canon of Bremen.

Although it is assumed that Konrad von Vechta did not receive the ordination until 1416, he exercised the Prague bishopric energetically and energetically. He confirmed Wenceslaus von Kuřím as vicar general and official . Konrad organized several diocesan synods. He also tried to reform the administration and to improve the difficult economic situation of the diocese by selling goods.

During his term of office, the beginning of the Hussite movement fell , in which Konrad first tried to find a balance. Although he did not take part in the Council of Constance , he nevertheless published the anti-Hussite decrees in 1417 and ensured that they were observed and implemented. As Chancellor of the University of Prague , he banned the master’s exams at the artist faculty , where Jan Hus’s supporters formed the majority. In addition, he banned communion from the chalice and restricted priestly ordinations in order to limit the number of utraquist priests.

On July 28, 1420, Konrad von Vechta crowned Sigismund of Luxembourg in Prague as King of Bohemia. After his military defeat, Konrad turned to the Utraquists. On April 21, 1421, he publicly read the Four Prague Articles , which the Basel Council later confirmed as compact data . The Prague cathedral chapter and Konrad's officials remained on the Catholic side.

In July 1421 Konrad took part in the first diet of Čáslav , where he represented the teachings of the Hussites. In the same year he organized a general synod, in which only the utraquist party participated and from which the utraquist consistory later developed. In 1424 he convened a synod of priests and in the following year tried to reintroduce Catholic worship to the Utraquists. After he did not succeed in this, he retired to the episcopal castle Roudnice . In 1425 he was removed from office by the curia and placed under the highest ban by Pope Martin V. His last known measure was the re-admission of the Magister examinations at Prague University in 1430. He died on December 25, 1431 at Raudnitz Castle. His burial place is not known.

literature

predecessor Office successor
Dietrich von Niem Bishop of Verden
1400–1402 		Conrad III. from Soltau
Latzek from Krawarn Bishop of Olomouc
1408–1413 		Wenceslaus Králík from Buřenice
Sigmund Albík from Uničov Archbishop of Prague
1413–1421 		Johann von Bucca, administrator
personal data
SURNAME Konrad von Vechta
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Konrád z Vechty
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Verden, Elect of Verden, Bishop of Olomouc, Administrator of Prague, Archbishop of Prague
DATE OF BIRTH around 1370
PLACE OF BIRTH uncertain: Bremen
DATE OF DEATH December 25, 1431
Place of death Raudnitz