Philipp von Solms-Lich

Philipp von Solms-Lich (born August 15, 1468 - † October 3, 1544 in Frankfurt am Main ) was the ruling Count of Solms zu Lich . He also served as a councilor at the imperial court and with Elector Friedrich the Wise of Saxony. He was a patron of art and architecture.

Philipp von Solms-Lich, drawing by Albrecht Dürer

Philipp von Solms-Lich by Hans Döring

Life

Philipp von Solms-Lich was the son of Kuno von Solms-Lich and the mother Walpurgis von Dhaun-Kyrburg. He studied in Mainz, Heidelberg and Erfurt. His older brother was Johann zu Solms .

He married on February 15, 1489 in Hanau Adriana von Hanau (* May 1, 1470; † April 12, 1524), a daughter of Count Philip I of Hanau-Munzenberg and his wife Adriana of Nassau-Dillenburg . Because of the (distant) relationship, a papal dispensation was necessary. The marriage contract stipulated a dowry of 5000  florins , which had to be supplemented by a contradiction of 6000 florins by Philipp von Solms-Lich and a morning gift of 1000 florins. Bringing these sums together required some effort: Adriana did not acknowledge until 1506 to have received the Wittum . Philipp von Solms-Lich had twelve children with his wife.

At the court of Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V , he was imperial councilor. In this position he also strengthened his own sovereignty. In 1494 he was released from the court obligation of the Imperial Court of Justice . From then on, he was also no longer allowed to appear before other courts. With this, the emperor gave up his last rights in the county of Solms-Lich.

Later, probably between 1506 and 1514, he entered the service of the Elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise , as an electoral councilor . He was governor of the Veste Coburg for the elector . In the electoral service he got to know the painter Hans Döring , whom he made his court painter.

On behalf of the elector, he was supposed to conclude the marriage contract between the elector Johann Friedrich and Katharina, the sister of Charles V, in 1519. However, the plans fail. In 1520 he campaigned for Martin Luther with Franz von Sickingen to protect him from possible arrest. Through Ulrich von Hutten , Sickingen promised to protect Luther. In Lich there has been a rumor for a long time that Philipp von Solms-Lich offered Luther safe night's quarters on his way to the Reichstag in Worms in 1521.

Philipp von Solms-Lich entered the service of Landgrave Philipp von Hessen after the death of Friedrich the Wise . In 1537 Philipp von Solms-Lich acquired the rule of Sonnewalde in Niederlausitz and in 1544 the rule of Alt-Pouch . He distinguished himself as a patron of art and architecture.

The reconstruction of Hohensolms Castle probably took place during his time . He also expanded the residence in Lich. Together with the Hessian Landgrave and the Bishop of Trier, he was probably one of the builders of the Marienkirche in Niederweidbach . He also donated the church's false altar. He and his family were depicted on the charity board, which was probably painted by Hans Döring. In 1510 he started the renovation of the Marienstiftskirche in Lich . There are other pictures by Philip by Döring. Albrecht Dürer also drew it in 1518 during the Reichstag in Augsburg. Two years later it was also painted by Lucas Cranach .

Although the Hessian landgrave converted to Protestantism, Philipp von Solms-Lich remained loyal to the old faith for political reasons and was on the imperial side on the question of religion. Allegedly he confessed to the doctrine of the Reformation on his deathbed. Count Philipp died in Frankfurt am Main and was buried in Lich .

literature

• Friedrich Battenberg (arrangement): Solms documents. Register of documents and copies of the Counts and Princes of Solms in the State Archives Darmstadt (Dept. B 9 and F 24 B), in the Count's Archives in Laubach and in the Princely Archives in Lich 1131–1913 = Repertories of the Hessian State Archives Darmstadt 15. Volumes 1 –4: Urkundenregesten No. 1–5035, ISBN 3-88443-224-9 , 225-7, 227-3 and 232-X; Volume 5: Supplements (document registers No. 5306–5318), corrigenda and indices. 1981-1986. XXIV, 437, 348, 408. 409, 579 pp. ISBN 3-88443-235-4
• Frank Rudolph:  Solms-Lich, Philipp von. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 28, Bautz, Nordhausen 2007, ISBN 978-3-88309-413-7 , Sp. 1259-1263.
• Reinhard Suchier : Genealogy of the Hanauer count house . In: Festschrift of the Hanau History Association for its 50th anniversary celebration on August 27, 1894, Hanau 1894.
• Friedrich Uhlhorn: Reinhard Graf zu Solms lord of Munzenberg 1491–1562 . Marburg 1952.