Siegfried II of Eppstein

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Siegfried II von Eppstein (* around 1165; † September 9, 1230 in Erfurt ) from the family of the Lords of Eppstein was Archbishop of Mainz and thus also Arch Chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire . The Eppsteiners, who succeeded in establishing one of the most important aristocratic rule in Hesse in the late Middle Ages and who were wealthy in Spessart, Taunus and Wetterau as early as 1200, were noble lords and in the 13th century had four archbishops of Mainz .

Siegfried II on the Rupertsberger Antependium

Life

Siegfried was born as the second son of Gerhard I von Eppstein and embarked on a church career. As early as 1189 he was the owner of the provost office of St. Gangolf in Mainz. In 1194 the provost office of St. Martin in Worms and 1196 that of St. Peter in Mainz were added.

After the death of Archbishop Konrad I von Wittelsbach in October 1200, the Mainz cathedral chapter was split into two factions. The majority recognized Philip of Swabia as king and stood up for the Hohenstaufen bishop Leopold II of Schönfeld (also: Luitpold von Scheinfeld) as the new archbishop. However, the minority of the chapter elected the candidate of the Guelph side, Siegfried von Eppstein, as the new archbishop in Bingen . With the help of Philip, Leopold succeeded in driving Siegfried out of Bingen, but the latter fled to Cologne , where he allied himself with the Guelphs and immediately conquered Bingen and Mainz. At Christmas 1200 he crowned the Guelph Otto IV as a thank you as king.

Pope Innocent III recognized Otto as king in 1201 and declared Siegfried the rightful Archbishop of Mainz. But Philip retained so many followers that after 1205 there was no longer any question of Otto's kingship, especially since Innocent had meanwhile also spoken out in favor of the Hohenstaufen. This also had an impact on Siegfried's pontificate as archbishop. He could not assert himself in the diocese and therefore went to Rome in 1206 , where, according to some sources (but not fully documented), he was active as a cardinal priest at Santa Sabina .

On June 21, 1208, Philipp von Schwaben was murdered in Bamberg . This caused the Staufer opposition in the empire to collapse, which meant that Leopold could not hold onto the Archbishop's chair in Mainz. He therefore left it to Siegfried, who had returned from Rome as papal legate that same year . The nobles of Eppstein were to occupy the Erzstuhl in Mainz four times by 1305. This era saw the climax and decline of the medieval imperial idea and the interregnum .

After Otto IV's coronation as emperor on October 4, 1209, however, a dispute broke out between the Pope and the new emperor, as he did not want to renounce imperial rights and property in Italy, as promised. Siegfried therefore opposed his long-term companion. In 1212 he was appointed papal legate and crowned the Staufer Friedrich II , for whose election he campaigned, on December 9, 1212 in Mainz. As a reaction to this "betrayal" Otto IV caused considerable destruction in the Mainz areas. But Otto was lost and was defeated in 1214 at Tournai by Friedrich II and his French ally Philip II August .

On July 25, 1215 Archbishop Siegfried Friedrich crowned again in Aachen. Whether he wanted to take part in the crusade that began immediately afterwards is controversial. What is certain, however, is that he was never in the Holy Land and that in 1215 he took part in the IV Lateran Council . In 1220 he also took part in Frederick II's coronation as emperor in Rome .

The long absence of Friedrich II. From Germany and the assassination of the imperial administrator, Archbishop Engelbert I of Cologne , whom he had named , in November 1225 enabled Siegfried to exert great influence on imperial politics. In the dispute between Pope Gregory IX. and Friedrich did not participate.

Siegfried died on September 9, 1230 in Erfurt and was buried in the local Marienkirche .

His successor, who like he expanded the rule of Mainz, was his nephew Siegfried III. from Eppstein .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Regina Schäfer: The Lords of Eppstein - Exercise of power, administration and possession of an upper nobility in the late Middle Ages , 2000. ISBN 393022108X , EAN 9783930221080
  2. ^ Eppstein, Siegfried von. In: Salvador Miranda : The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. ( Florida International University website , English)
predecessor Office successor
Conrad I of Wittelsbach Archbishop of Mainz
1200–1230
Schism until 1208 		Siegfried III. from Eppstein
personal data
SURNAME Siegfried II of Eppstein
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Archbishop of Mainz, Imperial Arch Chancellor
DATE OF BIRTH around 1165
DATE OF DEATH September 9, 1230
Place of death Erfurt