Sigismund I of Volkersdorf

Sigismund I von Volkersdorf (* around 1395; † November 3, 1461 ) was Archbishop of Salzburg from 1452 until his death .

Live and act

The archbishop came from an old line of the Lords of Gleink - Volkenstorf . He was born as the son of Georg von Volkersdorf and his wife Agnes von Polheim around 1395 and became canon of Salzburg in 1424 . After he was previously the hospital master, he was appointed cathedral provost in 1429 and archbishop in 1452. In 1454 he fled with the city fathers from the plague to Hallein.

He was praised as a benefactor of the poor and distinguished himself by an impeccable lifestyle, humility and an excellent knowledge of theology . The very capable diplomat was also a prudent sovereign. He was able to achieve significant success in restricting himself to the essential and possible. Sigismund took special care of the mining industry. He issued the Ramingsteiner Bergordnung in 1459 . The grievances in the parish clergy gradually increased during his reign, but were fought with great success.

The issue of inferior coins led to a chaotic coin crisis in the German Empire during his reign (peak: 1459), which was associated with a huge wave of price increases and with heavy burdens and economic losses for the ore monastery.

During his reign the city of Constantinople was taken by the Turks . Last but not least, it caused widespread horror among the archbishop. Many letters testify to the importance that was rightly attached to this event even then.

The archbishop was struck by a blow during a meal on November 3, 1461.

literature

Heinz Dopsch , Hans Spatzenegger (ed.): History of Salzburg, city and country. Pustet, Salzburg 1988, ISBN 3-7025-0243-2 .
Franz Ortner: Sigmund I. von Volkersdorf. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 24, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-428-11205-0 , p. 363 f. ( Digitized version ).

Individual evidence

↑ Nora Watteck: The Plague in Salzburg. In: Communications from the Society for Regional Studies in Salzburg. Vol. 123, 1983, ISSN 0435-8279 , pp. 191-209, here p. 193.

predecessor	Office	successor
Friedrich IV. Truchsess von Emmerberg	Archbishop of Salzburg 1452–1461	Burkhard von Weißpriach

personal data
SURNAME	Sigismund I of Volkersdorf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Archbishop of Salzburg
DATE OF BIRTH	around 1395
DATE OF DEATH	November 3, 1461
Place of death	Salzburg

[1] Nora Watteck: The Plague in Salzburg. In: Communications from the Society for Regional Studies in Salzburg. Vol. 123, 1983, ISSN 0435-8279 , pp. 191-209, here p. 193.