Thomas Matthias

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Thomas Matthias

Thomas Matthias (* around 1520 in Brandenburg an der Havel ; † July 7, 1576 there ) was Berlin mayor and politician of the Electorate of Brandenburg .

Life

Thomas Matthias came from a Berlin drapery family . His grandfather had already achieved such a reputation that he became mayor of the city of Berlin. His father Christian Matthias became mayor in his native town, had married Ursula Schönemann and was able to give his son an excellent education. In 1533 Matthias began studying at the University of Wittenberg . There he was a student of Philipp Melanchthon , got to know Martin Luther , among others , and was in close contact with his relative Georg Sabinus .

The Matthias led the apostle Matthias in the talking escutcheon and a lion below

After spending many years there, on the recommendation of Chancellor Johann Weinlöben († 1558) , he went to the court as an advisor to Elector Joachim II . From 1547 he was also a secret court and chamber councilor and was raised to imperial nobility in 1558 . In 1569 he received the accolade and later the dignity of Comes palatinus of the emperor . From 1563 until 1571 he was also the mayor of Berlin. He was also on diplomatic missions for his employer. He and Albrecht von Thümen were present at the court of Emperor Maximilian II in 1567 when Joachim Friedrich of Brandenburg was appointed Archbishop of Magdeburg .

After the elector's death, Thomas Matthias was accused by his son of embezzling funds and had to leave his service in 1571, but stayed in Berlin until he fled to Brandenburg (Havel) from the plague . There he found his final resting place in the Godehard Church , where there is an epitaph that was originally erected in 1549 for his father and then redesigned for his son. Another epitaph, for Thomas Matthias and his wife, geb. Damstorf, is located in the Nikolaikirche (Berlin) .

Matthias was highly respected in his time because he supported the scholarly culture of his time.

family

Coat of arms of the Damstorff family (growing unicorn over two stakes) in the Godehard Church in Brandenburg

Matthias was married twice. His first marriage was with Magarethe Domstorf (Damstorf; the coat of arms of the Damstorff family is shown in the Godehard Church in Brandenburg an der Havel). In this marriage there were five girls. A daughter († March 21, 1623) married Joachim Carpzov , Mayor of Brandenburg († November 20, 1598, buried in the local St. Catherine's Church ), together parents of Joachim von Carpzov († 1628). After the death of his first wife, he entered into a second marriage with Ursula, the daughter of the mayor of Nordhausen , Michael Meyenburg . There are three sons and four daughters from this marriage. Among other things, the sons Daniel Matthias and Michael Matthias (progenitor of the later Matthias von Berchem ) became known. The daughter Magdalene married in 1596 the royal Danish and electoral Brandenburg privy councilor Joachim Huebner (1565-1614). Another daughter was married to the Brandenburg Privy Councilor and Vice Chancellor Matthias Chemnitz (also Chemnitius or Kemnitz ; 1535-1599), who had a doctorate in both rights .

literature

  • Ernst Friedländer:  Matthias (Brandenburg family) . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 20, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1884, pp. 668-671. (Family item)
  • Oskar Schwebel: History of the City of Berlin. Brachvogel & Ranft publishing house, Berlin, 1888
  • Johann Gottlob Wilhelm Dunkel: Historical-critical news from deceased scholars and their writings ... Koethen, 1753, 1st vol. P. 685
  • Christian Schmitz: Council Citizenship and Residence Studies on Berlin council families, marriage circles and social changes in the 17th century. (= Publications of the Historical Commission in Berlin, 101), De Gruyter 2002, pp. 48–49.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The art monuments of the city and cathedral of Brandenburg , p. 19.
  2. ↑ Epitaph for Thomas Matthias († 1576), and his wife, b. Damstorf
  3. ↑ a b Berlin merchants and capitalists , Volume 1, Berlin 1967, p. 270.
  4. ↑ Mitteldeutsche Familienkunde 1973 (Volume 4), pp. 97–98
  5. ^ Johann Gottlob Wilhelm Dunkel: Historisch-Critische Nachrichten , 1753, p. 688.
  6. ^ Johann Gottlob Wilhelm Dunkel: Historisch-Critische Nachrichten , p. 479 f.
personal data
SURNAME Matthias, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Berlin Mayor
DATE OF BIRTH around 1520
PLACE OF BIRTH Brandenburg on the Havel
DATE OF DEATH July 7, 1576
Place of death Brandenburg on the Havel