Wilhelm von Berthout

Wilhelm von Berthout († July 4, 1301 ) was Bishop of Utrecht from 1296 to 1301 .

Life

Wilhelm came from the Brabant noble family Berthout , the lords of Mechelen . His parents were Walter VII († after 1286), Lord of Mechelen and Maria von Auvergne, a daughter of William X , Count of Auvergne. After the transfer of Bishop Johann II von Sierck to Toul , Wilhelm was elected bishop by the Utrecht clergy in 1296 and was appointed by the Pope. He tried to use the turmoil after the death of Count Florens V of Holland to expand the bishopric. Initially, he succeeded in occupying Muiden Castle . The attempt to conquer West Friesland, which was occupied by Holland, failed and Wilhelm had to flee to Overijssel . The attempt to expand his influence over the nobility and the city of Utrecht also failed. An uprising broke out under the leadership of the mayor of Utrecht, Johann Lichtenberg, and Mr. von Montfoort. Wilhelm was captured and forced to resign. To do this, he traveled to Rome. Pope Boniface VIII refused to accept the resignation and commissioned the Bishop of Munster to support Wilhelm in regaining his diocese. The city of Utrecht refused his army entry into the city, whereupon he began to devastate the territory of the Lords of Amstel and Woerden. On July 4, 1301 there was a battle on the Hoogewoerd between Utrecht and Montfoort , in which Wilhelm was killed.

literature

• Pieter Lodewijk Muller :  Wilhelm II (Bishop of Utrecht) . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 43, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1898, p. 208 f.

predecessor	Office	successor
Johann II of Sierck	Bishop of Utrecht 1296–1301	Guido of Avesnes