Wilhelm of Montfort

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Wilhelm von Montfort (around 1300)

Wilhelm I Count of Montfort († October 11, 1301 ) was Prince Abbot of St. Gallen from 1281 to 1301 .

Political situation in the late 13th century

Already towards the end of the reign of Abbot Berchtold von Falkenstein , who died on June 10, 1272 , Count Rudolf von Habsburg, as a dangerous rival, had begun to narrow the influence of the St. Gallen monastery in the area of Thurgau . But only an ambiguous choice for Berchtold's successor offered the count, who as the chosen king (Rudolf had been king since 1273) could exert even more influence, the possibility of extensive interference in the affairs of the prince abbey. Rudolf decided to recognize Ulrich von Güttingen , who had been elected as abbot by the citizens of St. Gallen . The convention, however, had chosen Heinrich von Wartenberg as Berchtold's successor, whom the citizens rejected because he came from the same sex as Berchtold. The people of the church, especially the city of St. Gallen, which still belonged to the monastery at the pre-Reformation period, accepted Rudolf as patron, for which they received a first hand celebration . But Rudolf appointed the unpopular Ulrich von Ramschwag as Vogt over the prince abbey. Ulrich was also a bad economist who led the city deep into debt, not least because of the war expenditure against Heinrich von Wartenberg. Ulrich also waged war against his successor, Rumo von Ramstein . When Ulrich died, Rumo was finally recognized by everyone as the sole abbot of the monastery, but the economic situation did not improve, as he too had to sell many treasures to pay the abbey's debts and is otherwise described as incapable. Rumo resigned in 1281 because he was no longer able to cope with the situation.

Reign

Coat of arms of the Counts of Montfort

The new election meant a real system change for St. Gallen. Wilhelm was elected abbot from the Count's house of Montfort , which had been hostile to the monastery in Berchtold's time and which had remained with Ulrich at the time of the double election. If up to now the reaching of the Montforters from the Rhine valley down into the Argengau caused the dispute between the monastery and their house, now the voters intended to allow the reputation of the family of Montforts to benefit their monastery. Wilhelm had influential secular brothers who promoted his election, including Rudolf I of Montfort , Ulrich I of Montfort, and the later Bishop of Chur , Friedrich von Montfort . After the election, Wilhelm tried to bring his pen back up. But King Rudolf's selfish demeanor and the oppressive resentment that emerged from him as soon as he recognized Wilhelm's strong, resistant will paralyzed these efforts. During his first visit to the royal court in Augsburg in December 1282 , Wilhelm had to flee the court in order to avoid further impositions by the king. Then dissatisfied monastery inmates, who felt oppressed by the abbot's continued austerity policy and also with the abbot's instruction that all monks should be ordained priests, found a hearing and support for their accusations at court and Rudolf used his influence on a papal legate in 1287 , to bring a lawsuit against Wilhelm and to have the ban pronounced against him. In addition, St. Gallen's secular means were also restricted. Against the important trading center of the church, the fortified town of Wil , the king had created an attack stronghold with Schwarzenbach Castle in close proximity. In August and September 1287 a bitter struggle broke out here. While one was on September 6 Sühnverabredung before Wil met, but is talented when William as king to close the peace, burst the agreement and Rudolf urged Wilhelm to far-reaching concessions to the king sons Albrecht I and Rudolf II. Therefore Wilhelm continued, supported by his brother, Bishop Friedrich, the fight continued. On the other hand, however, the king Ulrich von Ramschwag always drew more in his interest and when the judgment against Wilhelm was finally passed, which banished him, the king himself, accompanied by his sons Albrecht and Rudolf, appointed the abbot of Kempten , Konrad , in St. Gallen von Gundelfingen as counter-abbot, under threat of imperial ban on all supporters of the convicted opponent.

Duke Rudolf II stayed behind to fight Wilhelm. For him a time of defeat and persecution began, his castles fell to the enemy, including the old Toggenburg fortress. One refuge after another closed up or was lost. Bishop Friedrich was captured after a loss-making battle and died in 1290 while attempting to escape from his place of imprisonment, Werdenberg Castle, by Hugo von Montfort, who was royally minded. Only King Rudolf's death on July 15, 1291 brought a change in the balance of power and on July 25 of the same year the St. Gallen citizens, who had always remained loyal to Wilhelm, took on the rightful abbot in St. Gallen again . of the month confirmed their rights in a comprehensive feast .

Friedrich II. († 1290, left), Heinrich III. († 1307, center) and Wilhelm I von Montfort († 1301, right)

Konrad von Gundelfingen had to leave his presumptuous position. He tried briefly to get his office back in a warlike manner, but gave up after Wilhelm had paid him 100 marks. With the opponents of the deceased Habsburg king, Wilhelm joined forces to form the alliance directed against Duke Albrecht, which Bishop Rudolf von Konstanz united around himself, and the war broke out again over the area of ​​the church in St. Gallen. Albrecht was essentially victorious, but Ulrich von Ramschwag's sons, who had been expelled from St. Gallen when Wilhelm moved back in, suffered a heavy defeat in front of the city on February 25, 1292. As a result, the conflict slowly fell asleep, but never came to a complete standstill. When Wilhelm traveled to Austria in 1296 with the intention of finally concluding a peace treaty, everyone was hoping for an amicable settlement. However, Wilhelm had to return without having achieved anything.

So when the feud broke out between King Adolf von Nassau , the successor of Rudolf I, who had shown himself favorable to St. Gallen from the beginning, and Albrecht , he resolutely joined the king. According to the granted in Schletstatter agreement dated September 1, 1297 assurances the Abbot drew a first time Adolf to in the near Frankfurt to him during its campaign against I. Albrecht support. In the summer of 1298 Wilhelm was the only “prince” in Adolf's camp. On July 2nd, at the Battle of Göllheim , Wilhelm was one of the refugees from the battlefield on the Hasenbühl and all the great prospects Adolf had opened up were lost. He returned, bowed deeply, and plunged into new economic difficulties as a result of the military effort that had been made and lost. In addition, the old opponent Albrecht I was now king. It was not until 1301 that questions about Schwarzenbach, which had been pending since 1292, were reconciled with the new king. According to the content of the contract, the execution of which was delayed even longer and was never fully completed, the castle and town of Schwarzenbach were to be broken and Wil completely restored. But Wilhelm was already seriously ill when Bishop Heinrich of Constance was able to report the prospect of a settlement. He died on October 11th, five days before the peace treaty was signed.

See also

literature

Web links

predecessor Office successor
Rumo from Ramstein Abbot of St. Gallen
1281–1301 (partly simultaneously with Konrad von Gundelfingen ) 		Heinrich von Ramstein
personal data
SURNAME Wilhelm of Montfort
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Montfort, Wilhelm von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prince Abbot of St. Gallen
DATE OF BIRTH 13th Century
DATE OF DEATH October 11, 1301