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Franz Wilhelm, Count von Wartenberg (born atMunich, 1 March 1593; died atRatisbon, 1 December 1661) was a Bavarian CatholicBishop of Osnabrück, expelled from his see in theThirty Years' War and later restored, and at the end of his life aCardinal.
He was the eldest son ofFerdinand of Bavaria and hismorganatic wife Maria Pettenbeckin. He was educated by theJesuits atIngolstadt (1601-8), and at theGermanicum in Rome (1608–14).
In 1621, he became manager of the governmental affairs of theElector Ferdinand of Cologne, who appointed him president of his council and brought him to theDiet of Ratisbon in 1622. On 26 October 1625, he was elected Bishop of Osnabrück, receiving papal approbation on 25 April 1626.
The three preceding bishops had been Protestants and had replaced most of the Catholic priests by Protestant preachers. CardinalEitel Friedrich, who succeeded them, endeavoured to restore the Catholic religion but soon died. With the help ofJohann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, Franz Wilhelm took possession of his see on 12 March 1628, which had been occupied byDanish soldiers. He began the work ofCounter-Reformation, drove the Protestant preachers from the city and restored the churches to the Catholics. Franz Wilhelm eliminated the anti-Catholic element from the city council; took the system of education into his own hands; turned the former Augustinian convent over to the Jesuits whom he engaged as teachers at the Gymnasium Carolinum; restored various religious communities and established new ones; held synods and visitations, and enforced theTridentine decrees where possible. In 1631, he founded a university which, however, was destroyed by the Swedes in 1633.
Franz Wilhelm was commissioned with the execution of the 1629Edict of Restitution inLower Saxony, and was elected later to theprovostry of thecollegiate church ofSs. Cassius and Florentius inBonn. He was chosenPrince-Bishop of Verden in 1630,Bishop of Minden in 1631, and appointed Vicar Apostolic ofBremen byPope Innocent X in 1645. In 1633 Osnabrück capitulated to the Swedes and Wartenberg had to yield his see toGustavus of Wasaburg, an illegitimate son ofGustavus Adolphus.
During his forced exile, Franz Wilhelm, who had not yet received any of the major orders, was ordained priest and consecrated bishop atRatisbon in 1636. In 1641 he went to Rome and upon his return was elected Coadjutor Bishop of Ratisboncum jure successionis, succeeding on 9 April 1650.
In the negotiations of thePeace of Westphalia from 1645 to 1648 Franz Wilhelm represented the Catholic electors. Though preventing the intended secularization of his see by the Swedes, he had to yield to the stipulation that after his death the See of Osnabrück should be alternately administered by a Protestant and by a Catholic bishop. Franz Wilhelm was to keep the See of Osnabrück, but the Sees of Verden, Minden, and Bremen fell into the hands of Protestants, Franz Wilhelm, however, retaining spiritual jurisdiction over them.[citation needed]
On 18 December 1650, he took possession of the See of Osnabrück and worked to restore the Catholic religion. On 5 April 1661,[dubious –discuss] he was created cardinal-priest byPope Alexander VII.
Franz Wilhelm von Wartenberg Born: 1 March 1593 Died: 1 December 1661 | ||
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regnal titles | ||
| Preceded by | Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück 1625–1634 | Succeeded byas Lutheran administrator |
| Preceded byas Lutheran administrator | Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück 1648–1661 | Succeeded byas Lutheran administrator |
| Preceded byas Lutheran administrator | Prince-Bishop of Verden 1630–1631 | Succeeded byas Lutheran administrator |
| Vacant Title last held by Christian the Elder of Brunswick and Lüneburgas Lutheran administrator | Prince-Bishop of Minden 1631–1648 | Secularised:Principality of Minden |
| Preceded by | Prince-Bishop of Regensburg 1649–1661 | Succeeded by |
| Catholic Church titles | ||
| Preceded byas Catholic administrator | Vicar Apostolic to the Archdiocese of Bremen‹ThetemplateSmallsup is beingconsidered for deletion.› 2 1645–48 | Secularised:Duchy of Bremen |
| Notes and references | ||
| 1. Leopold Wilhelm was Catholic administrator, rather than prince-bishop, due to lack of canonical qualification 2. Vicar Apostolic is the provisional head of a See; Franz Wilhelm never gained pastoral influence, let alone power as prince-bishop, due to the Swedish occupation | ||
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Franz Wilhelm, Count von Wartenberg".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
