Bodo VIII, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode
Encyclopedia
Count Bodo VIII of Stolberg-Wernigerode (nicknamed the Blissful; born: 4 January 1467 in Stolberg; died: 22 June 1538, ibid) was Count of Stolberg
and Hohnstein and Lord of Wernigerode
from 1511 until his death.
Bodo spent some of his youth in southern Germany, where he was raised at the court of Count, later Duke Eberhard II of Württemberg
, the brother of his stepmother. After providing knight services for several years, he made a journey to Jerusalem from 16 April 1493 to 9 February 1494.
He was a skillful diplomat. In 1491 and 1492, the financial situation in Stolberg necessitated an extraordinary transformation of the administration, in which the responsibility for the county's finances was transferred to the Treasurer and the administration was directed by educated officials. Because he was such an able administrator and negotiator, he was employed by the emperor, as well as his liege lords and larger estates. Sometimes he acted on a temporary basis, sometimes offices or business were given to him. The first to employ him, was Duke George of Saxony
, whom he served as a captain in Coburg
. George expanded his demands beyond what was normally expected of a vassal and sent Bodo to the Diet and other unusual missions.
Bodo's history significance, however, does not lie in any specific service that he did for any particular prince, but primarily in his relationship with the largest prelate
of the empire: Cardinal Albert
, who was archbishop
of Magdeburg
and Mainz. From 1515 until his death, he was the Cardinal's council or chaimberlain for the dioceses of Magdeburg
and Halberstadt, i.e. he represented the Cardinal, or acted on the Cardinal's behalf in the many matters of varying significance that were entrusted to the Catdinal. When confronted with the Reformation
, the count followed his nature and that of his master, and acted mostly mild and conciliatory. Bodo enjoyed the unconditional confidence of the Cardinal, although he requested to be relieved of his duties after only a few years. His county and his family suffered from his prolonged absense and in 1524, he insisted that he be relieved from his duties. From that date, he would only provide advice from home.
Apart from his service to Cardinal Albert, Bodo also acted as councillor to Emperors Maximilian I
and Charles V
, who thanked him with special ceremonies in 1518 and 1521, respectively. In 1521, Charles V proposed to make him a member of the second Imperial Government
at Nuremberg
, but Bodo declined the offer.
and from 1505 Count of Königstein. After Eberhard died childless in 1535, Königstein, including Eppstein, was inherited by Bodo's sons Louis (d. 1574) and Christoph (d. 1581).
Bodo and Anna had many children:
County of Stolberg
The County of Stolberg was a county of the Holy Roman Empire located in the Harz mountain range in present-day Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.The town of Stolberg was probably founded in the 12th century as a mining settlement. The Counts of Stolberg probably derived from a branch of the counts of...
and Hohnstein and Lord of Wernigerode
County of Wernigerode
The County of Wernigerode was a county of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Harzgau region of the former Duchy of Saxony, at the northern foot of the Harz mountain range...
from 1511 until his death.
Life
He was the son of Count Henry IX "the Elder" of Stolberg and his first wife Matilda, daughter of the Count Volrad of Mansfeld. He had a twin brother Henry the Younger.Bodo spent some of his youth in southern Germany, where he was raised at the court of Count, later Duke Eberhard II of Württemberg
Eberhard II, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard VI/II was count of Württemberg-Stuttgart since 1480 as Eberhard VI and Duke Eberhard II of Württemberg since 1496....
, the brother of his stepmother. After providing knight services for several years, he made a journey to Jerusalem from 16 April 1493 to 9 February 1494.
He was a skillful diplomat. In 1491 and 1492, the financial situation in Stolberg necessitated an extraordinary transformation of the administration, in which the responsibility for the county's finances was transferred to the Treasurer and the administration was directed by educated officials. Because he was such an able administrator and negotiator, he was employed by the emperor, as well as his liege lords and larger estates. Sometimes he acted on a temporary basis, sometimes offices or business were given to him. The first to employ him, was Duke George of Saxony
George, Duke of Saxony
George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony , was duke of Saxony from 1500 to 1539.Duke George was a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece.-Early life:...
, whom he served as a captain in Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
. George expanded his demands beyond what was normally expected of a vassal and sent Bodo to the Diet and other unusual missions.
Bodo's history significance, however, does not lie in any specific service that he did for any particular prince, but primarily in his relationship with the largest prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the empire: Cardinal Albert
Albert of Mainz
Cardinal Albert of Hohenzollern was Elector and Archbishop of Mainz from 1514 to 1545, and Archbishop of Magdeburg from 1513 to 1545.-Biography:...
, who was archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Magdeburg
Diocese of Magdeburg
The Diocese of Magdeburg is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church located in the Germany. Its seat is Magdeburg; it is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Paderborn....
and Mainz. From 1515 until his death, he was the Cardinal's council or chaimberlain for the dioceses of Magdeburg
Diocese of Magdeburg
The Diocese of Magdeburg is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church located in the Germany. Its seat is Magdeburg; it is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Paderborn....
and Halberstadt, i.e. he represented the Cardinal, or acted on the Cardinal's behalf in the many matters of varying significance that were entrusted to the Catdinal. When confronted with the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
, the count followed his nature and that of his master, and acted mostly mild and conciliatory. Bodo enjoyed the unconditional confidence of the Cardinal, although he requested to be relieved of his duties after only a few years. His county and his family suffered from his prolonged absense and in 1524, he insisted that he be relieved from his duties. From that date, he would only provide advice from home.
Apart from his service to Cardinal Albert, Bodo also acted as councillor to Emperors Maximilian I
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
and Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, who thanked him with special ceremonies in 1518 and 1521, respectively. In 1521, Charles V proposed to make him a member of the second Imperial Government
Imperial Government
The name imperial government denotes two organs, created in 1500 and 1521 respectively, in the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation to enable a unified political leadership, with input from the Princes...
at Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, but Bodo declined the offer.
Marriage and issue
Bodo married on 24 August 1500 at Königstein with Anna, the sister of Eberhard IV, who was the last Lord of EppsteinLords of Eppstein
The Lords of Eppstein were a family of German nobility in the Middle Ages. From the 12th century they ruled extensive territories in the Rhine Main area from their castle in Eppstein, northwest of Frankfurt, Germany.-History:...
and from 1505 Count of Königstein. After Eberhard died childless in 1535, Königstein, including Eppstein, was inherited by Bodo's sons Louis (d. 1574) and Christoph (d. 1581).
Bodo and Anna had many children:
- Wolfgang (born: 1 October 1500; died: 8 March 1552), married Dorothea of Regenstein-Blankenburg and Genovefa of Wied
- Bodo (born: 1502; died: after 2 may 1503)
- Anna (born: 28 January 1504; died 4 March 1574), the 28th Abbess of the Imperial Abbey at Quedlinburg
- Louis, (born: 12 January 1505; died: 1 September 1574), Count of Stolberg-Wernigeorde, married Walpurga Johanna of Wied-Runkel
- JulianaJuliana of StolbergJuliana, Countess of Stolberg-Wernigerode was the mother of William the Silent, the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish in the 16th century....
(born: 15 February 1506; died: 18 june 1580), married Philip II, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg and William I of Nassau-Dillenburg, she is regarded as the matriarch of the House of Orange-Nassau - Maria (born: 8 December 1507; died: 6 January 1571), married Kuno II, Count of Leiningen-Westerburg
- Henry (born: 2 januari 1509; died: 12 november 1572), Count of Stolberg-Wernigeorde, married Elisabeth of Gleichen-Rembda
- Philip (born: 24 May 1510; died: shortly after 21 September 1531)
- Magdalene (born: 6 November 1511; died 19 November 1546), married Ulrich IX, Count of Regenstein-Blankenburg
- Eberhard (born: 1513; died: 21 April 1526)
- Catherine (born: 24 October 1514; died: 18 June 1577), married Albert, Count of Henneberg
- Albert (born: 2 march 1516; died 4 July 1587), Count of Stolburg-Schwarza
- Christoph (born: 10 January 1524; died 8 August 1581), Count of Stolberg-Gedern