Dietrich I von Hengebach
Encyclopedia
Dietrich I von Hengebach (born around 1150, died after 1223) was the Archbishop of Cologne. He was elected in 1208. He supported Otto of the House of Welf as Holy Roman Emperor and was excommunicated in 1212 by Innocent III. Upon his excommunication, he lost the Episcopal see
and he brought suit in Rome. His suit was rejected in 1215, after which he retired to the Deanery of Saint Apostles in Cologne, where he died after 1223.
, he was unanimously elected as Archbishop on 22 December 1208, over the opposition, Bruno's nephew, Engelbert II of Berg. Dietrich received priestly and episcopal ordination on 24 May 1209.
The German states had been in turmoil since the late 1190s; the family of House of Welf competed with the House of Hohenstaufen, a Swabia
n family, for primacy within the Holy Roman Empire
. After a decade of fighting and maneuvering, Otto had secured his own election, only to lose the throne in 1208 and regain it a year later. In 1209, he secured his formal election and coronation as Holy Roman Emperor through the extension of promises to potential supporters in the German lands, and by agreeing with Pope Innocent III to curtail the imperial influence on the Italian peninsula. In 1212, the fighting over the imperial crown broke out again, and Dietrich von Hengebach supported Otto; Innocent excommunicated Otto in 1212. Dietrich refused to accept this excommunication, and was himself placed under interdict. Despite his own excommunication, he continued to celebrate the Holy Mass and used the Holy Oils on Maundy Thursday
. The papal legate and the Archbishop of Mainz interceded, and later in 1212 replaced Dietrich with his opponent in the election of 1208, Engelbert von Berg.
Dietrich brought a legal suit to be reinstated; the suit dragged on for three years. At the Battle of Bouvines
, 27 July 1214, Dietrich's ally, Otto, was defeated. A year later Dietrich's suit was rejected. He retired to the deanery at the Apostles church, and died there after 1223. The Cathedral Chapter of Cologne paid the expenses on his law suit until 1238.
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
and he brought suit in Rome. His suit was rejected in 1215, after which he retired to the Deanery of Saint Apostles in Cologne, where he died after 1223.
Career
Dietrich's origins and family are not clear, although in the year 1166, he was appointed as pastor of the Saint Apostles church in Cologne. In 1199, he opposed Engelbert von Berg in the election to the Cologne cathedral chapter. Dietrich would not accept his defeat he continued arguing the election until 1204. After the deposition of the Archbishop Bruno IV, Archbishop of Cologne, upon the urging of Otto IV, Holy Roman EmperorOtto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
, he was unanimously elected as Archbishop on 22 December 1208, over the opposition, Bruno's nephew, Engelbert II of Berg. Dietrich received priestly and episcopal ordination on 24 May 1209.
The German states had been in turmoil since the late 1190s; the family of House of Welf competed with the House of Hohenstaufen, a Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n family, for primacy within the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. After a decade of fighting and maneuvering, Otto had secured his own election, only to lose the throne in 1208 and regain it a year later. In 1209, he secured his formal election and coronation as Holy Roman Emperor through the extension of promises to potential supporters in the German lands, and by agreeing with Pope Innocent III to curtail the imperial influence on the Italian peninsula. In 1212, the fighting over the imperial crown broke out again, and Dietrich von Hengebach supported Otto; Innocent excommunicated Otto in 1212. Dietrich refused to accept this excommunication, and was himself placed under interdict. Despite his own excommunication, he continued to celebrate the Holy Mass and used the Holy Oils on Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels...
. The papal legate and the Archbishop of Mainz interceded, and later in 1212 replaced Dietrich with his opponent in the election of 1208, Engelbert von Berg.
Dietrich brought a legal suit to be reinstated; the suit dragged on for three years. At the Battle of Bouvines
Battle of Bouvines
The Battle of Bouvines, 27 July 1214, was a conclusive medieval battle ending the twelve year old Angevin-Flanders War that was important to the early development of both the French state by confirming the French crown's sovereignty over the Angevin lands of Brittany and Normandy.Philip Augustus of...
, 27 July 1214, Dietrich's ally, Otto, was defeated. A year later Dietrich's suit was rejected. He retired to the deanery at the Apostles church, and died there after 1223. The Cathedral Chapter of Cologne paid the expenses on his law suit until 1238.