Jacob of Liebenstein
Encyclopedia
Jacob of Liebenstein (1462–1508) was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz
from 1504 to 1508.
was born in 1462, the son of Peter II of Liebenstein and his wife Agnes (née Kaltental).
Groomed for a life in the church from an early age, Jacob became a canon of Mainz Cathedral
in 1470. He was sent to study at the University of Basel
(Rektor 1474; lic. jur. 1482). He became dean of Mainz Cathedral in 1497.
Following the death of Bertold von Henneberg-Römhild
in 1504, the cathedral chapter
of Mainz elected Jacob as Archbishop of Mainz on December 30, 1504. His reign is marked by the expansion of the size of the Archbishopric of Mainz
. Jacob was also a supporter of Imperial Reform
, and participated enthusiastically in the Diet
held in Cologne
in 1505 and the Diet of Konstanz
in 1507, where he was in favour of financial reforms and the creation of the Reichskammergericht
. Jacob expelled all Jews
from the Archbishopric of Mainz in 1507 (they had already been expelled from the city of Mainz
in 1470).
Jacob died on September 15, 1508 and is buried in Mainz Cathedral. His funerary monument was designed by Hans Backoffen.
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
from 1504 to 1508.
Biography
Jacob of LiebensteinLiebenstein
Liebenstein is a municipality in the district Ilm-Kreis, in Thuringia, Germany....
was born in 1462, the son of Peter II of Liebenstein and his wife Agnes (née Kaltental).
Groomed for a life in the church from an early age, Jacob became a canon of Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany...
in 1470. He was sent to study at the University of Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
(Rektor 1474; lic. jur. 1482). He became dean of Mainz Cathedral in 1497.
Following the death of Bertold von Henneberg-Römhild
Bertold von Henneberg-Römhild
Bertold von Henneberg-Römhild was Archbishop of Mainz and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 1484 to 1504.The son of George, Count of Henneberg and Johanna, daughter of Count Philipp I of Nassau-Weilburg entered the ecclesiastical profession and, after passing through its lower stages,...
in 1504, the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of Mainz elected Jacob as Archbishop of Mainz on December 30, 1504. His reign is marked by the expansion of the size of the Archbishopric of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
. Jacob was also a supporter of Imperial Reform
Imperial Reform
In 1495, an attempt was made at an Imperial Diet in the City of Worms to give the disintegrating Holy Roman Empire a new structure, commonly referred to as Imperial Reform ....
, and participated enthusiastically in the Diet
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
held in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
in 1505 and the Diet of Konstanz
Konstanz
Konstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz.-Location:...
in 1507, where he was in favour of financial reforms and the creation of the Reichskammergericht
Reichskammergericht
The Reichskammergericht or Imperial Chamber Court was one of two highest judicial institutions in the Holy Roman Empire, the other one being the Aulic Council in Vienna. It was founded in 1495 by the Imperial Diet in Worms...
. Jacob expelled all Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
from the Archbishopric of Mainz in 1507 (they had already been expelled from the city of Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
in 1470).
Jacob died on September 15, 1508 and is buried in Mainz Cathedral. His funerary monument was designed by Hans Backoffen.