Konrad von Thüringen
Encyclopedia
Konrad von Thüringen (ca. 1206 – 24 July 1240) was the fifth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights
, serving from 1239 to 1240. A Landgrave
of Thuringia
from 1231 to 1234, he was the first major noble to join the military order
.
Conrad was the youngest son of Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia, and Sophia, daughter of Otto I, Duke of Swabia and Bavaria. His elder brother Ludwig IV of Thuringia was married to Saint Elisabeth of Hungary
. When Ludwig died in 1227 during the Sixth Crusade
, his brother Henry Raspe became regent for Ludwig's minor son Hermann II
, and Conrad took on the title of Count of Gudensberg in Hesse
, assisting his brother in ruling the area.
On Elisabeth's death in 1231, Henry took Thuringia
for himself, and together with Conrad, worked to consolidate power. Conrad engaged in battle a number of times with Siegfried III, Archbishop of Mainz
, at one point personally swinging him around and threatening to cut him in two. He also made an unsuccessful siege of the city of Fritzlar
in 1232.
Elisabeth had founded a hospital in Marburg
and had intended to bequeath it to the Johanniter Order, but this was rejected by her defensor, Konrad von Marburg
. Pope Gregory IX
sent a commission to settle the matter, and it decided in favor of Konrad von Marburg on 2 August 1232. In the summer of 1234, Conrad travelled to Rome
and convinced the Curia
to turn the hospital and parish church in Marburg over to the Teutonic Knights
, which had founded a house in the city the previous year. In November, Conrad set aside his temporal title and entered the Teutonic Order himself. The next year, he joined the commission to Rome that represented his sister-in-law in the canonization process, and he remained in the court of the Pope until Pentecost
of 1235 when she was declared a saint.
Upon the death of Hermann von Salza
, Conrad became the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. While on a trip to Rome
in the early summer of 1240, he fell ill and died. He was buried at the Elisabeth Church
of Marburg.
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
, serving from 1239 to 1240. A Landgrave
Landgrave
Landgrave was a title used in the Holy Roman Empire and later on by its former territories. The title refers to a count who had feudal duty directly to the Holy Roman Emperor...
of Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
from 1231 to 1234, he was the first major noble to join the military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
.
Conrad was the youngest son of Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia, and Sophia, daughter of Otto I, Duke of Swabia and Bavaria. His elder brother Ludwig IV of Thuringia was married to Saint Elisabeth of Hungary
Elisabeth of Hungary
Elizabeth of Hungary, T.O.S.F., was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary, Countess of Thuringia, Germany and a greatly-venerated Catholic saint. Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. She then became one of the first members of the newly-founded Third Order of St. Francis,...
. When Ludwig died in 1227 during the Sixth Crusade
Sixth Crusade
The Sixth Crusade started in 1228 as an attempt to regain Jerusalem. It began seven years after the failure of the Fifth Crusade. It involved very little actual fighting...
, his brother Henry Raspe became regent for Ludwig's minor son Hermann II
Hermann II, Landgrave of Thuringia
Hermann II was the titular Landgrave of Thuringia and the son of Ludwig IV, Landgrave of Thuringia, and St. Elisabeth of Hungary....
, and Conrad took on the title of Count of Gudensberg in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, assisting his brother in ruling the area.
On Elisabeth's death in 1231, Henry took Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
for himself, and together with Conrad, worked to consolidate power. Conrad engaged in battle a number of times with Siegfried III, Archbishop of Mainz
Siegfried III, Archbishop of Mainz
Siegfried III von Eppstein was archbishop of Mainz from 1230 to 1249. He in 1244 granted freedom to the citizens of Mainz, who subsequently could run their affairs more independently though their own council.; in law it remained an episcopal city....
, at one point personally swinging him around and threatening to cut him in two. He also made an unsuccessful siege of the city of Fritzlar
Fritzlar
Fritzlar is a small German town in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, north of Frankfurt, with a storied history. It can reasonably be argued that the town is the site where the Christianization of northern Germany began and the birthplace of the German empire as a political entity.The...
in 1232.
Elisabeth had founded a hospital in Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
and had intended to bequeath it to the Johanniter Order, but this was rejected by her defensor, Konrad von Marburg
Konrad von Marburg
Konrad von Marburg was a medieval German inquisitor. He was commissioned by the Pope to combat the Albigensians, whom the Roman Catholic Church considered heretics...
. Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
sent a commission to settle the matter, and it decided in favor of Konrad von Marburg on 2 August 1232. In the summer of 1234, Conrad travelled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and convinced the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
to turn the hospital and parish church in Marburg over to the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
, which had founded a house in the city the previous year. In November, Conrad set aside his temporal title and entered the Teutonic Order himself. The next year, he joined the commission to Rome that represented his sister-in-law in the canonization process, and he remained in the court of the Pope until Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
of 1235 when she was declared a saint.
Upon the death of Hermann von Salza
Hermann von Salza
Hermann von Salza was the fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1210 to 1239...
, Conrad became the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. While on a trip to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in the early summer of 1240, he fell ill and died. He was buried at the Elisabeth Church
Elisabeth Church (Marburg)
St. Elisabeth's Church is a religious building in Marburg, Germany, built by the Order of the Teutonic Knights in honour of Elisabeth of Hungary...
of Marburg.