Philipp Christoph von Sötern
Encyclopedia
Philipp Christoph von Sötern (1567–1652) was the Prince-Bishop of Speyer
from 1610 to 1652 and the Archbishop-Elector of Trier from 1623 to 1652.
on December 11, 1567. He was the son of a Catholic
mother and a Protestant father, and was initially baptized as a Lutheran. He converted to Catholicism as a child. As an adolescent, he was educated at the Jesuit school in Trier
.
At age 17, he became a canon
of the Cathedral of Trier
; he later also acquired canonicates at Mainz Cathedral
and Speyer Cathedral
. He was elected provost
of Trier in 1604 and proved adept at handling legal and diplomatic disputes.
On May 30, 1609, the cathedral chapter
of Speyer Cathedral elected Sötern coadjutor bishop
of Speyer, alongside Bishop Eberhard von Dienheim. Pope Paul V
confirmed his appointment on December 11, 1609. Upon the death of Dienheim, Sötern succeeded as Bishop of Speyer
on October 10, 1610. He was subsequently ordained
as a priest
on August 8, 1612. He was consecrated as a bishop
by Stephan Weber, Auxiliary Bishop
of Mainz
, on August 15, 1612.
As bishop, Sötern was a noted proponent of the Counter-Reformation
. During the Thirty Years' War
, he allied with the Kingdom of France
and the Protestant Union
against Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
.
The cathedral chapter of the Cathedral of Trier elected Sötern Archbishop of Trier on September 25, 1623, and Pope Urban VIII
confirmed this appointment on March 11, 1624. As archbishop, Sötern pursued a rigid fiscal policy that made him unpopular with the people of the Archbishopric of Trier
. He also alienated the people by appointing his family members to high office. In 1630, the people of Trier asked Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor for help, and the emperor sent Habsburg troops from the Spanish Netherlands to occupy the archbishopric. With aide from French troops, Sötern retook his archbishopric in 1632. In 1634, Sötern supported the election of Cardinal Richelieu as coadjutor Archbishop of Trier, which would have given Richelieu control of a vote in an imperial election
if Sötern had predeceased Richelieu. Spanish Habsburg troops retook Trier in 1635, and Sötern was subsequently imprisoned in Linz
from 1635 to 1645. During his absence, the cathedral chapter took over administration of the archbishopric. After his release in 1645, he again entered into secret negotiations with France.
Sötern died in Trier
on February 7, 1652.
Bishopric of Speyer
The Bishopric of Speyer was a state, ruled by Prince-Bishops, in what is today the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was secularized in 1803...
from 1610 to 1652 and the Archbishop-Elector of Trier from 1623 to 1652.
Biography
Philipp Christoph von Sötern was born in KastellaunKastellaun
-Climate:Yearly precipitation in Kastellaun amounts to 755 mm, which falls into the middle third of the precipitation chart for all Germany. At 53% of the German Weather Service’s weather stations, lower figures recorded. The driest month is April. The most rainfall comes in June. In that...
on December 11, 1567. He was the son of a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
mother and a Protestant father, and was initially baptized as a Lutheran. He converted to Catholicism as a child. As an adolescent, he was educated at the Jesuit school in Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
.
At age 17, he became a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of the Cathedral of Trier
Cathedral of Trier
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is a church in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the oldest cathedral in the country. The edifice is notable for its extremely long life span under multiple different eras each contributing some elements to its design, including the center of the main chapel...
; he later also acquired canonicates at 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...
and Speyer Cathedral
Speyer Cathedral
The Speyer Cathedral, officially the Imperial Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption and St Stephen, in Latin: Domus sanctae Mariae Spirae in Speyer, Germany, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Speyer and is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Bamberg. The cathedral, which is dedicated to St...
. He was elected provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
of Trier in 1604 and proved adept at handling legal and diplomatic disputes.
On May 30, 1609, 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 Speyer Cathedral elected Sötern coadjutor bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of Speyer, alongside Bishop Eberhard von Dienheim. Pope Paul V
Pope Paul V
-Theology:Paul met with Galileo Galilei in 1616 after Cardinal Bellarmine had, on his orders, warned Galileo not to hold or defend the heliocentric ideas of Copernicus. Whether there was also an order not to teach those ideas in any way has been a matter for controversy...
confirmed his appointment on December 11, 1609. Upon the death of Dienheim, Sötern succeeded as Bishop of Speyer
Bishopric of Speyer
The Bishopric of Speyer was a state, ruled by Prince-Bishops, in what is today the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was secularized in 1803...
on October 10, 1610. He was subsequently ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
as a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on August 8, 1612. He was consecrated as a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
by Stephan Weber, Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
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...
, on August 15, 1612.
As bishop, Sötern was a noted proponent of the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
. During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, he allied with the Kingdom of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
and the Protestant Union
Protestant Union
The Protestant Union or Evangelical Union was a coalition of Protestant German states that was formed in 1608 to defend the rights, lands and person of each member....
against Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
.
The cathedral chapter of the Cathedral of Trier elected Sötern Archbishop of Trier on September 25, 1623, and Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
confirmed this appointment on March 11, 1624. As archbishop, Sötern pursued a rigid fiscal policy that made him unpopular with the people of the Archbishopric of Trier
Archbishopric of Trier
The Archbishopric of Trier was a Roman Catholic diocese in Germany, that existed from Carolingian times until the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Its suffragans were the dioceses of Metz, Toul and Verdun. Since the 9th century the Archbishops of Trier were simultaneously princes and since the 11th...
. He also alienated the people by appointing his family members to high office. In 1630, the people of Trier asked Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor for help, and the emperor sent Habsburg troops from the Spanish Netherlands to occupy the archbishopric. With aide from French troops, Sötern retook his archbishopric in 1632. In 1634, Sötern supported the election of Cardinal Richelieu as coadjutor Archbishop of Trier, which would have given Richelieu control of a vote in an imperial election
Imperial election
The election of a Holy Roman Emperor or King of Germany was, from at least the 13th century, accomplished by a small body of the greatest princes of the Empire, the Prince-electors. Appointment as Emperor was normally for life...
if Sötern had predeceased Richelieu. Spanish Habsburg troops retook Trier in 1635, and Sötern was subsequently imprisoned in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
from 1635 to 1645. During his absence, the cathedral chapter took over administration of the archbishopric. After his release in 1645, he again entered into secret negotiations with France.
Sötern died in Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
on February 7, 1652.