Wilderich of Walderdorf
Encyclopedia
Philipp Franz Wilderich Nepomuk (March 2, 1739 – April 21, 1810) was count of Walderdorf and the last prince-bishop
of Speyer
.
His reign was short, from 1797 until the secularization in 1803. In was unusual that during the secularization, Wilderich was able to live in the south wing of his official residence, the baroque palace in Bruchsal
, until his death in 1810. When he was inaugurated in his office, there were already signs indicating that the dissolution of the old empire was at hand. On 22 April 1797, the Domdechant of Trier
Walderich was installed as lord bishop of Speyer.
Wilderich left few physical traces of construction in the Bruchsal palace. It was the little room north of the Fürstensaal, which the newly appointed bishop immediately arranged for his regency. The stuccoers had to use all their imagination and Walderich did not exactly make it easy for them. It was less the artistic design of space as much as the willfullness of the presentation, which Wilderich demanded. More so it was with the furniture with which they had to decorate the room.
At the beginning of the year 1799, the French came across the Rhine. In the Treaty of Lunéville
Napoleon had initiated the secularization. The Peace of Luneville was confirmed by the Reichstag of Emperor Franz on 9 February 1801. Prince-bishop Wilderich had to flee. Yet he returned on June 10, 1801 to his seat. Then a "Deputation" used to implement the terms of the accord as agreed. Above all, it was the dissolution of the ecclisiastical offices that had to be implemented. The episcopal holdings, the cathedral chapter and secular holdings, were given to the newly created Principality of Bruchsal, now part of Baden
. The principality took over secular control on 1 December 1802 and began to create an administration. The Bruchsal palace became the property of Baden. Prince-bishop Walderich retained his princely title as guaranteed by the state. The southern half of the palace remained available to him, as well as the Hermitage in Waghäusel
. Amalie Christiane of Baden moved into the northern part of the palace in her widowhood and finally gave the palace Bruchsal its courtly splendor.
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
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...
.
His reign was short, from 1797 until the secularization in 1803. In was unusual that during the secularization, Wilderich was able to live in the south wing of his official residence, the baroque palace in Bruchsal
Bruchsal
Bruchsal is a city at the western edge of the Kraichgau, approximately 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
, until his death in 1810. When he was inaugurated in his office, there were already signs indicating that the dissolution of the old empire was at hand. On 22 April 1797, the Domdechant of 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....
Walderich was installed as lord bishop of Speyer.
Wilderich left few physical traces of construction in the Bruchsal palace. It was the little room north of the Fürstensaal, which the newly appointed bishop immediately arranged for his regency. The stuccoers had to use all their imagination and Walderich did not exactly make it easy for them. It was less the artistic design of space as much as the willfullness of the presentation, which Wilderich demanded. More so it was with the furniture with which they had to decorate the room.
At the beginning of the year 1799, the French came across the Rhine. In the Treaty of Lunéville
Treaty of Lunéville
The Treaty of Lunéville was signed on 9 February 1801 between the French Republic and the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, negotiating both on behalf of his own domains and of the Holy Roman Empire...
Napoleon had initiated the secularization. The Peace of Luneville was confirmed by the Reichstag of Emperor Franz on 9 February 1801. Prince-bishop Wilderich had to flee. Yet he returned on June 10, 1801 to his seat. Then a "Deputation" used to implement the terms of the accord as agreed. Above all, it was the dissolution of the ecclisiastical offices that had to be implemented. The episcopal holdings, the cathedral chapter and secular holdings, were given to the newly created Principality of Bruchsal, now part of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
. The principality took over secular control on 1 December 1802 and began to create an administration. The Bruchsal palace became the property of Baden. Prince-bishop Walderich retained his princely title as guaranteed by the state. The southern half of the palace remained available to him, as well as the Hermitage in Waghäusel
Waghäusel
Waghäusel is a German town located in the Rhine valley in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg. Waghäusel consists of 3 townships which are the core city , Kirrlach , and Wiesental [as of March 31, 2006]...
. Amalie Christiane of Baden moved into the northern part of the palace in her widowhood and finally gave the palace Bruchsal its courtly splendor.
Sources
- Translated and edited from :de:Philipp Franz Wilderich Nepomuk von Walderdorf, 10 Dec 2008