Wilhelm Biener
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Biener (1590 – July 17, 1651) was a lawyer
, and chancellor
of Tyrol
.
Born in Lauchheim
in what is now Baden-Württemberg
, he was employed by Margrave
Karl von Burgau from 1620 onwards. After having served under the Elector
of Bavaria
, Maximilian I
from 1625 to 1630, he was appointed by Emperor Ferdinand II
to be a judge at the Imperial Court. He was assigned to Archduke
Leopold V
of Tyrol, initially in an advisary function, but in 1638 he became court chancellor, a function he was to hold until 1650, first under Archduchess Claudia de Medici and, after her death in 1648, under her son, Archduke Ferdinand Charles
.
Wilhelm Biener tightened the administration, and fought against corruption and official malpractice. He prevented the secession of the ecclesiastical principalities Brixen
and Trento
by enforcing their contractual ties to Tyrol so that, as a consequence, these territories remained under the authority of the Tyrol.
Through careful diplomacy, he also prevented a French invasion of the Münstertal
in Switzerland
and settled disagreements with Graubünden
farmers, who were nominally still subject to Tyrol but in fact already were independent.
Resisted by the States
, Wilhelm Biener strengthened the power of the sovereign. In vain, he protested against the selling of Tyrolian rights to Graubünden. These rights were sold in order to finance the extravagant life style of Archduke Ferdinand Charles. Thus, the Prättigau
and the Lower Engadin
were incorporated into Graubünden.
In 1650, Wilhelm Biener fell from power due to the machinations of his personal and political enemies. He was charged with treason
and embezzlement
, and subsequently sentenced to death. Although having been pardoned, he was executed in 1651 in the town of Rattenberg
as the official pardon
was delivered too late.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, and chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
.
Born in Lauchheim
Lauchheim
Lauchheim is a town in the Ostalbkreis district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Jagst, 12 km northeast of Aalen....
in what is now Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, he was employed by Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
Karl von Burgau from 1620 onwards. After having served under the Elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Maximilian I
Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria
Maximilian I, Duke/Elector of Bavaria , called "the Great", was a Wittelsbach ruler of Bavaria and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire. His reign was marked by the Thirty Years' War ....
from 1625 to 1630, he was appointed by Emperor Ferdinand II
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 :...
to be a judge at the Imperial Court. He was assigned to Archduke
Archduke
The title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
Leopold V
Leopold V, Archduke of Austria
Leopold V, Archduke of Further Austria was the son of Archduke Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria, and the younger brother of Emperor Ferdinand II, father of Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Further Austria...
of Tyrol, initially in an advisary function, but in 1638 he became court chancellor, a function he was to hold until 1650, first under Archduchess Claudia de Medici and, after her death in 1648, under her son, Archduke Ferdinand Charles
Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria
Ferdinand Charles was the Archduke of Further Austria, including Tyrol, from 1646 to 1662.As the son of Archduke Leopold V and Claudia de' Medici, he took over his mother's governatorial duties when he came of age in 1646. To finance his extravagant living style, he sold goods and entitlements...
.
Wilhelm Biener tightened the administration, and fought against corruption and official malpractice. He prevented the secession of the ecclesiastical principalities Brixen
Brixen
Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
and Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
by enforcing their contractual ties to Tyrol so that, as a consequence, these territories remained under the authority of the Tyrol.
Through careful diplomacy, he also prevented a French invasion of the Münstertal
Val Müstair
Val Müstair is a municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It was formed on 1 January 2009 through the merger of Tschierv, Fuldera, Lü, Valchava, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Müstair.-Demographics:...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and settled disagreements with Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
farmers, who were nominally still subject to Tyrol but in fact already were independent.
Resisted by the States
The States
The States or the Estates signifies the assembly of the representatives of the estates of the realm, called together for purposes of legislation or deliberation...
, Wilhelm Biener strengthened the power of the sovereign. In vain, he protested against the selling of Tyrolian rights to Graubünden. These rights were sold in order to finance the extravagant life style of Archduke Ferdinand Charles. Thus, the Prättigau
Prättigau
The Prättigau Valley, in the canton of Graubünden , Switzerland, is home to the world famous ski resorts of Klosters and neighbouring Davos in the Landwasser Valley....
and the Lower Engadin
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine is a long valley in the Swiss Alps located in the canton of Graubünden in southeast Switzerland. It follows the route of the Inn River from its headwaters at Maloja Pass running northeast until the Inn flows into Austria one hundred kilometers downstream...
were incorporated into Graubünden.
In 1650, Wilhelm Biener fell from power due to the machinations of his personal and political enemies. He was charged with treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
, and subsequently sentenced to death. Although having been pardoned, he was executed in 1651 in the town of Rattenberg
Rattenberg
Rattenberg, Austria is a town on the Inn River, near Rattenberg mountain and Innsbruck. With a population of 440, it is the smallest town in the country....
as the official pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
was delivered too late.