Alexander Sigismund von der Pfalz-Neuburg (1663–1737) was the

Prince-Bishop of Augsburg The Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg (german: Fürstbistum Augsburg; Hochstift Augsburg) was one of the prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire, and belonged to the Swabian Circle. It should not be confused with the larger diocese of Augsburg, ...

from 1690 to 1737.

Biography

A member of the

House of Wittelsbach The House of Wittelsbach () is a German dynasty, with branches that have ruled over territories including Bavaria, the Palatinate, Holland and Zeeland, Sweden (with Finland), Denmark, Norway, Hungary (with Romania), Bohemia, the Electorate ...

, Alexander Sigismund von der Pfalz-Neuburg was born in

Neuburg an der Donau Neuburg an der Donau (Central Bavarian: ''Neiburg an da Donau'') is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria in Germany. Divisions The municipality has 16 divisions: * Altmannstetten * Bergen, Neu ...

on 16 April 1663, the fifth son of

Philip William, Elector Palatine Philip William of Neuburg, Elector Palatine (german: Philipp Wilhelm) (24 November 1615 – 2 September 1690) was Count Palatine of Neuburg from 1653 to 1690, Duke of Jülich and Berg from 1653 to 1679 and Elector of the Palatinate from 1685 to 1 ...

and his wife

Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt en, Elizabeth Amelia Magdalena of Hesse-Darmstadt , image= Elisabeth Amalia Magdalena im Jahr 1705.jpg , caption= Portrait by Jan Frans van Douven, c. 1705. , succession = Electress Palatine , consort=yes , reign=26 May 1685 - 2 September 1690 , ...

. Article on German Wikipedia (At the time Alexander Sigismund was born, his father was ''

Herzog ''Herzog'' (female ''Herzogin'') is a German hereditary title held by one who rules a territorial duchy, exercises feudal authority over an estate called a duchy, or possesses a right by law or tradition to be referred to by the ducal title. ...

'' of

Palatinate-Neuburg Palatinate-Neuburg (german: Herzogtum Pfalz-Neuburg) was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1505 by a branch of the House of Wittelsbach. Its capital was Neuburg an der Donau. Its area was about 2,750 km², with a population of ...

; his father became

Elector Palatine The counts palatine of Lotharingia /counts palatine of the Rhine /electors of the Palatinate (german: Kurfürst von der Pfalz) ruled some part of Rhine area in the Kingdom of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire from 915 to 1803. The title was a kind ...

in 1685.) He was destined for the clergy from a young age, and was sent to study with the

Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

in Neuburg an der Donau and

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...

. He was appointed

coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...

Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ' ...

on 10 February 1681.Profile from catholic-hierarchy.org
/ref> He suffered a serious riding accident in 1688. He was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...

as a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

on 26 July 1689.

Johann Christoph von Freyberg-Allmendingen Johann Christoph ''Reichsritter'' von Freyberg-Allmendingen (1616–1690) was the Prince-Provost of Ellwangen Abbey from 1660 to 1674, and the Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg, Prince-Bishop of Augsburg from 1665 to 1690. Biography Johann Christoph vo ...

died on 1 April 1690 and Alexander Sigismund succeeded him as

, with

Pope Alexander VIII Pope Alexander VIII ( it, Alessandro VIII; 22 April 1610 – 1 February 1691), born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 October 1689 to his death in February 1691. He is to date the las ...

confirming his appointment on 31 May 1690. He was

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

as a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

Marquard Rudolf von Rodt Marquard Rudolf Reichsritter von Rodt zu Bußmannshausen, or Roth (9 April 1644, Konstanz, Holy Roman Empire – 10 July or 6 October 1704, Allensbach, Hegne) was, from 1689 to 1704, the prince-bishop of the Bishopric of Constance. Personal lif ...

Bishop of Constance The Prince-Bishopric of Constance, (german: Hochstift Konstanz, Fürstbistum Konstanz, Bistum Konstanz) was a small ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire from the mid-12th century until its secularisation in 1802–1803. In his dua ...

, on 18 June 1690. In 1714, Alexander Sigismund suffered a bout of

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

, and the

cathedral chapter According to both Catholic and Anglican canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese during the vacancy. In ...

Augsburg Cathedral The Cathedral of Augsburg (German: ''Dom Mariä Heimsuchung'') is a Roman Catholic church in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany, founded in the 11th century in Romanesque style, but with 14th-century Gothic additions. Together with the Basilica of St. U ...

selected

Johann Franz Schenk von Stauffenberg Johann Franz Schenk von Stauffenberg (1658–1740) was Prince-Bishop of Constance from 1704 to 1740 and Prince-Bishop of Augsburg from 1737 to 1740. Early life Johann Franz Schenk von Stauffenberg was born in Lautlingen on 18 February 1658 as ...

, to be

on 11 June 1714. German Wikipedia article on Stauffenberg Alexander Sigismund finally recovered enough to resume his duties as Prince-Bishop in 1718. He died in

on 24 January 1737.

Ancestry

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pfalz-Neuburg, Alexander Sigismund von der 1663 births 1737 deaths Roman Catholic bishops of Augsburg People from Neuburg an der Donau History of Augsburg