Friedrich Karl von Schönborn (or Friedrich Carl, 1674–1746) was the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg and Prince-Bishop of Bamberg from 1729 to 1746. He also served as ''Reichsvizekanzler'' (Vice-Chancellor) of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...

from 1705 to 1734.

Biography

Friedrich Karl (Carl) von Schönborn was born in

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

on 3 March 1674, the second son of (1644-1717, see List of rulers of Schönborn) and his wife, Maria Anna Sophia von Boineburg (1652–1726). Friedrich Karl was the nephew of Lothar Franz von Schönborn,

Archbishop-Elector of Mainz The Elector of Mainz was one of the seven Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire. As both the Archbishop of Mainz and the ruling prince of the Electorate of Mainz, the Elector of Mainz held a powerful position during the Middle Ages. The A ...

. Friedrich Karl's older brother

Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn (1673–1724) was the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg from 1719 to 1724. His principal claim to fame is his commissioning of the Würzburg Residence, a major work of Baroque architecture. Life Johann Philipp Franz ...

was one of his predecessors as Prince-Bishop of Würzburg; his younger brother Damian Hugo Philipp von Schönborn became Prince-Bishop of Speyer and his youngest brother Franz Georg von Schönborn became Archbishop-Elector of Trier. In 1681, he was sent to study at the Jesuit school at

Aschaffenburg Aschaffenburg (; South Franconian: ''Aschebersch'') is a town in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is its administrative seat. Aschaffenburg belonged to the Archbishopric ...

. He became a '' Canon (Priest)'' at Würzburg in 1683 and at Bamberg in 1685. He then studied alongside his brother Johann Philipp Franz at Würzburg, Mainz, Aschaffenburg and Rome ( Germanicum). His

Grand Tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tu ...

brought him to the Netherlands, England and France. He finished his studies at the Sorbonne. He received the

minor orders Minor orders are ranks of church ministry. In the Catholic Church, the predominating Latin Church formerly distinguished between the major orders —priest (including bishop), deacon and subdeacon—and four minor orders—acolyte, exorcist, l ...

in 1701. In 1703/4, his uncle Lothar Franz sent him as envoy for the Archbishopric of Mainz to the imperial court at Vienna. He became a canon of Würzburg Cathedral in 1704, and a canon of Bamberg Cathedral in 1705. In 1705, Friedrich Karl became Vice-Chancellor for Emperor Joseph I; he held this post under Joseph and his successor, Charles VI, until 1734. In this position, Friedrich Karl worked to protect the security of the smaller Imperial Estates, and to strengthen imperial authority. He successfully opposed attempts by

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

to expand its influence in southern Germany. During his early years he spent most of his time at the Imperial court in Vienna. He had the Federal Chancellery of Austria built between 1717 and 1719 as his office. He also supervised the construction of the Imperial Chancellory Wing of the

Hofburg Palace The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbru ...

in Vienna (1723–30) by Lukas von Hildebrandt, where he lived in an apartment. As his private country resort near Vienna, he built the Blauer Hof Laxenburg (1710-1720) and also the Schönborn Palace near

Göllersdorf Göllersdorf is a town in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria. Peter Schidlof (1922–1987), the Austrian-British violist and co-founder of the Amadeus Quartet, was born in Göllersdorf. Geography Göllersdorf lies in the Weinvi ...

in Lower Austria; there he also purchased Weyerburg Castle. In 1740 he acquired the Palais Schönborn-Batthyány and moved there. 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, "c ...

of Bamberg in 1708, with Pope Clement XI confirming his appointment on 19 May 1710. Friedrich Karl's opposition to the Pragmatic Sanction, as well as his frequent absences from Vienna, caused him to lose influence at the court after 1730. When the cathedral chapter of Würzburg elected a new bishop in 1724, they rejected Friedrich Karl, due to the unpopularity of his brother Johann Philipp Franz. Christoph Franz von Hutten was elected Bishop of Würzburg instead. In 1724, Friedrich Karl became ''Dompropst'' at Würzburg and upon his uncle Lothar Franz' death on 30 January 1729, he succeeded as Prince-Bishop of Bamberg. On 18 May 1729 he was elected unanimously as Bishop of Würzburg, after von Hutten had died. Nonetheless he continued to mainly reside in Vienna for a number of years. Friedrich Karl had been the favourite nephew of Lothar Franz, who bequeathed to him '' Schloss Weissenstein'', a large Baroque palace at Pommersfelden. Among his various residences, Friedrich Karl clearly preferred Würzburg, however. As an imperial prince, Friedrich Karl remained a supporter of the Habsburgs, despite numerous and significant political differences. His considered, moderately absolutist, rule served him well in reorganizing administration, finance and education in both bishoprics. In 1735 he helped to turn the ''Bamberger Akademie'' into a full university, by adding law and medical faculties. In 1743 he gave the

University of Würzburg The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. The University of Würzburg is one o ...

new study regulations. He implemented the perpetual adoration at Würzburg in 1736. In both bishoprics he built or renovated numerous churches, often using Würzburg engineer

Balthasar Neumann Johann Balthasar Neumann (; 27 January 1687 (?) – 19 August 1753), usually known as Balthasar Neumann, was a German architect and military artillery engineer who developed a refined brand of Baroque architecture, fusing Austrian, Bohemian, Ita ...

. Under him, Neumann also completed the Würzburg Residence (begun under his brother) and the ''Schönbornkapelle'' of Würzburg Cathedral. Friedrich Karl also had Neumann build a new summer residence at Werneck. He died on 26 July 1746 at Würzburg and is buried in the ''Schönbornkapelle'' of Würzburg Cathedral. Bundeskanzleramt Ballhausplatz Wien 2007.jpg, Federal Chancellery of Austria Reichskanzleitrakt Vienna Sept 2006 001.jpg, Imperial Chancellory Wing of the

in Vienna Blauer Hof Laxenburg.jpg, Blauer Hof Laxenburg Residenz Wuerzburg Vorderan.jpg, Würzburg Residence DSC 0133-a.jpg, Werneck Palace Schoenbornkapelle Wuerzburg-1.jpg, Würzburg Cathedral with adjacent Schönborn burial chapel

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schonborn, Friedrich Karl von 1674 births 1746 deaths Prince-Bishops of Bamberg Prince-Bishops of Würzburg Friedrich