Rudolf van Diepholt ( – Vollenhove, 24 March 1455) or Rudolf of Diepholz was 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 ...

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the fourth-largest city and a municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, in the very centre of mainland Nethe ...

from 1423 to 1455 and bishop of

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a populat ...

from 1454 to 1455.

Biography

Rudolf van Diepholt was one of the most influential Prince-

Bishops of Utrecht List of bishops and archbishops of the diocese and archdioceses of Utrecht. Medieval diocese from 695 to 1580 Founders of the Utrecht diocese * * * * * Bishops * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

in the late Middle Ages. Rudolf was the son of Johann III, Lord of

Diepholz Diepholz (; Northern Low Saxon: ''Deefholt'') is a town and capital of the district of Diepholz in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the rivers Hunte and Lohne, approximately 45 km northeast of Osnabrück, and 60 km southwest o ...

(died 1422), and Countess Kunigunde von Oldenburg; he was brother of Konrad IX, Lord of Diepholz (died 1426), and uncle of Otto IV, Lord of Diepholz (died 1481). Before his appointment as bishop, Rudolf van Diepholt was Canon in

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...

Utrecht Schism

After the death of Frederick of Blankenheim in 1423, Rudolf was elected bishop by the chapters thanks to support from the towns and nobles. Utrecht was divided by a factional struggle between the ''Lichtenbergers'' and ''Lokhorsten''. Rudolf was a candidate of the Lichtenbergers, and the Lokhorsten refused to cease the support of their candidate Zweder van Culemborg.

Pope Martin V Pope Martin V ( la, Martinus V; it, Martino V; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Otto (or Oddone) Colonna, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. Hi ...

attempted to resolve the conflict on 7 June 1424, by appointed his own favourite; Rhabanus van Helmstatt. Unfortunately Rhabanus did not want the appointment, and withdrew, at which the pope appointed Zweder on 6 February 1425 as bishop of Utrecht. This period is called the Utrecht Schism. Zweder used violence to gain control of the bishopric, but he was driven out of the city in 1426 by the Lichtenbergers. Rudolf was excommunicated by the pope, but he managed to maintain himself, even though Zweder was initially supported by the duke of

Guelders The Duchy of Guelders ( nl, Gelre, french: Gueldre, german: Geldern) is a historical duchy, previously county, of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries. Geography The duchy was named after the town of Geldern (''Gelder'') in pr ...

and duke

Philip the Good Philip III (french: Philippe le Bon; nl, Filips de Goede; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belon ...

, also count of

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

. Rudolf, however, was able to sign agreements with both neighbouring rulers. When Martin V's successor, pope

Eugene IV Pope Eugene IV ( la, Eugenius IV; it, Eugenio IV; 1383 – 23 February 1447), born Gabriele Condulmer, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 3 March 1431 to his death in February 1447. Condulmer was a Venetian, and ...

, also recognised Rudolf as bishop on 10 December 1432, Rudolf was finally able to make his official entrance as bishop in 1433. Zweder van Culemborg died the same year, but his claim was picked up by

Walraven van Meurs Walraven is a Dutch given name and patronymic surname. The given name is first attested in 1294 and has the Germanic roots *wald- ("ruler") and *χraban- ("raven"). The German equivalent of the name is ''Walram''.Council of Basel The Council of Florence is the seventeenth ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic Church, held between 1431 and 1449. It was convoked as the Council of Basel by Pope Martin V shortly before his death in February 1431 and took place in ...

. Walraven eventually retracted his claim in 1448, ending the Utrecht Schism. Rudolf was now universally recognised, but in the same year he was driven out of the city by his subjects, who were unhappy with his tax-policies. In 1449 Rudolf violently returned, and he held his position until his death in 1455.

Last years

When Hendrik van Meurs, bishop of Osnabruck died in 1450, Rudolf involved himself in a succession struggle, the

Münster Diocesan Feud The Münster Diocesan Feud (german: Münsterische Stiftsfehde), or simply Münster Feud, was a dispute that took place between 1450 and 1457 over the appointment to the bishop's throne in Münster, and hence the rule of the diocese. The cause wa ...

, that lasted for years. Rudolf attempted to put his nephew Conrad of Diepholz, provost at Osnabrück, on the ecclesiastical seat. But in 1454 Rudolf dealt a heavy blow to his opponents, after which he became bishop of

himself. After his death his nephew succeeded him as bishop of Osnabrück. Rudolf van Diepholt advanced the construction of the Dom Church, and he was interred in a chapel that carries his name.

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Diepholt, Rudolf 1390s births Place of birth missing 1455 deaths Prince-Bishops of Utrecht Roman Catholic Prince-Bishops of Osnabrück 15th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the Holy Roman Empire People temporarily excommunicated by the Catholic Church Burials at St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht Year of birth uncertain Year of birth unknown People from Diepholz