Wilhelm von Gennep (died 15 September 1362) was Elector-Archbishop of Cologne from 1349 to 1362.

Life

Wilhelm was a member of a minor

comital Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

family from the region of the

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...

(''Maas'') valley.Saint

Norbert of Xanten Norbert of Xanten, O. Praem (c. 1075 – 6 June 1134) (Xanten-Magdeburg), also known as Norbert Gennep, was a bishop of the Catholic Church, founder of the Premonstratensian order of canons regular, and is venerated as a saint. Norbert was can ...

, otherwise Norbert of Gennep, was of the same family. He was active in

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

as the elector-archbishop's secretary under his predecessor Walram von Jülich and was one of his most important advisers. After Walram's death, Wilhelm was elected archbishop. The King and

Emperor Charles IV Charles IV ( cs, Karel IV.; german: Karl IV.; la, Carolus IV; 14 May 1316 – 29 November 1378''Karl IV''. In: (1960): ''Geschichte in Gestalten'' (''History in figures''), vol. 2: ''F–K''. 38, Frankfurt 1963, p. 294), also known as Charle ...

was opposed to his nomination, but Wilhelm had the support and protection of

Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to: Place names in Europe * London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany Belgium * Province of Bra ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, and was duly appointed by

Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI ( la, Clemens VI; 1291 – 6 December 1352), born Pierre Roger, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 May 1342 to his death in December 1352. He was the fourth Avignon pope. Clement reigned during the first visitation of the Bla ...

. Wilhelm was an unusually efficient ruler, and soon managed to stabilise the archbishopric's financial position, which was the prerequisite for the effective exercise of its territorial powers. His energetic internal politics formed the basis for (by and large) unwarlike and successful foreign politics, which culminated in an intensive engagement in imperial politics. He not only established political relations with France, England and north-west Europe, but was apparently involved in the formulation of the

Golden Bull A golden bull or chrysobull was a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors and later by monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, most notably by the Holy Roman Emperors. The term was originally coined for the golden seal (a ''bull ...

of Charles IV in 1356. His unceasing activity quickly exhausted Wilhelm and he died on 15 September 1362 in Cologne, where he was buried in a monumental tomb which he had prepared for himself in the Chapel of the Cross (''Kreuzkapelle'') in

Cologne Cathedral Cologne Cathedral (german: Kölner Dom, officially ', English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a Catholic cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of ...

. Wilhelm promoted the construction of the cathedral, and supported the cathedral building guild of the time. He boosted the financing of the building works by obtaining reliefs for the archbishopric from the pope. He also showed a certain respect, not universally shared, towards his predecessor in that he had an equally magnificent tomb built for him too.

Notes

Sources and external links

de.Wkisource: ADB:Wilhelm_von_Gennep

Tomb of Wilhelm von Gennep: photo

Cologne Cathedral website: tomb of Wilhelm von Gennep
{{Authority control 1362 deaths Archbishop-Electors of Cologne William 01 14th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the Holy Roman Empire Burials at Cologne Cathedral Year of birth unknown