Franz Ludwig Freiherr von Erthal (16 September 1730 in

Lohr am Main Lohr am Main (officially: ''Lohr a. Main'') is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Lower Franconia (''Unterfranken'') in Bavaria, Germany and the seat (but not a member) of the ''Verwaltungsgemeinschaft'' (muni ...

- 14 February 1795 in

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg ...

) was the prince-bishop of Würzburg and

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castl ...

from 1779 until his death. He was buried at the

Würzburg Cathedral Würzburg Cathedral (german: Würzburger Dom) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany, dedicated to Saint Kilian. It is the seat of the Bishop of Würzburg and has served as the burial place for the Prince-Bishops of Wür ...

(#45 diagram). From 1779 until his death, he was very prudent as the prince-bishop of Bamberg and Würzburg in personal union. He was permeated with the ideas of the Enlightenment and promoted the education of the clergy. In Bamberg, he built the first modern hospital and introduced a first public social insurance. The University of Bamberg received a chair for veterinary medicine under its government. Politically, he was loyal to the house of Habsburg and close to Emperor

Joseph II Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...

. Unlike his predecessor

Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim Adam Friedrich Graf von Seinsheim (1708–1779) was the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg from 1755 to 1779 and Prince-Bishop of Bamberg from 1757 to 1779. Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim was born in Regensburg on 16 February 1708, the son of Maximilian ...

, Erthal was no friend of profane pleasures, and there were no hunts and opera performances at his court. The Würzburg Residenz was however completed during his reign.

External links

Catholic Encyclopedia
1730 births 1795 deaths People from Lohr am Main People from the Electorate of Mainz Prince-Bishops of Bamberg Prince-Bishops of Würzburg Barons of Germany 18th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Bavaria Burials at Würzburg Cathedral Dukes of Franconia {{Germany-RC-bishop-stub